Towards promotion of the state’s indigenous music, this year’s edition of Ariya Eko Music Festival,will showcase diverse talents in the local genre.
Yinka Eso, spokesman of the organisers, Evergreen Musical Company, said the move is is to further promote indigenous as the states cultural heritage.
“we have to showcase it to the world, while also projecting Nigeria’s tourism potential.” He stated
He said the idea behind the Festival is to arrest the local music which according to him,” is fast losing its grasp on morality and societal values.” “This is why *ARIYA EKO MUSICAL FESTIVAL* is being put together to bring in some sanity and control in our music industry” he said.
ESO recalled that the one put in place last year and tagged *FAAJI AGBA EKO* was mainly done for the aged and elderly adding that,” It was a huge success because many artistes like *Orlando Julius, Tee Mac, Jimi Solanke, Buga, Ara, Yinka Davies,* etc., were in attendance, the highpoint of the event was the arrival of His Excellency, the executive governor of Lagos State, *Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu*” .
He however said that unlike like years event,” This year unlike last year has been expanded to include all other genres and the entire general musical populace of both young and old.”
*He said that this years ARIYA EKO MUSIC FESTIVAL* most prolific features are to *preserve, promote, and propagate our indigenous band culture and to give us a musical identity* . “Therefore, music that will flow from the past to the present, which includes: *Folk Music, Highlife, Juju, Apala, Afrobeat, Agidigbo, Sakara, Hip-Hop, Waka, Fuji”,* etc., will be showcased.
The *ARIYA EKO MUSIC FESTIVAL he didvolsed, is being put together by one of Nigeria’s most respected Indigenous music company that have been the brain behind organising of topnotch music events in Nigeria, *Evergreen Musical Company* .
The event will hold in *mid- December* and to be staged here in Lagos since according to the organisers,”Lagos is the epi-centre of entertainment. And since *Entertainment and Tourism* is one of the main thrust of the Sanwo-Olu’s government to fulfill the *”E”* components in its *THEMES Strategic Thrust.* So, with this music concert, ARIYA EKO, we plan to take *Tourism and Entertainment* to the next level in Lagos State.
The event to be held in partnership with the *Lagos State Ministry of Tourism , Arts and Culture* , shall feature artistes like *Sir Victor Uwaifo, Adewesco, Sir Shina Peters, Yinka Davies, Eko Brass Band, Abass Akande Obesere, Tee Mac, Omileyan, Segun Blessing, Ibitayo Jeje, Abideen Yusuf Olatunji, Wasiu Oseni Ejire, Young Tunde Nightingale, Halimat Ayinla Omowura* , etc while the highpoint of the event “will be the *induction* of one of Nigeria’s most prolific music icon , *Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey Fabiyi*(MON) into the *Evergreen Music Hall of Fame* with a repertoire of about *660 songs,* one of the largest in the world.”
Expected to grace this occasion are *Royal Fathers, Lagos Indigenes, Nigerians from the Diaspora, Top Government officials, Young and upcoming artistes, Musical associations, Men of the Corporate World, etc*
Finally *, ARIYA EKO MUSIC FESTIVAL* is a promising project that requires the support of all and sundry to achieve its aim and purpose. The *general public, private sector, musicians, owners and promoters of Radio and Television Stations,* etc., should support it as a service to our indigenous musical heritage and culture, and also to propagate our potentials
