By  PRISCA SAM-DURU

As the world eagerly awaits a Nigerian perspective on the Choral Music Art, The Director General,  National Council for Arts and Culture, Mrs Dayo Keshi has been speaking on the essence of such festival stressing that the initiation of Choralfest as well as its format today remains one of the fastest growing forms of tourism activities which is becoming incresingly popular.

Keshi disclosed this during a press conference heralding the 2016 Choralfest Nigeria holding in conjunction with Music guru and traditional ruler of Oko, Anambra State, Igwe (Prof) Laz Ekwueme; Tope Babayemi, Ayo Bankole and Babafemi Ogundipe aka B-Clef.

•R-L, NCAC DG, Mrs Dayo Keshi; Prof Laz Ekwueme, Ayo Bankole and Babayemi Babatope during the conference in Lagos

The staging of Choralfest she explained, is in furtherance of the Council’s commitment in contributing to the present Administration’s determination to effectively respond to the various economic challenges through youth empowerment, rural transformation and diversification of the nation’s sources of revenue generation, Adding, “Coupled with this, is my policy thrust of leveraging on the abundant potentials in the cultural industries, especially in the areas of festivals for use towards youth empowerment and wealth creation in areas for which Nigeria has a very strong comparative advantage. To tap into this great potential, NCAC is fine tuning strategies towards the staging at least on National festival each in 6 Geo-Political Zones of the Federation aimed at accelerating the commercial and economic activities of such Zones. The festival in view are National Durbar, National Masquerade, National Boat Regatta and National Textile and Fashion fair festivals.

Choralfest in partnership with the corporate sponsors is one way of improving and contributing to the festival landscape in Nigeria as well as maximising their economic and non-economic impacts.

“This year’s festival coming up later in the year she noted, attracts participation from across the 6 Geo-Political Zones. It will feature the unique, rich and spectacular Choral Music of the different ethnic backgrounds of the country. ”

B-Clef also disclosed that guidelines will be sent to choirs nationwide in the 4 Zones while zonal competition begins in 3 months time. Choirs outside the country will also be invited.

Offering guests a glimpse of what to expect at the Choralfest, B-Clef and his choir rapped up the conference with renditions that travelled round Africa, South Africa, Ghana and then back to Nigeria rendering songs that represented three tribes in Nigeria with their roof shaking and goose pimples producing voices.

In all the songs performed both in English and African languages, none was a match to the Igbo song ‘Welu Obi Dimkpa kpahariba…’composed by the icon himself, Igwe Laz Ekwueme. It earned the choir, a standing ovation.