I was privileged to anchor
a night of classics and celebration of woman hood which held on the 20th
of March 2016.
It turned out to be an entertaining
and well spent evening that the inhabitants of Uyo and environs will not forget
in a hurry.
It was the day Patience
Ekwere- a well-known Classical musician in collaboration with many sponsors; chief
of which was Le Meriedien Ibom Resort hosted a select few to a Night of
Classics.
Patience Ekwere demystified
Classical music as she meandered from one song to the other. Her powerful and well-coordinated
and sonorous voice transported the audience to faraway lands.
The violinists were on hand
to add spice and everyone watched them as they delivered deftly like the professionals
they were.
The audience had to be reminded
to clap only at the end of each song in accordance to tradition because the
audience carried away were initially clapping intermittently.
Patience Ekwere that night
established that she was not a pushover.
Two distinguished women of
Akwa Ibom State spoke celebrating woman and charting the way forward for women.
The first keynote speaker
was Dr. Mrs. Uduak Onofiok Luke. She is a research fellow with University of
Uyo Teaching Hospital and only recently bagged PHD.
I introduced her as one whose
photograph only a few days ago, broke the internet. This event was barely a few
days ago when a picture of her keeling down with her graduation gown after
bagging her PHD before her husband in appreciation of his support went viral.
Whereas a lot of people loved what she did, a few did felt it was uncalled for.
In her speech, she
emphasized that the man and woman were not in competition. She said her husband
has always supported her in everything she did and for that reason, she was
ready to kneel down again if any occasion called for it.
In her well researched
paper, she documented how women had been wrongly treated and manner of abuses they had suffered.
She ended her paper by
calling all women to close ranks and support each other. She advised them
against the Pull Down Syndrome.
The second speaker, AMB.
Unyime Ivy-King spoke passionately about the popular notion that women from
their parts were only good in sex and cooking good meals.
She appealed to the women
to look up to women from their areas who have made their mark in Nigeria and
all over the world.
She wanted them to work
towards destroying that myth. She emphasized that lately women have come to the
realization that they had to assist each other and they are now doing so.
Mr. Richard Edem, Special Assistant to Government of Akwa
Ibom State extolled the virtues of women and looked forward to when Nigeria
will have its first Female President.
The two comedians MC
Mbakara and MC George, gave good account of themselves.
Patience Ekwere was the
cynosure of all eyes as she performed solo most times and once with children
and once in a duet with Rosemary Essien.
During the vote of thanks,
she took out time to thank all those who partnered with her: Le Meridien Ibom Hotel,
Dana airline, Ebonylife Tv Dstv165, Awesome events, Creative Network, Marketer,
Carrot Photography, Meekmillie's makeover, Hype Station, AkwaIbomOnline,
Danceville, Brent-Cruzt, Francines Place Hotel, Peer luxury Suites, Insideakwaibom.com, Glory Tommey Ikott, Nunu 'Lawrence' Emah, Mr
& Mrs Ifiok Akpabio, Mr Nse Aquaowo, Mr. Aniekpeno Mkpanang, Dr. Mrs Daisy Onofiok Uduak Daisy Luke , Amb Unyime-Ivy King, Raphael Edem, the Orchestra, Rosemary Essien, Gift, Ette Benson , Uko
and Uncle Emman.
By the time the show came
to an end, she had made a convert of me and everyone in the audience to
classical music. Hitherto, classical music was seen as music for the elite. This
I am sure was because of ignorance and lack of exposure to the music.
As the people trooped out
of the hall, they openly expressed their desire to be around for the next
performance.
1 comment:
That was a good report you put together, very detailed info. I love your outfit too, it looks very good on you.
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