Members of the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN) have extended the peace and progress enjoyed by the association in the last five years with the smooth election of new executives.
The members on October 24, 2023, at the association’s national convention, elected new executives in a very peaceful election that the Nigerian music industry stakeholders have been commending.
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The election at the national convention, which took place at the Nigerian Music House, Chevy View Estate, Lekki, Lagos, witnessed the emergence of new executives, with Pretty Okafor, the incumbent, returning as president.
Other members of the new executive include; Sunny Neji, first vice president; Zaaki Azzay, second vice president; Baba J.F.O, treasurer; Michael Stevens, chairman, Media Committee; Boniface Itodo, general secretary, and Fada Bem Paul, assistant general secretary.
The convention also witnessed the inauguration of Aralola Sherifat Olamuyiwa, popularly known as ‘Ara’ as the new Lagos State governor of PMAN, who pledged to use her over 30 years experience to make a difference in Lagos State.
In his post election speech, Okafor noted that he did not want to re-contest as PMAN president, but changed his mind when five state chapters insisted that he must run for another term.
“The whole thing became an issue when I resisted the pressure to run, and more so when the General Secretary told them that I have since submitted documents that I was not going to re-contest. The reason for this is that my personal business is growing and I need time to pay more attention to it. But when I found out that members were almost fighting each other to make me re-contest, I decided to put my personal business aside, believing that the interest of PMAN is greater than my personal interest.
“In fact, when it was time for election, all the state chapters’ chairmen practically dragged me into the hall, some were even in tears, and they refused to sit down until I announced my decision to re-contest.
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“To cap it all, there was no election in the real sense of it; it was more of an adoption than election. I think the reason they decided to bring me back as PMAN President was because of my achievements over the years. They were all surprised that nothing like this has ever happened in PMAN. For PMAN to have a solid structure, radio station and other businesses like hotels was a big surprise to them. So, it was hard for them to let me go,” the reelected PMAN president said.
