By Olivia Obijiaku
The 2024 Zaria Catholic Choir Online Contest, powered by The Samuel Ogwu Foundation, concluded at St. Theresa of the Child Jesus Parish, Zaria, on Saturday, November 23, 2024.
The Grand Finale, celebrated a day after St. Cecilia’s Feast, featured award presentations to all registered parish choirs.
While Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; Good Shepherd Parish, Graceland, Zaria; and St Enda’s Parish Choir Palladan, Zaria that clinched the first, second and third positions received one hundred thousand naira and twenty Peace Hymnals, fifty thousand naira and fifteen Peace Hymnals; and thirty thousand naira and ten Peace Hymnals respectively, the other five parish choirs that registered for the contest received ten thousand naira and eight copies of Peace Hymnals each, including two parishes that did not make any presentation.
Speaking on the choice of the choir and Zaria diocese, the President of the Foundation, Mr. James Ogwu who has been a chorister for over twenty years explained that they decided to support the choir because of the love they have for it.
He added that, “We were all born and bred in Zaria. Six of us in the house. We were in one way or the other in the choir. So the love of the choir has been what has been guiding us to this very moment. The choice of songs were carefully selected. ‘Ave Maria’ by Rev Fr. Dominic Igwe is a Marian Song. It was selected because of the love of the Marian Movement by our dad. ‘Ujewn Ochoch’ by Solomon Okeme was selected because we are Igala. We chose the best judges because we want the best. By God’s grace we will not limit it to this level. We will go to national level.”
Mr. Ogwu clarified that the contest is not that of disunity but of unity, even as he thanked the group for contributing positively to the Church.
In her remark, the Lead Judge and the National Adviser of NACALIMCO, Catholic Diocese of Nsukka, Rev Sr. Maria Trinity Okeke (DDL) congratulated all the choirs for their hard work. She however pointed out a general problem on recording and poor management of sounds by either shouting or playing loud instruments. Sr. Okeke recommended that subsequently, all the choirs should have their recording under the same acoustical condition and probably in the same hall.
Commending the Foundation for the initiative, the Parish Priest of St Theresa of the Child Jesus, Rev Fr. Henry Atuma encouraged participants to reciprocate the kind gesture by remaining committed to their calling. He also called on well-meaning individuals and groups to borrow a leaf from the Ogwus.
Fr Atuma congratulated all the participating parishes.
“If it goes national, it means more people coming up to organize things like this.
It may not be now, in the future, God may give you the means of organizing something like this. We keep on encouraging people to think of how to make impact in the lives of people. Leave something as a legacy that you will be remembered for something good.”
