Ben Ayade, Cross River State governor, has splashed a whooping N20 million naira on indigenous musical talents, Okpo Records and Pius Ushie, better known as Real P. Ajaba. The money, a pledge the governor made to the artists, was handed over to them by Martin Orim, Chief of Staff to the CRS governor in a quiet ceremony at the Government House, Calabar.
Orim, while presenting cheques to the two musicians, admonished them to make judicious use of the money and further expressed optimism that the money will enable the artists to grow their musical career.
Ajaba and Ephraim Inyang, in their separate responses to this gesture by the governor, praised the governor for giving their respective careers a boost. They also thanked the governor for supporting local talent and promised to live up to and surpass expectations.
Widely regarded as the “Calabar South bad gang”, Okpo Records, thumps Calabar with wave making sing along songs, flowered in the local street lingo while Ajaba croons the city and beyond with a musical style akin to what Nigerian sensation, 2Baba represents with his vocals.
