The Ikorodu-based parish humbled nine other parishes at the grand finale of the competition held at the Agip Hall of MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos on Tuesday night.
It was a moment of immeasurable joy for juvenile choristers of El Morijah Parish as they clinched the $2000 grand prize at the just concluded Oshoffa Juvenile Choir Competition.
The Ikorodu-based parish humbled nine other parishes at the grand finale of the competition held at the Agip Hall of MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos on Tuesday night.
Also,Ijaye Olifi and Ibara Parish emerged the second and first runner-ups, winning N500,000 and N250,000 respectively.
Before the grand finale that saw 10 parishes from Nigeria and Benin Republic slug it out with one another, 37 parishes were edged out after 47 parishes started the race.
Speaking with journalists on what inspired the contest, Leader of True Word in Season, the sponsor of the event, Brother Demola Bolaji, said: “This is a way to create a standard, a way to lay a foundation upon which those who have a vision can build upon. This is bringing the children… If from childhood they are trained to know the culture and standard of music that gave birth to them, I’m sure they will be aligned in the true context of spirituality. I didn’t decide to do this. I had the intention of writing a book. I went to pray and I saw Papa(Oshoffa). He said, ‘Imole, translate the Yoruba Hymn book of the church to the proper English…for your celebration of my 40th anniversary.
He said ‘make sure you celebrate me very well for the 40th anniversary. Make Tosin Ajayi the chairman of the anniversary. In his days, he gave us a juvenile Bible quiz on the last Saturday of every May of every year.For the elders, he established( music competition) . People came from Ajase(Benin Republic) and other parts of Africa to Nigeria.It has not been done for the juvenile.”
Commenting, the only living Board of Trustee member since the days of the founder of the church, Most Superior Evangelist Samson Banjo described the performances of the 10 parishes as enthralling, stating that youths were crucial to the continued existence of any institution.
The nonagenarian said :“You see, when I came today, I said I would leave here at 3:00pm. I told my houseboy to cook so I could eat dinner at 6:00pm. But I’m still here at this time of the night. I’m already filled. I want to plead with the organisers to allow me to give N100,000 to the parish that came fourth. I also have a N50,000 gift for the lead singer of the winning choir. I’m impressed tonight. Any institution without youths is a dying one.”
Also present were a son of the founder of the church, Assistant Most Superior Evangelist Ebenezer Oshoffa, the wives of SBJ Oshoffa, CCC Makoko National Headquarters Shepherd Venerable Superior Evangelist Afis Kiki, among other clerics.
The choir competition rounds off the first phase of the six-month long celebration of the 40th remembrance of the founder of the Celestial Church of Christ, Rev.SBJ Oshoffa.
Rifnote had earlier reported how CCC Makoko National Headquarters won the $1500 prize money for quiz competition. This is even as a 116-day testimony season kicked off on May 18 to principally give a platform for all that experienced miracles of God through Oshoffa to share their stories.