From OKEY SAMPSON, Aba             

There is no gainsaying the fact that the country is going through turbulent times not only in economic recession, but also through ethnic agitations breeding hate.

These viciously threaten the unity of the country and rocking its fragile foundation.

It is in the mix of all these that students of a private school, Praise –El International schools, Aba, Abia State, came out preaching to Nigerians through their recent song that though “tribes and tongue may differ,” but there is the need for unity and love.

The seven students: Godson Precious, Isintume Uchechukwu, Isintume Ifunanya, Benjamin Gift, Godson Ngozi, Chimeremeze Prince and Osoka Amarachi under the collective name, Planetz Shakerz last December began a journey that may soon take them to places when they came out with an album titled ARISE. ARISE is a two track album –“Hallelujah”, and “Peace, Love and Unity.”

The first track Hallelujah, was used by the students to praise God for keeping them alive and seeing them through in their daily endeavours while they used the second track to appeal to Nigerians to keep aside their differences, love one another, and live in peace and unity.

The executive director of the school, Mr. Charles Isintume told The Education Report how the journey of the Planetz Shakerz started. “Here we usually have music talent programme every year and the kids participated and some of them won prices. Last December when I saw what they did during the music talent show, I told the students that since they could so perform, that we would go the extra mile and record their songs and to the glory of God, they came out with the album titled ARISE and I thank God for what they were able to do.”

Related News

Isintume who was full of joy for the message his students used the song to send to Nigerians, said: “The students used the track, Love, peace and unity to ask Nigerians to unite and love one another. That Nigerians irrespective of religion and tribe, there is the need to love each other. They preach peace in Nigeria and other parts of the world. They in the track – Hallelujah appreciated God.

He said also that: “discovering these great kids for me is dream come true although they may not know what they have. But it is let for us to tell them the potentials in them and that is just what we have done and they are grateful and even their parents are happy that some of the potentials in their kids have been discovered.”

The school explained that beyind musi: “Those students in this group are very intelligent, they perform wonderfully academically. Many other parents that their kids are not in the music group are even scrambling for their kids to be there.”

They also revealed that the video shooting of the album which was directed by the school’s music teacher, El Praize O’dwyer has been completed and will be in the market anytime soon.

O’dwyer said it was not very easy bringing up the students and telling them what to do because they are still kids. But he expressed joy and gave gratitude to God that at the end he was able to push the vision in them through.
Benjamin Gift speaking on behalf of other students aged between 12 to 14 years said it was wonderful accomplishing their intention of producing the album which she said was meant to remind Nigerians of the need to live harmoniously and love one another.

She praised the founder of the school for the opportunity given them to develop their talents and also their music teacher for grooming them to the level they are now. She said there was room for improvement in subsequent albums and hoped Nigerians would listen to them and live peaceably.