A 23 year old student of the Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Onuma Nelson Chibuikem has emerged winner of the Vision Africa Icons Award 2021 clinching a Five Hundred Thousand Naira Prize Money.
Over 200 participants were selected for the show at the commencement of the audition for the singing completion but only Ten contestants made it to the final of the show which saw Onuma beating nine other contestants to emerge winner in the keenly contested music talent hunt show.
The Icons music award equally saw 16year old Sophia Chibuikem emerge first runner up with a Three hundred Thousand Naira Prize and an award of a recording contract by the organizers while 49 year old Elijah Eze emerged 2nd runner up winning a prize money of Two hundred thousand naira.
Speaking at the event held at Micheal Okpara Auditorium Umuahia, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Barr. Eze Chikamnayo described the event as an endorsement of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu’s Youth Empowerment Scheme aimed at engaging youths in productive and sustainable ventures to ensure they become better citizens of Abia and Nigeria at large.
Chikamnayo, who lauded the efforts of Governor Ikpeazu in the area of security and maintenance of peace across the state, assured that the state government would compliment the efforts of the sponsors of the talent hunt by projecting winners of the show to limelight
He thanked the founder Vision Africa Radio, Bishop Sunday Onuoha and the organizers of the programme for towing the line of government by being part of the move to rebuild Abia as well as helping to project the efforts already made by the present adminstration in the area of providing opportunities for youths across the state especially in Small and Medium Scale Enterprises and Entrepreneurship.
Also speaking, the President Vision Africa Radio, Bishop Sunday Onuoha said that the 2021 Icons Music Reality Show with the Theme; “Peace To The Nation”, is aimed at showcasing various unutilized music talent among the youths and expressed belief that peace will bring healing to Nigeria.
In his remarks, the chairman of the occasion and President of the Eastern Nigeria Union Conference of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, Pastor Bassey Udoh noted that there is no better way to combat crime than to engage the youths positively.
Udoh urged the winners to utilize their platforms to “become active citizens of Nigeria as well as become positively involved in community and social actions and warned that they should detach themselves from vices that will destroy their future, negate their Development and growth”.
The event featured various Awards to deserving individuals for their exemplary leadership while some of the awardees include: Secretary to the State Government, Barr Chris Ezem, Member representing Isiala Ngwa North at the state House of Assembly, Ginger Onwusibe, Commissioner for Works, Elder Bob Ogu, Head of Service, Sir Onyi Wamah, and was attending by the commissioner for Documentation and Strategic Communications, Ugochukwu Emezue and other dignitaries.
