Belemaoil sets up music house, builds home for stranded Ijaw music icon from Rex Lawson era

Belemaoil JV recorded huge social capital across Ijaw land in Niger Delta when the indigenous oil company rehabilitated Tamunoemi Gold, a 74-year-old Ijaw music maestro of Rex Lawson era. The project involved building a 5-bedroom duplex furnished and equipped with full music set to start his career afresh. The project would also be a springboard for training of young musicians, especially in Ijaw music genre.

The commissioning event in Buguma in Asari-Toru local council area of Rivers State attracted most monarchs and elders and youths of Rivers and Bayelsa States who commended the huge investment and vowed to defend Belemaoil interests anywhere in Ijaw area.

The gesture is said to be an empowerment initiative by the Belemaoil Joint Venture in collaboration with the Jack-Rich Tein Aid Foundation and Belema Aid Foundation for the advancement of music, arts and culture in the Niger Delta.

The King and Amanyanabo of Kalabari Kingdom,T.J.T Princewill, represented by his secretary, Prince Dateme, who commissioned the building, said the kingdom is pleased with the donor who is an illustrious son of Kalabari Kingdom, Engr. Tein Jack-Rich, for identifying and encouraging what he described as a rare musical talent of Tamunoemi Gold.

One after the other, Kalabari kings and chiefs promised to defend Belemaoil and the founder, Tein Jr. The Kalabari king particularly asked the founder to feel free to seek whatever assistance he may need in the kingdom.

Managing director of the company, Pedro Diaz, represented by the General Manager, Geo-solutions, Sunday Akpaduado, while commissioning the building, said the gesture was an act of magnanimity by the founder and president of Belemaoil, which coincided with his birthday.

He said the company is committed in making visible footprint in its areas of operation.

For his part, the manager, external relations, Belemaoil, Samuel Abel-Jumbo, said the gesture is in recognition of the impact of the beneficiary in music, arts and culture in Kalabari Kingdom, Niger Delta, and the country at large.

“Belemaoil has a Founder/President who is very desirous in empowering humanity. Belemaoil, while we do things like infrastructural development and buildings here and there, water provision, we also do things like economic empowerment and intellectual capacity development. So this is a demonstration that Tamunoemi Gold has created an impact, not just in Kalabari, within the Niger Delta and Nigeria at large”.

Also, speaking, prominent Niger Delta leader, Asari Dokubo, commended Belemaoil for giving the beneficiary a new lease of life by recognizing his impact in the music and culture of Kalabari Kingdom.’