By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
Director General of the National Council for Arts and Culture, Otunba Segun Runsewe has tasked Performing Musicians Employers Association of Nigeria, ( PMAN) to use music as a platform to develop a strong brand that will unify the country.
Runsewe gave this advise when the Executive members of the association paid him a courtesy visit in his office in Abuja.
He expressed delight over the visit stressed that the association has a big role to play in spreading the message of unity to heal the wounds and rekindle the hopes, yearnings and aspirations of Nigerians who continually strive for a better tomorrow.
According to the DD, the time is now for a strong collaboration between the National Council for Arts and Culture and PMAN in developing and promoting a strong Nigerian brand through music adding that in other parts of the world, music is an important tool to drive home the demands of the people at the same time get the attention of the government of the day.
The Director General who is also the President of the World Crafts Council for African Region reiterated the need for the association to remain focussed and creat a platform for all musicians all over the country to have a unified voice.
The Culture Icon urged the association to produce a Nigerian song that will unify all the different ethnic groups in the country.
Leader of the delegation and the President of the association, Pretty Okafor said they were in the Council headquarters to express their appreciation to the Director General ,Otunba Runsewe for the fatherly role he played to ensure the return of peace to the association.
The PMAN president, Mr. Pretty Okafor stated that under the new leadership of the association, all musicians in the country have been duly registered and are enjoying royalties from their works through a partnership created with Zenith Bank of Nigeria Plc.
He also revealed that the association has been able so secure a land in the Federal Capital Territory for the building of an Entertainment City and the Musicians Village to cater for the needs of the association.
Also speaking, the first vice president of the association, Sunny Neji pleaded with Otunba Runsewe to remember the
association when the covid 19 parliatives is being shared.
Runsewe however promised to look into their demands with a view to ameloriating the various challenges of the association.
He also promised to give the association adequate representation in the council programmes coming up later this year.
