The Director of music, Nigerian Airforce,
Wing Commander Ayodeji Ayanbode, has called on the federal government to bring music back to schools, so that young and raw talents can be discovered.
Ayanbode, who was part of the panel of judges at the 5th edition of the Abuja National Music Competition, said promotion and discovery of talents, especially, among school children should not be left for individuals amd private sector.
He said the presence of the Nigerian Airforce at the event shows that Nigeria’s Armed Forces value .
He said, “The government needs to do more to promote music in our schools, it should not be left for individuals and private sector alone. Our being here today is a testament that we value music.
“I commend the organisers of this music competition because they have put in their time, resources and energy to bring out the best in these children. We need more of this kind of competition so that raw talents of school children in music could be discovered.
Organiser of the event, Mrs Nana Gbolahan, a creative and strategic business leader, career advisor and consultant,
said the music competirion was established to bring music back to Abuja.
He said music is no longer in the curriculum of a lot of schools, which discourages some, of these students who intend to go into music.
He said the competition is to keep music alive in our schools because it plays a key role in our lives.
Mrs Gbolahan said, “The National Music Competition was established to bring music back to Abuja. We noticed that a lot of schools no longer have music in their curriculum and this often discourage those who intend to go into music. We wanted to ensure that we keep music alive in our schools, especially, with the fact that music plays a key role in enhancing the intelligence of students.
“Music plays a big role in calming nerves and it’s a unifying factor, regardless of tribe or tongues and we just feel this is a fantastic way to unify us as Nigerians and encourage those who are into music, that music c is important in our schools and we call on the government to bring music back to our schools.
“Government is aware because last year when we did the 4th edition, we had people from the ministry of education who came and in this year’s edition, we wrote to them, unfortunately, they were unable to come, I think they have another event somewhere else”.
“We call on corporate bodies to partners with us so that together we can discover music talents in our schools and bring them to limelight.
The Abuja National Music Competition is dedicated to reviving the authenticity of Nigerian music by showcasing exceptional vocal and instrumental talent from primary and secondary schools across the country. Now in its 5th edition, the event aims to discover, support, and celebrate young musicians who demonstrate outstanding artistic mastery.
With the theme “Take the Stage,” the 2025 edition emphasizes how healthy competition inspires creativity. Participants benefit from professional mentorship, perform before an expert jury of renowned music professionals, and receive recognition and awards for their dedication and skill. The competition also serves as a platform for exposure, promoting music education and performance across Nigeria.
Some of the schools that participated at the event are Brentford International School, Meadowland School and British Nigeria Academy, The Regent School amd Interational Community School.
Various prizes were won in different categories of the competition.