N30m up for grabs in Gbenga Daniel Choir competition
By Chioma Ugboma
The Organisers of the Sen. Gbenga Daniel Choir Competition, “The Asiwaju of Remo Christians Choir Festival competition”, says N30 million is up for grabs in the 2025 competition slated for July 6.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the festival is an annual event founded and sponsored in the last 20 years by Daniel, the Senator representing Ogun East.
NAN recalls that the festival, held annually in Ogun, was expanded in the last four years to include price for winners to make it more competitive and for participation by choirs nationwide and beyond the country.
Addressing newsmen on Monday in Lagos, Daniel said he was motivated by his experience as a member of the Baptist Boys’ High School, Ogun, as a chorister and college pianist.
The senator said that music played a pivotal role in shaping his spiritual and musical journey.
“These formative experiences laid the foundation for my passion for music and its potential to inspire and uplift others,” he said.
The senator said he realised that he could use the festival to mould and influence the values and morals of the younger generation.
“So much has changed in the society with people no longer asking questions on morals.
“My passion is how to support upcoming generations and change the psyche of our people using this festival.
“We need to create more interest in music/choir and use it to influence the upbringing of future generations, influencing their morals and redirecting them to what is right.
“Growing up, people ask the source of sudden wealth but these days, nobody cares. The moral decadence is such that must be addressed.
“This is one of the ways I chose to influence the young minds into being disciplined and doing the right thing,” he said.
The Asiwaju of Remo urged parents to do more in changing the value system, which he said, would go a long way in reshaping the society.
Also speaking, Dr Opeyemi Asaolu, Curator and Member of the Organising Board of the festival, said 850 choristers are expected at the event.
Asaolu said the 2025 event would hold at Abraham Tabernacle Church, Sagamu, Ogun State, an Ecumenical Church under the management of the Nigerian Baptist Convention.
Asaolu said nine choirs qualified for the competition against the usual six choirs in the past three editions.
“The only choir that has automatic qualification for the competition is the host choir, the Abraham Tabernacle Choir.
“Also, the choir defending its winning title qualifies automatically for the next.
“The total amount of prize to be won at this year’s edition of the Choir Festival is N30 million, with the winner going home with N5 million.
“The second prize is N3.5 million, the third prize is N2.5 million, fourth prize N1 million, fifth prize is N900,000, sixth prize is N800,000, seventh prize N700,000, eight prize N600,000 and ninth prize N500,000.
“We have 21 observing choirs and they will go home with N500,000 each,” he said.
He said participants were chosen after auditioning, saying that the choirs for the 2025 edition, from various parts of the country were selected after auditioning.
He urged Nigerians to join in sponsoring the festival to make room for greater participation.
The 2024 edition was held in Remo, Sagamu, hometown of Daniel, a former governor of Ogun and Asiwaju of Remo.
In 2024, N10 million was set aside as prizes for participants, with the winning choir receiving N3 million, as against the N5 million for the winning choir in the 2025 competition.
NAN reports that other members of the Governing Board of the festival are
Ms Lilian Imoni, Dr Adeola Badru and Mr Seun Owoaje. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma
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