Captions:
-Governor Sanwo-Olu, Special Guest of Honour, greeting other guests.
-King Charles III and Queen Camilla
– Governor Sanwo-Olu addressing the musicians and audience at the concert
By Isaac Daniel
The Nigerian British High Commission, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and the Musical Society of Nigeria, MUSON, on Sunday held the Nigerian Coronation Concert in honour the newly crowned King Charles III and Queen Camilla, of the United Kingdom.
In addition, according to the organizers the Coronation Concert was also aimed at promoting the understanding, enjoyment and performance of classical and contemporary music in Nigeria.
The well attended Concert held at MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos, was a World-class event. It featured internationally acclaimed musicians, award winning choirs musicologists, choristers and music directors within and outside Nigeria.
These rare team of excellent musicians in collaboration with the MUSON choir and KSG, The MUSON Symphony Orchestra mesmerizing the top notched audience with their outstanding performances. They held the audience which cuts across the old and young generation spellbound, with their heavenly like vocal prowess and amazingly skillful displays on musical instruments. They took took their performance to another level when they grandly rendered Nigerian and foreign songs such as “Ki Le n’ f’ Oba pe” (let’s call him the king), “the King rejoice”, “Hallelujah” , among others. Their electrifying renditions received thunderous applause from the joyfully dazzled audience. The MUSON Choir was by Renowned musicologists and music director, Emeka Nwokedi, while The KSG and The MUSON Symphony Orchestra was conducted by Michael Vollhardt, a globally celebrated music director..
in his address at the concert, the Nigerian British High Commissioner, Richard Montgomery said that the relationship between Nigeria and Britain has been very cordial and topmost to the newly crowned British monarch.
This according to him was one of the reasons King Charles III, has made three historic visits to Nigeria. “Remarkably, in 1990, he laid the foundation of the MUSON Centre as the then Prince of Wales. And during his 2018, visit he spoke in Nigerian pidgin English”. Montgomery disclosed that it was the British Monarch’s interest for closer ties with Nigeria, that initiated his epochal invitation of Nigerian popular musician, Tiwa Savage to perform at his coronation on May 6th in England.
Montgomery, who was represented by Ms Barnard, a top official of the British High Commission in Nigeria, appreciated the Music Society of Nigeria, (MUSON), the concert vision of honouring the British Monarch with the classical concert. He also sought for closer relationship between his county and Nigeria, which he said is paramount to King Charles for the greater prosperity of the two progressive nations.
In his address, the Special Guest of the concert, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, of Lagos State, who stressed his memorable meeting with King Charles III (then Prince of Wales), acknowledged that King Charles III and Queen Camilla, deserve the World-class coronation concert organized by MUSON and the British High Commission, to honour them. The elated Governor said that Lagos State is already in a mutual rewarding close relationship with the British Government, adding that the State will look into other open doors for closer ties with them.
” As one of the sponsors of the ‘Queen’s Commonwealth Quiz Competition’, we will continue to support it, now I believe it should be renamed, the ‘King’s Commonwealth Quiz Competition’ since we now have a king, he said.
Governor Sanwo-Olu, appreciated the excellent assemblage of award winning musicians, who delightfully thrilled him and other guests, at the concert, asserted that it was a good beginning for his second term. He added that the Board of Trustees (BoT) of MUSON has impacted him with outstanding managerial skills, which he will copy and use for the success of the State institutions. ” I have enjoyed myself here and I am excited that the MUSON BoT, ably led by Louis Mbanefo, SAN, has taught me your organizational expertise which I am going to copy as a model for the running of our youth and Yoruba centres”, he said.
In his earlier welcome speech, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of MUSON, Louis Mbanefo, SAN, recounted vividly the four decades history of the MUSON in Nigeria. He also revealed her long inspiring relationship and essential supports they have received from the British government and especially King Charles III, to keep their vision alive till date.
He noted with evergreen nostalgia that the foundation of their headquarters, the MUSON Centre, Lagos, was laid by King Charles III (then Prince Charles), in 1990. “Since then the centre has advanced as one of the pacesetting music training institutions in Nigeria and beyond”. He explained that it was in recognition of the treasurable contributions of King Charles III, that inspired the Coronation Concert organized by his body and the British High Commission. ” to honour the British Monarch and his wife, and to appreciate his support to MUSON”, he submitted
The Coronation Concert was graced by eminent global celebrities such as Chief Emeka Anyaoku, former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth; Mr Ben Liewellyn-Jones, the British Deputy High Commissioner in Nigeria; Pastor Paul Adefarasin; Senior Pastor, House On The Rock; General T. Y. Danjuma (retd), former Chief of Army Staff and his wife, Senator Daisy Danjuma; General Ike Nwachukwu (retd), Chief Femi Adeniyi-Williams, Vice-Chairman, MUSON BoT; Mr Kitoyi Ibare- Akinsan; Mr Olufemi Akinsanya; Lady Maiden Ibru, Publisher, The Guardian Newspaper; Engineer Olanrewaju Philips; Mrs Awunebu Ajumogobia; Mr. Adeyemi Akisanya, Honourary Secretary, MUSON; Ms Folashade Doherty and a host of others.
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