Why ANMC was established — Dr Gbolahan
The Chief Executive Officer of Abba Music School and organiser of the Abuja National Music Competition (ANMC), Dr Nana Gbolahan, has said the competition was established to promote music education and provide a platform for discovering and nurturing young talents across the Federal Capital Territory. Speaking during the 8th edition of the competition, Gbolahan said […]
The Chief Executive Officer of Abba Music School and organiser of the Abuja National Music Competition (ANMC), Dr Nana Gbolahan, has said the competition was established to promote music education and provide a platform for discovering and nurturing young talents across the Federal Capital Territory.
Speaking during the 8th edition of the competition, Gbolahan said the initiative was designed to encourage children with musical abilities and give them opportunities to showcase and develop their talents.
The ANMC is open to primary and secondary school students across Abuja and aims to promote music culture, celebrate creativity, encourage discipline through the arts, and stimulate discussions on the role of music in Nigeria’s education system.
According to her, the competition seeks to bridge existing gaps by creating opportunities for young people interested in music.
“Music is the language of the soul, and all of us here are part of that language. The motivation for me is to continue to promote music, especially across Abuja. In other parts of Nigeria, particularly Lagos, music is well known and appreciated, but in Abuja it is just coming up and it is much better now than it used to be,” she said.
Gbolahan added that the competition serves as a platform for children to interact with like-minded peers and sharpen their talents.
“A lot of these children have inherent talents, but there is often nothing that pushes or encourages them, and there is no platform for them to express those talents. We provide that platform for them to compete, meet other children interested in music and enhance their abilities,” she said.
She noted that participation increased this year as more schools expressed interest in the competition, reflecting growing recognition of the importance of music education.
“We have more schools this year because more schools expressed interest after we approached them. It is also their way of exposing students to music, and we hope it continues to grow,” she added.
Also speaking, the Director of Music, Nigerian Air Force, Group Captain Oludare Ayanbode, called on the Federal Government to invest more in the creative and arts sector, describing it as a critical contributor to economic growth and youth development.
Ayanbode, who served as one of the judges, said greater attention should be given to music education at the primary and secondary school levels.
“There is room for improvement on the part of the government when it comes to discovering raw talents. I would not say the government has not done enough, but I believe more can still be done to bring out the talents in these children,” he said.
He advocated a more inclusive and robust music curriculum in both public and private schools, stressing that music contributes significantly to cognitive development and memory enhancement.
“The teaching of music should be encouraged to build more talents, which will eventually help students in their academic pursuits and whatever career path they choose,” he said.
Ayanbode also commended participants in this year’s competition for their preparation, discipline and creativity.
“Many of them came well prepared. The decisions have been very close because of the quality of performances, but we are happy with the high level of discipline and creativity displayed,” he added.
Other judges at the competition included Prof. Adebowale Adeogun, Mr. Adebayo Omole and Malam Razphil.
Participating schools included Benford International School, Meadowlands School, Regent International School, Premier Academy and Spiritan International Girls Secondary School.