By Dishi Agaga-Akpati and Oladele Eniola
The National Troupe of Nigeria (NTN) on Monday, revived its music department with a performance showcasing songs from different parts of Nigeria and other African countries.
Mrs Kaltume Bama, Artistic Director and Chief Executive Officer of the National Troupe of Nigeria, revealed this on the sidelines of the NTN event with the theme “Songs Across the Nation”.
The event took place on Monday at the National Troupe Amphitheatre, National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos.
Bama said the event was aimed at promoting national unity through music and bringing talents from different backgrounds.
She said that no fewer than 20 students from five institutions had participated in activities with the National Troupe, adding that the students had demonstrated talents in music, dance and drama.
Bama added that the National Troupe was also planning to compile folklore from different parts of the country and make them accessible digitally to researchers and people interested in African culture
“The production is designed to promote national unity through music while creating an opportunity for talents from diverse backgrounds to come together.
“More than 20 students from five institutions have participated in activities with the National Troupe, showcasing their abilities in music, dance and drama.
“The National Troupe is also working to document folklore from different parts of Nigeria and make the collection digitally available to researchers and those interested in African culture.” She said
Monica Adeniyi, Assistant Director of Music, NTN, said the department hadn’t been functioning since 2016 which infomed her decision to revive it after assuming office in 2023.
She said the production was put together to bring the music department back to life and showcase the role of music alongside dance and drama in theatrical arts.
According to her, the production featured songs from different parts of Nigeria including Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo, as well as music from Ghana and South Africa.
“Music as a universal language that can bring people together regardless of the language they spoke.
“The aim is to establish the old music department that was not functioning but showcasing different genres of music to the world on a global stage” she said.
One of the guest artistes, Samson Alhassan, popularly known as “Gas Cooker”, urged young creatives to remain persistent in pursuing their careers.
Alhassan, a founding member of the National Troupe who joined the organisation in 1989, said his continued involvement in the creative industry showed that age should not discourage people from pursuing their talents.
“So, if you are young, it’s never too late to become somebody in the art.
“My advice to young artistes and other creatives is that they should keep pushing as persistence helps in achieving goals” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the programme featured musical performances by the National Troupe, including folklore and choral songs, while guest artistes also entertained the audience. (NAN)www.nannews.ng
Edited by Vivian Ihechu
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