It’s all about Making a Difference by Bukola Olafenwa

 

Talents are assets which can be taken for granted by ignorance, negligence or omission. By ignorance, I mean lack of awareness about the need to discover, develop and promote talents for the benefit of the gifted and humanity as a whole.
While ignorance is a big problem, negligence is a bigger problem. Human negligence is a worse misfortune as many important things, including contributing immensely to the uncovering and the advancement of talents are left unattended to.

Mortal omissions could be insignificant or fatal. Letting talents lie untapped or letting realised ones waste, especially due to needless handicapping deprivations are instances of fatal mortal omissions. They produce fatal consequences. Growing minds become helpless, hopeless and remain unprogressive. Affected youths who are being counted on as the future of the society will be rendered empty even with their endowment full to capacity staying unutilized and perishing. They will be rendered incapable of (M)aking (A) valuable (D)ifference, giving nothing to the society out of their emptiness. Besides, an idle hand is the devil’s kitchen. An alarming percentage of idle youths metamorphose into nuisances or threats. Subsequently, insecurity rules. They end up destroying their own existence and the achievements of past and present generations through crime. Appealing to facts, human evolution will be negatively affected under such circumstances.

The drive of the NASELS Adscensio ’17 team is forward looking. The group envisions the promotion of music, arts and dance as a requisite to giving students of the prestigious department of English, Obafemi Awolowo University, who are willing and ready to or engaged already in (M)aking (A) huge (D)ifference with their potentials in terms of music, arts and dance the opportunity to showcase their creativity. This aim was prioritized in a planned M.A.D concert which was actualised on the night of 7th of April, 2017 at AUD II where life within lives was brought into the limelight gloriously.

I was at M.A.D concert and I am proud to assert that I witnessed the sophisticated maiden edition of this concert. The dress code was an urban look adorned with a touch of denim. The Red Carpet was very impressive. It was hosted sweetly by handsome Abblack and beautiful Ella. Their common conduct was of sweetness and light. I was one of the interviewees. A power outage was experienced in the course but a generator was powered to fill the gap. Everyone hosted on the red carpet was welcome to the event by the duo with an entertaining hospitality that gave one a perfect, rich and positive feeling about the originality and greatness the event proper had to offer.

The main event started after the red carpet. Stuffed with wholesome, lively, humorous and spicy choice of words in their tongues, Rogue and Sandra anchored the event from the beginning to the end of the program with glamour and glee. I was opportune to read a crisp elegy in honour of a colleague, Taiwo Oyejola who died on March 27, 2017 after a fleeting sickness and was buried on March 31, 2017. A minute silence was observed in her honour, too.  Thereafter, NASELS President-Elect, Mr Sola Fatoba made a brief opening speech, during which he introduced other NASELS executive members to the audience as strong pillars who helped to realise the plans of the programme.

NASELS Director of Socials; Mr Adekunle Ashiru, did the art presentation in the course of the event. He took his audience on a refreshing, enlightening tour of the significance of some pictures of substance taken at Elegushi and few other pictures.

Humans made a far reaching difference with pride at the event. All presentations, ranging from the music performances, poetry renditions, art exhibition, comedy, drum beating to dance at the event were arresting, thrilling and memorable. Artistes that performed at the event included Ife the bad guy, Genesis, Toluwani, Frosh, Nifty and others. Nwude Princess and Ogene Tega Ogbecha recited inspiring poems. Busola, Arrows, Slim and Dara, Pillars and ‘I Solid and Dance Crew’ displayed not just their best but the very best of dance skills to the utmost delight of the audience. The Awo boys, the respected and feared citizens of the Republic of Awolowo Hall made an exploding difference with an outstanding performance. Two comedians, Feeks and Olamide explored the rib-cracking business brilliantly. A drum talked fiercely, sang mellifluously and rhythmically toasted wonderful lyrics to the amazement of the audience. I hail the drummer (I must confess that I loved and enjoyed this particular performance most because it represented the African tradition, relived the significance of the African culture, educated about the uniqueness of the African heritage and advocated an unflinching respect for the ever relevant and entertaining inventions of our source). Another power outage was experienced towards the end of the performance, as the generator stopped working after some hours. It should be noted that the generator was restarted and was used to light the after party.

One very exciting aspect I should not fail to write about is the interview segment. It was anchored by Ms Dara and M.C. Gabby. The celebrities interviewed included the immediate past president of NASELS, Afeez Gbadamosi; Great Ife Student Union Public Relations Officer, Okediji Samuel; Co-anchor, Red Carpet, Miss Ella and Mr NASELS and newly elected NASELS Assistant General Secretary, Tiamiyu Daniel. It was really nice to hear from them personally about themselves.
 Guest celebrities and performers at the event were gifted Skales' musical album, Temper, as souvenirs, and the audience were refreshed generally with delicious 'Item 7'.

 It is imperative I use this medium to commend the Adscensio ’17 team for staging a successful concert. It was all about (M)aking (A) desired (D)ifference. The team’s mission was fully accomplished. It was fun. We can’t wait to witness more of an initiative as inspiring and entertaining as the M.A.D concert.

Every English student, I am sure, sincerely looks forward to witnessing more of this and lots more, that would not only boost entertainment skills but also foster academic excellence among them at all levels.