Excitement is building among veterans of Nigeria’s music industry, contemporary artistes and lovers of arts and entertainment as preparations intensify for the launch of the Heritage Event Hall, a state-of-the-art concert and event centre conceived by the late music aficionado, Femi Esho.
The hall, designed as a hub for live performances, concerts and artistic expression, is part of the larger Evergreen Music Heritage project envisioned by Esho before his death nearly two years ago.
Esho, founder of Evergreen Musical Company and widely regarded as one of Africa’s biggest collectors and archivists of indigenous music, had dreamt of establishing a comprehensive music empire dedicated to preserving Nigeria’s rich musical heritage.
The proposed complex is expected to feature a music museum, library, gallery of artistes’ head busts, archives of over 1,000 photographs of Nigerian musicians dating back to 1914, relics of costumes and vintage musical instruments, a cinema theatre, recording studio and concert arena. The project is also projected to become a major tourist attraction for lovers of Nigerian music and culture.
Although work is still ongoing on other sections of the expansive project, the Heritage Event Hall has now been completed and is ready to host concerts, live performances and other entertainment activities.
The completion of the hall has been largely attributed to the support of Daniel Kolawole Olukoya, who serves as Patron of the Evergreen Music Heritage Foundation.
Read Also:
Olukoya, a long-time friend of the late Esho, reportedly shared his passion for music and cultural preservation. Aside from being a first-class graduate of the University of Lagos, the cleric is also known for his interest in music and choral development.
He wrote his first song in 1976, while the choir of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries has won several international choral competitions across Europe and other parts of the world.
Speaking on the development, Bimbo Esho, Executive Secretary of the foundation and daughter of the late music collector, described Olukoya’s financial and moral support as instrumental to the completion of the event hall.
According to her, the cleric not only fulfilled his pledge to support the foundation but also stood firmly by the Esho family following the death of their patriarch.
“The Esho family remains eternally grateful to Dr. Olukoya for his unwavering financial support and fatherly love. We will never take his love for the family for granted,” she said.
The Heritage Event Hall is expected to recreate the nostalgic atmosphere of legendary entertainment spots of the 1960s, including Kakadu, Stadium Hotel and other iconic live music venues that once defined Nigeria’s nightlife culture.
Beyond concerts and live band performances, the facility is also expected to host album launches, listening parties, film screenings, corporate events, cultural forums, lectures, workshops, rehearsals, birthdays, thanksgiving services and gala nights.
The Esho family, however, appealed for more support from individuals and organisations towards the completion of the remaining sections of the project, including the recording studio, exhibition hall of fame, theatre space and music library.
