The former Minister of Health and Chairman of MTN Foundation, Prince Julius Adeuyi OFR, has charged the 29 graduands of this year’s graduation from the Music Society of Nigeria, MUSON and MTN Foundation Music School, to ensure they beat Nigerian super stars, Wizkid, Davido, Burna Boy, Tiwa Savage, among others to globally excel in the music industry.
This charge was made in Lagos on Thursday, by Prince Julius Adeuyi,OFR, who is also the Executive Chairman of Juli Pharmacy, at the 16th graduation ceremony for the 2023 graduands of MUSON/MTNF Diploma School of Music, held at MUSON Centre, Lagos.
Speaking in his speech at the event, Prince Adeluyi, who appreciate the efforts of students and the school management, tasked the students to use the opportunity they acquired from the school to build a great musical career for themselves. “I just want to admonish you that when you leave here, you are more or less on your own. Life is built on 3cs. That is chances, choices and consequences.and how you use them is solely on you. Today, you have many areas of self-expression and I hope you will use them well. I pray the Lord will help you use your knowledge to discover the chances you have and give you the wisdom to make choices that make the consequences satisfactory to you”, he said.
The celebrated pharmacist added that the graduands are able to beat the Nigerian World-class super stars and others because they have passed through musical trainings from a globally reputable music school, MUSON/MTNF Diploma Music School, which Wizkid and others didn’t have and still made it to the global top. He promised that the full scholarship scheme sponsored by MTN Foundation will be sustained and made better to empowered and trained more Nigerian youths for future musical exploits.
The highly spirited graduands who expressed their joy at the event, participated fully at the two day events It commenced with a concert on Wednesday and was crowned with graduation send-off ceremony. The event attached eminent personalities such as former Minister of Health, Prince Julius Adeuyi, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Odein Ajumogobia, Chief Femi Adeniyi-Willians, Gospel music icon, Frank Edwards, Mr Dennis Okoro, member, MTNF Board of Directors, Mrs Odunayo Sanya, Executive Secretary, MTNF, Joyce Jafolo, CEO, MUSON Centre, Sir Emeka Nwokedi, the renowned musicologist, and others.
As expected, the impressive send-off event also witnessed outstanding musical performances from the graduands, guest artiste, Frank Edwards of the “Mma Mma” fame, and comedy from the master of ceremony, Benneth Ogbeiwi. Ogbeiwi, the famous uncle Ben of the rested “MTN Project Fame West Africa”, reality show. They greatly entertained guests with stellar musical performances and very healthy comical displays from the MC. However, the graduands had a notworthy outing with their excellent rendition of the school anthem composed by Dr. Kayode Ibiayo, a graduate of the school, based in South Africa.
In her welcome address earlier in the ceremony, the school director, Princess Banke Ademola, testified that the graduands were special, because they passed through through horrible and frustrating experience in the country such as cash crunch, power failure, the elections etc to succeed. ” They passed out by ‘ fire, by force to graduate”, she declared. Princess Banke, urge them them to build on these experiences for successful music careers, as you have experienced , life is not smooth sailing. Speaking in the same vein, Mr. Louis Mbanefo, SAN, Chairman, MUSON Board of Trustees and School Committee, pleaded with the graduands to inspire a new generation of learned musicians with the rich musical knowledge imparted into them.
Mrs Odunayo Sanya, Executive Secretary, MTN Foundation, applauded the graduands for maximizing the empowerment opportunity provide by MTNF for youth employment. She added MTN, is not only interested in making money from the public, but also has interest in investing some percentage of her profit in them for their benefits. ” This project is dear to us, because it is one of our core vision focus, which is youth and community development”, she said. She assured that her foundation will empowered more Nigerian youths with the full two years scholarship scheme.
Highlights of the event was the presentation of academic, professional and individual awards to the distinguished graduands with cash prizes. Above all the awards, that of MNTF Awards was most prestigious. The winner of the award was Ayomide Oluwatobiloba, second position went to Samuel Oluwarotimi, while the third position went to Abisola Edun. The awards were presented to winners by Prince Adeluyi, Mrs Dennis Okoro, Board member, MTNF, Mrs Odunayo Sanya, Mr Louis Mbanefo, Chief Femi Adeniyi-Willians, Vice-chairman, MUSON BoT , Frank Edwards, among others.
The MUSON/MTNF music scholarship scheme is an initiated by the two bodies to train Nigerian youths with great passion for music. The scheme which is two-year program has an annual scholarship worth N250,000 per student. The scholarship covers books, tuition and transportation for the year- year diploma programme. Since its inception, over 400 Nigerian music scholars have passed through and benefited from the life career transforming scheme.
