Friday 30 November 2007

New Partnerships, Supporters, Sponsors

The news in short.

1. AfrodeviA - Music4Change is partnering with Maxi Media in Abuja, Deji Falope's new media outfit, in running a project with NACA, under the name of Maxi Media while our registration is processing.

2. We have an office address in Abuja.

3. We have received some start-up funding from an unlikely source - Unicem, the Cement people. Thanks guys.

4. We have a presentation meeting with our first major sponsor scheduled for Tues/Wed next week. As expected, once we talk to the right people, they jump on the idea.

5. We also have a major well-wisher in Abuja who is offering help with everything.

6. My beautiful Sony Vaio laptop has packed in. It is entirely dead.

7. I've quit my day job.

Let's praise the Lord. I am off on a retreat until Sunday - worst possible timing but when it's time to reconnect, it is time to reconnect.

Tuesday 13 November 2007

Music4Change launch report

12/11/07, 6pm, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria

In attendance:

Anke Holst
Shade Ladipo
Wale Adesada
Agba Justin Jalingo
Michael Ruggedman
Carl Raccah
Ashionye
Olumide Falope
Artquake
Zaaki Azay
Solomon from Storm Records
Bouqui
Muma Gee
Psalmurai
Lamboginni
Steve Babaeko X3M Records
Etcetera
Opeyemi
Morachi
Konga
9ice
Alexis Onome-Egborge

Shade Ladipo compered the evening. We waited until 7 to kick off, media coverage was provided by MBI, NewAge, Tell Magazine. Anke gave a quick presentation of what Music4Change is looking at doing, covering the benefits offered to private and public sector stakeholders; Ruggedman gave a presentation on what Music4Change is looking at doing from an artist’s point of view.

The message of goodwill from Prof Pat Utomi, as well as the greeting of support from Big Screen TV’s Deji Falope in Abuja were played. We introduced our crew, Wale Adesada and Jalingo, who both gave short statements, and opened the floor for discussion.

Questions were asked on practical aspects of our projects – we introduced the flagship initiative called Project Area, by Ruggedman, with Lagos State Government in support, and spoke about other initiatives we are in talks about.

The discussion became very lively with views differing widely on issues like profane language, messages in songs, the pressures of the media, and artistes’ need to fulfil the popular demand. There was consent on the need for this initiative though and the support from the artist community was clear.

The evening closed with a message of thanks by Shade around 9pm.

Thursday 8 November 2007