Ope Alabi, business associate with Mr Bimbo Ojugbele, the CEO of EBVande nightclub, has disclosed reason for the club’s love for organising talent hunts: “it is our contribution to discovering talents in the country”. The club recently held it’s maiden edition of a hunt that threw up a 20-year-old medical laboratory student, Emmanuella Bagudu. She also went back to the University of Benin with the N1 million price for winning the talent hunt.
Witnessed by the Oyo State commissioner for youth and sports, Mr Yomi Oke, the undergraduate emerged victorious after she was voted the best out of the over 1000 participants on Instagram during the month long competition. The organisers based their outcome on the voting and liking strength of contestants, determined by social media followers,, to determine the eventual winner.
The club embarked on the competition as a social response to it’s customer. This is one of the numerous ways we can encourage them in their careers. We will not stop at this, however, because we believe we should support upcoming acts in all ways possible,” Alabi told reporters at the newly renovated Ring Road site of the club.
In his congratulatory speech, the commissioner for sports urged the winner to look beyond the money and focus in how to plant herself in the entertainment industry, especially as youth unemployment increases.
“The government appreciates what EBVande has done. For posterity, however, you should go beyond just giving winners money because they can easily exhaust a million or even ten million. Creating opportunities for them to showcase their talents is more important. Get them signed to labels, appear in shows, etc.” Ella expressed her gratitude to the management of EBVande for the confidence reposed in her. She promised to do her best to be heard in the very competitive music industry.
Tokunbo Fajuyitan, an entertainment attorney, praised the winner a.d the organisers for the project. He, however, urged the winner not to relent in her efforts to make a headway in the industry. Nigerians should begin to look inwards for everything, including entertainment which has the capacity to employ youths. “A lot of opportunities are available for Nigerians, but we should be determined and focused in whatever we do. I thank the management of EBVande for organising this event,” he said.
The second edition of the talent hunt will start on May 1st, while the club will open for public use after the Ramadan.
By Aduloju Daniel
