A former governor of Ogun State and incumbent Senator representing Ogun East, Gbenga Daniel, on Sunday, emphasised the need for religious leaders to rise up to the challenge of restoring the collapsed value system in the country.
Daniel equally tasked Nigerians to use their God-given strength and endowments to make a positive difference in society.
The former governor said that Nigeria can only succeed in building a virile Nigeria when every citizen makes it a point of duty to contribute their respective quota towards enhancing its development and prosperity.
He made this call while speaking during the third annual Asiwaju of Remo Christians Choir Festival sponsored by him and held at Abraham’s Terbanacle, GRA, Sagamu.
Six invited choir groups from Ogun, Lagos, Osun and Ondo States jostled for the N3m prize
He explained that he initiated the choir competition 16 years ago as part of his annual thanksgiving to improve the art of singing in the church, given the profound power of good and well-arranged songs in attracting the young ones to attend church service and listen to life- transforming messages
Daniel said “Basically we feel that part of our responsibility to the society is to help to stem this cause of the collapsed value system and I am of the belief that the Christian church and of course, the Islamic world have a lot to do in terms of moral suasion and sound preaching.
“But from my own angle as a Christian, I have decided to see what I can do by encouraging people to come to the church through the development of our singing art with annual choir competition like this.
“By doing something like this, young people who ordinarily feel sermons can be boring can be encouraged to come to church even if it is to listen to these good music that have their impacting and profound messages as well.
“Additionally, a lot of people who are today doing well in the music world and entertainment generally started from the church, that’s where they developed their talents and skills and when you look at the economy of our country, we can do a whole lot with the music and entertainment industry.
“So this annual choir festival is an investment towards helping to spot young men and women, groom and empower them to unleash their potentials to the world. Let everyone look at the area of God’s strength and use it to add value to society.
“Aliko Dangote’s God’s strength is industry and he is using it to add value, Pastor Adeboye’s own is gospel and he is using it well, yours may be music, sports and so on, use it to make positive difference in the society, that is the spirit behind all of this thing we are doing.
“The Choir festival will soon be a tourist attraction. It is getting better every year, the next edition will be international and in the not too distant future, it will be a whole week affair, a very big hub of tourism,” the former governor added.
Speaking earlier, the Chairman of the occasion and Co-founder of EKO Hospital, the Ogbeni Oja of Ijebuland, Dr Sonny Kuku, lauded the annual festival saying that its profound impact in fostering healthy competition and reaching for excellence in life cannot be overemphasised.
At the end of the five-hour singing competition, the panel of judges announced De Emmeralds Choir, Akure, Ondo State which came last in the previous edition as the winner of the N3m prize for the first position.
Sir Olu Okeowo, one of the special guests equally rewarded the winner of the competition with an additional N1m.
The Messiah Chorale, Ile Ife, Osun State which came second received N1.5M, The Chamber Chorale of Olabisi Onabanjo University clinching third position went away with N1m.
Similarly, New Wine Ensemble Choir, Lagos State, The host, Abraham’s Terbanacle Choir, Sagamu and Great Remo Chorale, Sagamu which emerged 4th, 5th and 6th received N950,000, N700,000 and N600,000 respectively.
Other dignitaries at event were Archbishop Emeritus Ayo Ladigbolu of the Methodist Church Nigeria, Archbishop Olusina Fape, Bishop of Remo Anglican Diocese and Archbishop of the Ecclesiastical Province of Lagos, Rev Mrs Esther Ajayi, the General Overseer of Love of Christ Generation, Zakky Adze, a prominent hip hop artiste among others.
