By Correspondent in Minna
Austin Aminu performing at music show.
The maiden edition of the Northern States Gospel Music show came to an end weekend in Minna, Niger state with 23-year- old Austin Aminu smiled home with N500, 000 after emerging the winner of grand prize at the event.
Austin Aminu, an indigene of Kogi state was adjudged winner having defeated 12 other contestants to clinch the star prize at the singing competition organized by the Resident Pastor, House on the Rock Gospel Church, Minna, Pastor Peterock Saddiq.
Speaking at the event,Saddiq commended Aminu for his resilience which he said earned him the coveted prize.
He said the music show was aimed at raising a platform for upcoming gospel artists across the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja to give an expression of natural gifts of singing, help them nurture and grow such talents and become better citizens.
“I noticed in gospel music, northerners do struggle for space in the industry dominated by southerners. They never had opportunity to air their views musically and most often, these youths struggle to go to bigger towns like Lagos and Abuja to make their dreams a reality.
“In JIA Gospel Music Show, we are raising a platform for young gospel singers in the north and our dream is that, the show be coming up twice a year, serving the gospel music interests of the notth and Nigeria in general”.
Apart from the winner and runners-up, Saddiq,who is also the visioner of JIA Gospel Music show and founder said the Minna show would also serve as a platform for hidden talents and other gospel singers to be seen and heard by sponsors and other gospel recording outfits who will sign them on.
“In the just concluded show, everyone is a winner. By God’s Grace, the show would be done twice annually: at the beginning and the end of the year. The portal for registration of the next edition which comes up in October would be opened in May,” he added.
Reacting to his feat,Aminu who said he started singing at the age of 8, expressed appreciation to his mother for believing in him and encouraging him to stay in Minna and pursue his dream.
The winner said though he became jittery, he managed to scale through the elimination stage, recalling that he almost lost hope but God’s Grace kept him going and he picked courage, went back to work on himself in terms of composure and his voice, adding that his efforts paid off at last.
Aminu said, “I barely made it to the finals. When I saw my low performance, my challenge was to go back and work on myself to be better and come out stronger. I thank God for seeing me through to win this contest.”
Aminu said he would invest the prize money to boost his music career and take care of his family, assuring that in the next few months, he hoped to come out with new gospel songs that would encourage people to praise and worship God at all times.
Our correspondent reports that, 13 gospel singers of northern extraction contested out of over 130 singers who registered for the show.
The show also had in attendance Milcha Danladi emerging 2nd position with N200, 000 and, Beauty Akinoluwatunde third, going home with N100, 000.
