By Ifeanyi Nwoko
As Nigeria prepares to mark her 60th Independence Anniversary, a Lagos-based agency has put modalities in place for a virtual concert to showcase positive changes recorded in the last six decades of nationhood.
The concert tagged #UnlockNaijaAt60 will feature popular Nigerian musicians, comedians, dancers and actors performing to a global audience live via web streaming and on television.
Earlier, the Federal Government had urged Nigerians to come up with innovative ideas towards making the 60th anniversary a success in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic ravaging the globe.
Speaking in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday, the Managing Director of Tobems Media, organisers of the concert, Mr Tosin Obembe, said Nigeria’s resolute spirit deserved to be celebrated.
Obembe explained that having survived several challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic that shook the entire world, Nigeria should be celebrated for its dogged spirit.
He explained that the concert would, among other things, celebrate the evolution of Nigerian music, dance and fashion.
“Nigerians have been through a lot as a people and we reckon that a typically happy people will be missing one of the things we are most known for: our social life.
“That is why we have decided to celebrate this milestone independence anniversary regardless of the challenges of Covid-19,” he said.
He pointed out that the pandemic was not enough to deny Nigerians the grand celebration of her diamond jubilee, adding that technology had made a lot of things possible and must be embraced.
“With the global pandemic, it will take a while before the world returns to normalcy – if we ever do. So, as young people, we must begin to embrace technology to help us make the best of the new normal.
“You can already see how most Nigerian companies quickly switched their operations online.
“At this time last year, the use of Instagram Live, Facebook Live, Zoom and the rest were not this popular but see how Nigerians have seamlessly conformed to the new normal.
“If we cannot gather for the many concerts and comedy shows that would enliven our Independence Day holiday, we can as well create one that we all can join via the Internet and our television sets and still interact like we were together in one place without buying a ticket,” he said.
Obembe added that the Oct. 1 #UnlockNaijaAt60 mega concert would bring millions of Nigerians at home and abroad together to party from the comfort of their homes.
NAN
