Newly elected National President of the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria, PMAN, Gbenga Falope Jnr has said that his mission and vision is to revive PMAN by bringing back her lost credibility and glory such that it benefits her members and the industry at large and to depict what it stands for.
According to him, his first move is to reconcile aggrieved PMAN. “I am a peace loving person and as such, I will do my best to bring everybody together, most especially those that are genuinely aggrieved. “I say genuinely aggrieved because some others are pointlessly running from pillar to post for their selfish interests and because they are not given the opportunity to operate and run the union illegally. We are governed by the laws of our land and these laws must be obeyed to the fullest. These people will be given the chance to come on board and play their role as members in the lifting of our great union if they really have the interest of the union at heart. We have a judgment from the Industrial Court reaffirming our legitimacy and we cannot derail from the order for any reason.”
Falope Jnr., spoke in an interview early in the week about his mission and vision for the artistes’ union.
He stated that funding has been a challenge for PMAN but that they were setting up processes to overcome the challenge. “We are actually doing our best collectively to bring the union back on track. Funding will not be our problem once we get things in place. For now, we are looking inwards for funds as members are eager to bring the union back on its feet and we are getting very good assistance from our leaders and members.”
Funding is not the only headache Falope Jnr has at the moment. PMAN does not have a secretariat. “It’s a great concern to me. The secretariat issue is a vital one and we are currently working round the clock to get a befitting and credible one.”
The new PMAN boss revealed that he has started the process of getting the land in Abuja gifted the union to build a permanent secretariat. “Well, the issue of legitimacy was the reason why Government was confused on who to deal with, but now we have a court judgment from the Industrial Court which is the right jurisdiction for PMAN under the Trade Union Act. The Federal Government now knows that we are the legitimate team and we shall make our move as soon as the executive deems fit. The present executive under my leadership will definitely succeed in retrieving the said piece of land. Some of our past leaders and Elders have already located and documented the land, and I know the documents will soon be handed over to us. All parties involved will comply with our legitimacy”
Falope Jnr is also confident that he has a good National Working Committee, NWC, to pilot affairs of the body. “Honestly, I must say our NWC is the best you can ever think of and they are spread across the length and breadth of the nation. With Comrades like JFO Baba, Aita Bonny, Uncle Pee, King Waleman, Mutiu Ayeloja, Dan Ezeji, Ade Samson, Lady Chacha, Baba Ray and others, the lifting of our great union is sure. They are tested and experienced.”
Falope Jnr is not just one of those artistes. He is educated and widely traveled. He was 1st Vice President to Hon Keston Okoro who resigned recently to pursue his House of Representatives ambition in next year’s General election and he spoke in an interview early in the week about his mission and vision for the artistes’ union.
Gbenga Falope Jnr. was born in the late 60s into the Christian home of Ijesa parents in Osun State. He had his elementary schooling in Lagos and Ile-Ife in Osun State, before attending Federal Government College, Odogbolu in Ogun State.
The artistes’ union president had his A levels in the then Oyo State College of Arts and Science before proceeding to study Materials and Metallurgical Engineering in the then University of Ife now Obafemi Awolowo University.
With a Diploma in Music also, Falope Jnr started his musical expedition from the 3rd Ife Coy of the Boys’ Brigade through the 6th Ijebu Coy to the Choir of Celestial Church of Christ, More Cathedral in Ile-Ife. Osun State. He has performed with the likes of Chief Jimi Solanke who happens to be his mentor, OAU Orchestra, Survival Band, JahBlez Omoluabi Reggae Band and later formed the Mafiosos of Jazz in OAU.
He is currently the leader of The Cool Breezers Band which was formed in 1991 and has performed extensively in Nigeria and overseas and had also received several awards in Nigeria, UK and USA. He is married with children.
