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KARAFEST 2023 is held December 2 in Lagos with music, food, fun, and others
By Prince Benson Davies
The organizer of the first-ever Karaoke Festival (KARAFEST) has disclosed that the event will be held in Lagos on Saturday, December 2, 2023, for both young and old lovers of music and Karaoke.
Foremost, versatile, multi-talented, and unique personality, Jiboye Adekunle Oluwanishola (popularly known as “The Maestro-Sugarr”), said the event is dedicated to all karaoke and music lovers, but most especially towards service to humanity.
The musician, entertainer, and karaoke icon also revealed that the first ever KARAFEST in the country will be held at the Wild Charcoal Restaurant on 37 Oba Akinjobi Way, Ikeja, Lagos.
Adekunle, who was born into the Jiboye family in Emure-Ekiti Local Government Area of Ekiti State, studied computer science at the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State.
He had his early education at Universal Primary Education School 1 in 1986 and his secondary education at FESTAC Grammar School, Lagos.
Speaking to the New Experience newspaper, Adekunle, popularly known as The Maestro-Sugarr, said he decided to organize the event due to the fact that he has been part of those who influenced the growth and popularity of karaoke in the Karaoke Community.
In his words, I’m a generous man. I intend to use KARAFEST as a medium to touch lives positively. It will benefit the rich and the poor. I will be doing the program free of charge, as there is no sponsor at this time. I can’t say before the event, but I do have friends who are supporting me both financially and physically. Come and have fun on that day.
“The venue will also benefit from the festival due to the number of expected participants. Everything I’m doing will be free. We will be feeding over 300 people that day free of charge with food.”
He expressed hope and confidence that the event will succeed no matter the obstacles, adding, “God has a purpose for me. I have been anchoring programs for people at events for several years, but now I want to do my own program.
“I believe in hard work and possibilities because God is the author and finisher of our faith. Before this time, I’ve been doing karaoke in almost all the bars in which I have been performing, so I decided that I would have a day in the year to celebrate all Karaoke and music lovers and have a Karaoke Festival, where people all over the world can converge to socialize and network, eat good food, hear great music and songs.
“There will be live DJs who will play a major role at the festival because I don’t want the festival to be monotonous. There will be side games such as board games, video games, card games, and face-painting just to keep the guests and audience entertained.
The Maestro-Sugarr, who restated that the Karaoke Festival has never been done anywhere in the country, added that it was the first of its kind, but he had done Karaoke competitions with children and at lounges where people come together to sing, dance, and have fun.
Speaking further, he said, “Before now, I decided to make it yearly, where everybody will come together to celebrate the karaoke community. I worked for a construction company at Omole for about 12 years, but I’m a karaoke junkie. Our goal is to entertain people everywhere and ensure that they have a good time and want to come back for more.
“I became musically inclined very early in life because my father was a choirmaster in the church and everyone in the family grew up in the church system. Even while I was in school, I was playing for the church, and people also came to watch me while I was playing the guitar as a youngster. We were a family of musicians due to our father’s inclination toward the church.”
He said the program will feature the likes of superstar DJ Maphy the Inferno, DJ Kelly, DJ X, DJ Froggy, DJ Kevani, DJ Perkins, DJ PD, and DJ Sammy, who are billed to spice up the event, and there will be maximum security for the dignitaries and all participants on that day.
Maestro-Sugarr, who described himself as “generous and a philanthropist,” said he had impacted many lives and humanity, adding that Karaoke will touch more lives.
He, therefore, extended an invitation to members of the public, their friends and relatives, as well as all talented persons to attend the event and showcase themselves on that day because the opportunity will be given to get organizers on time.
The event will start with a red carpet by 2:00 p.m., while the event will start at 3:00 p.m. and end between 10:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m.
