Rex Lawson, the highlife music sensation was from Rivers State. Harcourt Whyte, a master in the art of integrating European-influenced harmonic structure with powerful African rhythms was from Rivers State. Adam Dagogo Fiberisima, whose opera, “Opu Jaja” remains a world classic, was also from Rivers State.

These great men have one thing in common – they were great musicians with national and international fame.
It is time to unearth new Rex Lawsons, Harcourt Whytes and Dagogo Fiberisimas, whose fame will go beyond Rivers State.

That is the crux of Nigeria LNG’s latest corporate social responsibility initiative, the Rivers State Choral Competition.  Towards this, NLNG will today, 6 August, sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with media houses for promoting the Rivers State Choral Competition

This competition with prize money of US$10, 000 is aimed at encouraging interest in music as a career path for talented youths in Rivers State.    Rivers people are very good choral singers.

It is a state where folk songs, powerful beyond words and always sung with gusto, are heard everywhere – in the villages, churches and on moonlight nights.

The competition will introduce to the outside world the choirs and cultural environment of the Rivers people. It will also enable choirs in Rivers State to compete along international standards.

Whilst supporting the discovery and development of latent talents in music amongst Rivers youths, the competition is expected to stimulate creativity and writing of contemporary art music, encourage government to make policy decisions towards the study of music in the state primary schools, create an atmosphere for healthy competition amongst leading choirs in the state, and meaningfully engage the youths.

It will also significantly aid the growth of the music recording industry and the generation of jobs, essentially improving standards of living.

Renowned musicologists Prof. Richard Okafor, music teacher and composer Prof. Dan Agu, Director, MUSON School of music Mrs Marion Akpata, and Mr. Nimitein West of the Rivers State Organists Association are the individuals whose expertise is being brought to bear in staging the competition

“By this effort, we will be providing the youths of Rivers state with an excellent positive avenue for self-expression” said Chima Ibeneche, Managing Director, Nigeria LNG Limited.

In setting this up Nigeria LNG Limited will also be pursuing its goal of helping to build a better Nigeria through recognition and reward of excellence which is one of its core values.