In a bid to protect the interests of live band owners in the country, a new platform, Association of Music Band Owners of Nigeria (AMBON) has berthed. Enumerating the benefits of the association at its launch in Lagos, its president, Akin Shuga said: “A few years ago, we set out to establish an association founded on the principles of humanitarian service, constituted in the spirit of excellence and nursed in dedication to duty, and as such AMBON is set to proudly stand as the foremost association that dictates standards for quality and timeless live band music in Nigeria.”
According to Shuga, AMBON will help develop, empower and organise the live music sector. “We deserve a meaningful voice in decisions that affect us and it behooves us to harness the opportunity to develop our talents and skills,” he says.
Shuga further stated that the association would bargain contracts and exercise collective power to improve wages and working conditions of members. It will also expand the role of musicians in work place decision-making and build a stronger base.
“After a global 20-year decline, we are seeing growth, in fact, double-digit growth. Music is being created and consumed at a higher rate than ever before. More live bands and artistes are on the road doing gigs, and touring, which means fans are patronizing,” he reiterated, adding, “statistics in the United States indicate that live music ticket sales revenue will grow from $7.2 billion U.S.D in 2015 to $9.1 billion in 2021. Consequently, collaborations between musicians and brands are more prevalent than ever. What are we doing to take advantage of these opportunities?”