The Chairperson of the MUSON Festival Planning Committee, Sade Doherty, has announced that the late music icon Marion Akpata will be honoured at the 42nd anniversary edition of the festival.
Ms Akpata, who died on 20 July at the age of 86, was one of the pioneers of the MUSON School of Music, where she made an impact and left indelible marks on Nigeria’s music landscape.
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The festival will run from October 12 to 26 at the MUSON Centre, Lagos. One of its major highlights, MUSON Day, will take place at the Agip Recital Hall within the Centre.
In an interview with PREMIUM TIMES on Tuesday, Ms Doherty said this year’s edition would not only mark MUSON Day, one of the festival’s highlights dedicated to celebrating the centre’s anniversary, but feature a heart-stirring musical performance.
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“Best of the best”
She added that the festival would showcase “the best of the best” among MUSON alumni, featuring outstanding performances in vocals, instrumentals, and more.
Ms Doherty noted, “It’s the 42nd anniversary concert of MUSON and a celebration of life, held in honour of Ms Marion Akpata’s cherished memories and legacies. Most importantly, the chairman of the MUSON Board of Trustees, Mr Louis Mbanefo, will have an exceptional performance in her loving memory. We’ve had 29 years of the MUSON Festival of the Arts. Generally, we do different things every year.
“This time, we are remembering Marion Akpata, because she died recently. Her legacy is great. The first thing we will do, because of her Afro-Caribbean background, is start with a steel band rendering calypso and reggae. After that is the traditional information, which is the cutting of the MUSON Birthday cake, and we have a fanfare with some trumpeters and classical music.”
Documentary, concert
According to her, attendees will be privileged to watch a documentary about the late Ms Akpata.
“We cut the ribbon and went upstairs to watch a documentary film. I understand it will be Marion Akpata as a young lady, her American experience, because she went to school in America, and what she was later on, reflecting three phases of her life. We have formulated a programme which you can see in our brochure,” Ms Doherty said.
However, Banke Ademola, the Director of the MUSON School of Music, described the late Ms Akpata as a beloved figure who was gentle and firm in her leadership style.
She explained that this year’s MUSON Day would be a concert, unlike in previous years when it was organised as a competition, with students performing for prizes in various categories.
Ms Ademola added that this year, the MUSON School of Music would focus on three core responsibilities during the festival under her supervision.
“Normally, the school is responsible for it. As the Director of the School of Music, I’ll be responsible. But this year is dedicated to Mrs Marion Akpata, who died not too long ago. She was a musician before she retired from here. Now deceased, may her gentle soul rest in peace!” said Ms Ademola.
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Caribbean roots
She said the deceased touched many lives and had been a devoted wife to her late husband, Solomon Akpata, who died in 2024.
“They were so close. Every time we had concerts here, he would be here to listen to the school concert. She came from Jamaica, which many people didn’t know. I want to plan something that will take her back home or her spirit back home, whichever way you want to look at it, because I think they used to go to America or Jamaica every year to see her relatives.
“So you’ll hear a lot of Jamaican music, such as Gibsonian music like Harry Belafonte’s music, the Jamaican calypso, steel drum music, reggae, to give that tinge of hers, more than the classical, she was a fine pianist, a fine teacher, and a loving wife,” she said.
Ms Ademola added that the festival would feature captivating performances designed to keep audiences glued to their seats and craving more, just like Oliver Twist.
She reaffirmed that MUSON’s longstanding legacy of excellence would be upheld.
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