Nigeria’s foremost female talking drummer, Aralola Olamuyiwa, commonly known by her stage name, Ara, has unveiled a reality television show and an academy for “area boys and girls”.
The initiative, tagged: “Eko Inspire Me By Ara,” was unveiled by the well respected talking drummer on Wednesday.
The celebrity drummer, at the summit, which was held at the EbonyLife Place, Victoria Island, Lagos, explained that the initiative was borne out of her experience with some hoodlums over 10 years ago.
While narrating the experience that changed her mentality about the street urchins, Ara, who was emotional, said she and her crew are set to make life better for over 2,000 area boys and girls in the next 10 years.
She christened them: “Good boys and good girls.”
Are added: “Eko Inspire Me was conceived in my heart about 10 years ago due to a personal experience I had with some area boys in Oshodi.
“During my conversation with them, I realised that these guys want something out of life.
“I asked them a series of questions, including if the police do not arrest them.
“They replied that the police will get tired because they pick them up several times and bring them back, but by the time they return, they are worse than when they took them.”
Are said these guys also shared with her top Nigerian personalities that inspire them, including Nobel laureate and master playwright, Prof. Wole Soyinka, and some Nollywood actors.
She said: “One of them stood out and mentioned the name of Professor Wole Soyinka as who he wants to be like because of his fluency.
“I was taken aback.
“I then inquired why he is not in school.
“He replied that he is an orphan and there is no help.
“Then I said today something has been born in my heart, but I don’t know how.
“But when you hear that there’s something for area boys going on, please look for me.
“Because I don’t know if I will remember you, I don’t have your contact.
“And here we are today.”
Ara thanked the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, for his support to make the initiative a reality.
Explaining the modus operandi of the show, she said: “Nigerians will vote 100 of them, 20 out of the 100 into the reality show.
“The academy will run throughout the year.
“The reality TV show is once a year.
“We cannot take more than 20 people for the reality TV show, but the Academy can take as much as possible.
“We also want volunteers.
“If anyone has touched your life, it’s time to pay back by helping these guys.”
Also speaking, the Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, said the initiative was in line with the Sanwo-Olu-led administration’s vision and pledged that the government will continue to offer support to ensure that more area boys and girls are kept out of the streets.
While sharing his life experience, Omotoso urged individuals and private bodies to join the government in the fight against insecurity and hooliganism.
He said with initiatives like this, the society will enjoy the air of security and peace.
On his part, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who spoke via a recorded video, pledged to pick 20 area boys for mentorship.
He commended Ara for the initiative and urged her to look into other states too because “hooliganism is beyond Lagos.”
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