Hymnodia: Drama on arrival day as wild card entry misses out

UGO AMADI

Hymnodia, the entertaining reality show created around hymns and worship lived up to the promise starting from the opening day of its Hymnstitute on Sunday with Casey Edema, the Faculty-selected wild card, failing to seize the chance and sneak into the final 14 hymntestants admitted for the programme.

Casey, a former Glo Naija Sings winner, had been selected and kept aside by the Faculty from the auditions as the wild card entry into Hymnodia on the Arrival day last Sunday in Lagos.

When the invited 15 hymntestants had sung their opening performance along with Edema, it was down to Dean of the Hymnstitute, Benneth Ogbeiwi to announce that there would be a first elimination just before the participants got in to the Hymnstitute as only the faculty has admission space for only 14 people. “One person had to lose his place and Casey has to sing for his supper”, Ben said

Having exempted the six female hymntestants from the face-off, the eight male Hymntestants were called up on stage by Ogbeiwi before Edema had to pick his opponent from the branded hymn-box. With anxiety gripping all in attendance, Edema picked the envelope containing Kenneth Ekhuemelo, a baritone singer.

Edema, a tenor singer, would however lose the two-man singing contest to the relief of Ekhuemelo, who enjoyed the louder applause from the audience and the votes of the faculty.

Accepting the verdict Edema said, “it was unfortunate that I picked out Kenneth. He is a good singer. Even if I had defeated Ekwuemelo, I would have allowed him to stay because he is the only baritone singer among the hymntestants. There are one or two others in there, with due respect, I could have done better against but it is not to be. I thank Hymnodia for this opportunity”

With Edema’s brilliant performance at the audition and the Hymnstitute ceremony, he was given the opportunity of playing a non-hymntestant role in the programme in due course being part of the Hymnodia Choir which would be constituted during the 13-week programme.

While urging the 14 hymntestants to be of good conduct and very creative in hymns writing and singing, the Managing Director of Philosoville Limited and project initiator, Kufre Ekanem said they should put into practice what they would be taught to clinch the grand prize.

Elimination, called Hymnviction by the organisers, will be by audience voting once the performance shows start during the 13 weeks of wholesome fun which the initiative would run. This will culminate into a grand finale of the show in April 2019, where the ultimate winner will receive an Asaph, (a specially designed award named after David’s chief musician), a brand-new car and cash prize of N5 million.

Hymnodia will be available for one hour every Sunday on Lagos Television (Channel 256 on DSTv, Channel 90 on GOtv and Channel 118 on Startimes) with a magazine show on same channels on Thursday evening. Hymnodia is also streamed live online via the LTV App available on the app store and on the dedicated YouTube Channel Hymnodiahq.

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