Hymnodia’s Olumide Baritone Thrills Esama of Benin & Guests At 85th Birthday Thanksgiving Service

Hymnodia season one MVP and first runner up, Olumide Dada, was the headline act to thrill Former Presidents, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and Dr Goodluck Jonathan and other distinguished guests at the 85th birthday thanksgiving service of the Esama of Benin, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion in Benin City. The classical singer affectionately called ‘the Baritone’ by his fans belted two great hymns (The holy city and Ave Maria) at Saint Gabriel The ArchAngel Catholic Church, Benin City, Edo State on the special invitation of the Igbinedion family at the milestone celebration of their patriarch.
In his homily at the well-attended church service entitled “Gratitude and Thanksgiving: A fulfillment of God’s will,” Rev. Father Alfred Agbonlahor charged the congregation to take thanksgiving, which is a moral obligation of Christians, seriously to attract God’s blessings. He said the celebrant, Chief Igbinedion, is a distinguished entrepreneur and a man after God’s heart for contributing immensely to human capital development in Edo State in particular and Nigeria at large.
The Benin monarch, Oba Ewuare II, was represented by Chief Eduwu Ekhator (the Obasogie of Benin) and Chief H. Bazuaye (the Aiwerioghene of Benin) accompanied by Chief Sam Igbe, the Iyase (Prime Minister) of Benin at the event. Former Senate Deputy President, Alhaji Ibrahim Mantu, former Senate Whip, Senator Rowland Owie, Mr Parry Osayande, retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Mrs Nike Akande, former Minister of Industry, and Prof. Emmanuel Emovon, former Minister of Science and Technology, were among the dignitaries who attended the thanksgiving service. Also present were Prof. Faraday Orumwense, Vice-Chancellor, University of Benin, and his wife, Francisca, who attended alongside members of the University’s Governing Council.
Speaking on the development, Ezinne Kufre-Ekanem the Producer of Hymnodia saluted Dada for his comportment and delivery of yet another flawless rendition on a big stage. According to her, “we are not surprised at Olumide’s heroics in Benin at the Esama’s birthday. We are used to seeing great renditions from him week by week from the recent Hymnodia season. We thank the Igbinedion family for inviting him and the authorities at Saint Gabriel The ArchAngel Catholic Church, Benin City, Edo State for providing the platform for Olumide to express his talents with the hymn rendition”
Olumide ‘Baritone’ Dada was first runner-up at the recent Hymnodia 2019, the first ever reality show platform created around hymns and worship. In addition to his standing at the end of the programm, he also won the Hymnstitute prizes for Most Consistent Performances and Best Behaved Hymntestant making him the stand out hymntestant of Hymnodia Season one.
-ENDS.