When Abisola Edun resigned from her well-paying 9-5 job to pursue her love for music, not everyone could understand the decision, but those dreams, regardless, became a reality as she became one of the beneficiaries of the MTN Foundation Scholarship for the 2-year diploma at the MUSON School of Music and was eventually crowned one of the most outstanding students to graduate from her set and for her its all about impact.
The voice major who registered for the two-year diploma program started her journey in music as a means to teach members of her home choir how to properly sing. “I chose to learn music because I come from a sect where we don’t have many people that are musically literate. I kept seeing some things that I knew were not right, and I didn’t want to flow with the status quo. I wanted to get knowledge to teach them because I believe that they have a lot of talent that is untapped,” she told Netng during an exclusive interview with her on July 27, 2023.
Her passion for teaching, coupled with her love for her religious sect, led her down a path to success. Soon, the Computer Science graduate from the Federal University of Technology Abeokuta (FUNAAB) resigned from her 9-5 job as an office manager at an architectural firm to follow her dreams to study music in order to impart knowledge and most importantly perform as a performing artiste.
Abisola, who has been an ardent member of the Cherubim and Seraphim Church (C&S), Ayo Ni O, Surulere, had been part of the choir before she could even remember, and on her way to work every day, she drove past the place of her dreams.
Until she eventually summoned the courage to apply for MUSON after researching about the institution, but why MUSON?
“MUSON was the only place in West Africa I could attend, and apparently there was a scholarship. Apart from that, MUSON has a reputation for good musical knowledge. It’s the only place I could attend at that time,” She said.
For years, MUSON has been creating an ecosystem where they have trained budding artistes while pushing them to the frontiers of the industry and teaching them all they need to know while rewarding them for their immense work.
In collaboration with the MTN Foundation, up to 30 students receive scholarships yearly to complete their diploma course while getting monthly stipends to foot their bills as they attend the school.
A reward that students like Abisola feel incredibly grateful for. “I wasn’t expecting it, I was shocked, not that I didn’t work hard, but I didn’t think that I was going to get that award, and I got.” The award which does not only validates the talent and hard work these students have put into their craft, but it also to a great deal shows their commitment to their roles in the academic setting, and in this instance, Abisola was an acting exco serving as the Welfare Secretary in addition to her tasking voice major classes.
“It meant a lot to me that my effort has been rewarded, my integrity is not hidden, and the values that I possess are not hidden. It made me feel like I can continue on this path, I can do better,” she added. Not only did this award serve as a point of pride, but the scholarship in itself made Abisola feel seen as an artistes living in Lagos, Nigeria, and as a young Nigerian vying to make her dreams come true.
“If I could multiply that thank you, it will keep going on and on and on. They didn’t only invest in my musical career or my hunger for music they made me meet amazing people.
There are some people that I met in MUSON apart from my classmates, also people that were before me, alumni, and even the teachers. There are some people that I’ve met because I had an opportunity to study at MUSON, all because of MTN. It has left a very big mark in my life, and until now I still hold them dear.”
Beyond the exposure a young child could get from her neighbours who exposed her to Western music and the influence of their family in general, considering the fact that they were all musicians in varied capacities, Abisola Edun had gone on to find artistic influences in vocal powerhouses like Styl-Plus, Westlife, Backstreet Boys, Celine Dion, Don Moen and more. At MUSON, she sharpened the skills she learnt over time as a music lover.
Like Abisola, other young music enthusiasts also stand a chance to benefit from the two-year Diploma in Music scholarship program by the MTN Foundation at the MUSON School of Music. Call for entries has commenced, and opportunities for young music enthusiasts to become well-rounded musicians who can qualify for direct entry into a university to fulfill the remaining requirements for an undergraduate music degree.
When we asked Abisola what’s next for必利勁 her as an artistes she revealed that her conservative nature and mindset would seep into her music as she intends to do more operas, inspirational music and probably do some Broadway shows while impacting music enthusiasts willing to learn about her expertise.
For Abisola, the decision to leave her 9-5 was not one that she regretted. Despite the challenges and responsibilities she had, she believes that she was truly meant for the stage and the fact that she got to discover the evolution and the changes that come with music feels like a blessing for her.
