Aje Olokun Drummers from Ikare Akoko have
emerged winners of the traditional drummers’competition at the third edition of
the Goldberg Excellency Tour held at Nicety Hotel, Ikare Akoko, Ondo State on
Saturday, March 4, 2017. The group
outshone four other drummer groups at the grand finale to clinch the first
position and the grand prize of Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N250,
000).
The second position with the cash prize of One
Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N150, 000) was won by Afunbiokun Drummers,
while Aloyinlapa Group claimed the third position with the prize of One Hundred
Thousand Naira (N100, 000). The other two finalists Omolere and Heritage Group
got Fifty Thousand Naira (N50,000) each.
The contest at Ikare Akoko was the third of
the drummers’ competition in the ongoing Goldberg Excellency Tour, following
the Abeokuta and Ilorin editions. The tour will visit Ado Ekiti in Ekiti State;
lle lfe in Osun State and Benin City in Edo State in the coming weeks.
Eight groups auditioned at the preliminary
stage of the competition on Friday, March 3, 2017 from where five groups made
it to the grand finale.
The traditional drummers contest started with
a procession through some streets of Ikare Akoko and it attracted a large turnout
of residents who trooped to the venue of the contest to witness what they
described as a new dawn in cultural rejuvenation among the Yourbas.
Speaking at the finale, the Senior Brand
Manager, Regional Mainstream Brands, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Mr. Funso Ayeni,
stated that the Goldberg Excellent Excellency Tour which is also scheduled for
Ado Ekiti, Ile Ife and Benin City, is part of the brand’s effort strategic plan
to promote the cultural values of the Yorubas.
He added that in line with the brand’s ethos,
the successful event in lkare Akoko also helped to promote local talent, as the
competition brought out the best skills from the performers who see the contest
as an opportunity to showcase their talents and skills.
In his remark, the leader of the
overall winning team, Mr. Ayanbisi Timothy, said it is a thing of joy to see
his group clinch the first prize after dedicating much time for training on how
to come up with the best performance. He also attributed his group’s victory to
God’s special grace. “Though we practiced for quite a while for this contest,
it would not be right if l do not acknowledge the work of God in all this,” he
affirmed.
The Goldberg Excellency Tour is coming
on the heels of the unveiling of Goldberg lager beer as “Your Excellency” in
2016 and it is in line with the brand’s unique credentials that places it in a
class of its own in the market.
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