CALABAR RESIDENTS WELCOME SIX TOP ARTISTES
Residents of Calabar and environs recently savoured the Glo Mega Music Nationwide Tour, Nigeria’s biggest musical concert as half a dozen top artistes took turns to thrill attendees for hours with the duo of Kiss Daniel and Mad Over You exponent, Runtown, exceptional in their performances.
The Calabar Cultural Centre, venue of the show had in attendance top celebrities including the First Lady of Cross River State, Dr. (Mrs.) Lynda Ayade, the former Minister for Arts, Culture and Tourism, Edem Duke, Cross River State Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Comrade Asu Okang, the Chief Executive Officer of Hit FM, Calabar, Patrick Ugbe, the General Manager of Transcorp Hotels, Calabar, Mr. Chuma Mgbojikwe, his wife, Adaku, officials of CUSO International Organisation, a Non-Governmental Organisation, Richard Khawaja, Ginette Potentier and Akvia Repiakion among others.
The Calabar edition of the show which was compered by two Nollywood icons, Juliet Ibrahim and Mercy Johnson Okojie, with the trio of Nollywood legends, Victor Osuagwu, Richard Mofe-Damijo, RMD and Patience Ozokwor, aka Mama G, making celebrity guest appearances, featured five AListers such as Di’ja, Omawumi, Kiss Daniel, Runtown and Timaya. Katch, a fast rising hip hop music star also performed.
Local artistes based in Calabar opened the show with beautiful performances which drew appreciative applause from the crowd. They were followed by entertaining dancing competitions in the male and female categories and the first major act of the night was Katch.
Marvin Records female vocalist, Di’Ja’s appearance on stage was alluring and her performance electrifying as she increased the tempo of the show and by the time she ended her performance with her latest track, “One Talk”, Di’Ja remained the butt of discussions.
The legendary afro-wearing Itshekiri-born hip-hop singer, Omawumi, was next and she wowed attendees with a combo of her sono- rous voice and stage crafty as she rendered track after track from Love Wan Tintin to other hits such as Megbele, If You Ask Me and kokoma and Bonsue.
Quintessential ladies man, Kiss Daniel, took the stage after Omawumi and increased the tempo of the show and dazzled with tracks from his New Era album. His Mama, Gbese, No Be You I Carry Come hit tracks which transformed the Hall into a big party. His sterling act was complemented by his resourceful dancers who gave pulsating Atilogwu like acrobatic displays. Kiss Daniel then lived up to his name by inviting a lady onstage and performed his most popular track, Woju O, while kneeling down in a mock proposal to his quarry.
The next act, the master of dancehall, Runtown, was wholesome as his Mad Over You track threw the crowd into a frenzy as he thrilled them with Walahitalahi, Bend Down, Superwoman, Babaynanso, Fijogbowo and on popular demand, ended with Mad Over You.
The show reached its climax when theEgberi Papa 1 of Bayelsa, Timaya took the stage with his Babalawo Power signature tune. The Ogologoma m¬aster finetuned the already charged audience with Ukwu, Call Me Timaya, Shake your Bombom, I Concurand Money No Dey. Timaya seasoned his performance with intermittent prayers and praise songs to give the night of fun a divine touch.