PRINCEWILL AND HIS LOVE FOR THE LESS PRIVILEGED IN NIGERIA

By Chief Chukwuemeka Eze

The Melody Shelters Nigeria, a Prince Tonye Princewill backed initiative with a mandate to raise awareness for the plight of the less privileged in the society especially orphans, is set to launch its first TV Reality Talent competition for orphanages in the country. Dubbed the Melody Shelters Singing Talent Show, it has been conceptualized as a live-in reality programme, where participants will be ensconced in a house for a one month period. The show will feature singing groups from eight orphanages in the country: Lifetime Caring Orphanage, Rivers State; Rachel Orphanage, Abuja; Susanna Homes, Abia State; Gidan Bede Orphanage, Benue State; Godswill Orphanage, Kogi State; Compassion Home, Abia State; Adonai Orphanage, Kaduna and Our Saviour's Orphanage, Delta State. Performances will be judged by professional musicians and viewers at home. All the events and performances will be recorded and broadcast on television.

According to the founder of the Melody Shelters, Mr. Adonijah Owirirwa, selecting the Homes that made it to the finals was a truly arduous task as all registered orphanage Homes in Nigeria were involved in zonal auditions before the final selection of the eight. According to Owiriwa, the aim of the competition is to create exposure to all the existing orphanages and children homes in the country; discover hidden talents and potential among the children and reward outstanding orphanages. He expressed admiration for Prince Tonye Princewill, whose commitment according to him surpasses financial support, but also extends o an unwavering passion for the children as was seen in his decision to embark on a tour of the eight orphanages across the country that made it to the finals where he made cash and kind donations, including computers and engaged the children in powerful insights that they will forever cherish.

On the vision behind the Melody Shelters, Owiriwa said it is akin to the birthing of a dream that was conceived sometime in 2009 when his outfit Adonis Production in partnership with the communications arm of the RiverDrill Group made an award winning movie Nnenda, spotlighting the plight of orphans. This was followed shortly by an orphanages awareness campaign that showcased the deplorable states of some of these orphanages to the public via mass media. Some orphanages have been beneficiaries of the campaign since its inception.

It is as part of the Melody Shelters commitment to champion the cause of orphanages and its residents that the Cable News Network (CNN) in collaboration with Prince Tonye Princewill is set to debut the advert for the competition. Speaking on the choice of CNN for premiering the advert of the competition, Princewill said his decision to spotlight the event on such a media platform like CNN will bring the plight of this disadvantaged group of otherwise smart and beautiful children, who find themselves in a situation that was not of their choosing, to the consciousness of a wider audience, it will according to him, hopefully encourage more people to become engaged in philanthropic activities that would assist in capacity building for orphans on the continent, so they can have equitable access to decent living/livelihood. This he says, would in itself be a fulfilment of the goal of the Melody Shelters which is to ensure no child is left behind on the road to greatness and stardom. Silverbird TV and CTL Africa have also collaborated as broadcast sponsors and will be bringing the reality show to the public live when the children move into the melody house.

Rosemary Princewill, wife of the Prince was on 18th June, 2011 at VCP Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos hosted to a luncheon where her investiture as the Grand Matron of the Organisation was conducted by the Board of Directors of Melody Shelters’.
Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze,
Media Consultant, PPA