Nigerian
entertainers under the aegis of ‘Artists United For Jonathan’, will be
hosting a special dinner for President Goodluck Jonathan on Sunday,
March 20 at Harbour Point Events Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos.
According to Onyeka
Onwenu, the coordinator of the event, the event is part of activities
lined up to help drum support for the Goodluck Jonathan’s presidential
ambition at the April polls. Onwenu revealed that “President Jonathan’s
special interest in the Nigerian entertainment industry dates back to
when he was governor of Bayelsa State. If you remember vividly, when he
became governor, it was assumed that he may not continue with the AMAA
Awards, which his predecessor had started. But not only did he continue
with it, he made it more purposeful and branded Bayelsa with its
success.”
“Did you know that
President Jonathan owns the copyright to three songs recorded by my
humble self? They are ‘Change’, ‘How Wonderful’ and ‘Run, Goodluck
Run’. The three songs were inspired by Mr. President, and their lyrics
were taken from his speeches and expressed concerns,” Onwenu continued.
Onwenu also
disclosed that the president is a registered member of the Copyright
Society of Nigeria (COSON). Within a few months of assuming office as
president, Onwenu said the president “undertook the unprecedented move
of registering the Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) as the sole CMO
in Nigeria, empowering it to collect and distribute copyright dues to
artistes with sound recordings. [Also] Mr. President has helped to put
forward a $200 million loan fund for the entertainment industry in the
country. He has also been of great assistance to indigent artists and
those who at one time or the other, found themselves in adverse
situations, due to illness or accident”.
Although Onwenu is yet to name the artists that will grace the
event, she maintains that the “dinner will be held for artistes of
various callings, as well as other entertainment industry
practitioners.”
