Pretty Okafor Re-elected Unopposed As PMAN President

FUNSHO AROGUNDADE

Mr. Pretty Okafor, the incumbent President of the Performing Musicians Employers’ Association Of Nigeria, PMAN has been reelected to continue as the head of the musicians’ union body for another four years. 

The veteran musician was returned unopposed by the delegates from the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory during the 2023 National Delegates Conference of the body held Tuesday 24 October at the Association’s headquarters in Lekki, Lagos.

Okafor was announced the winner of the election by the electoral chairman with a total vote of 50.

Also reelected to serve for another four years as members of the PMAN National Executive Committee were Sunny Neji as the 1st Vice President, Zaaki Azzay as 2nd Vice President, Baba J.F.O as Treasurer, Michael Stevens (Ruggedman) as Chairman, Media Committee/Ex officio, Boniface Itodo (Aitabonny) as General Secretary and Fada Bem Paul (Bempee) as Assistant General Secretary.

Speaking with our correspondent after the election and delegates conference, Okafor explained that his re-election was as a result of pressure from some members of the association as he didn’t want to re-contest as PMAN President.

According to him, he had to change his mind when five State chapters purchased a form for him and insisted he must run for another term.

“I had resisted the pressure to run after running the association for some years now. My personal businesses are fast growing and I need time to pay more attention to them. But the whole thing became an issue when our General Secretary told members that I have since submitted documents to indicate my decision not to re-contest. This became a big issue as some members were even in tears and refused to sit down until I rescind my earlier decision not to run again. When I found out about this, I decided to put my business aside, believing that the interest of PMAN was more significant than my interest,” Okafor said.

The PMAN leader stated that his visible achievements over the years earned him the trust of every member which led to his unopposed re-election.

He said, “I would say there was no contest in the real sense of it as my return was more of an adoption than an election. I think they decided to bring me back as PMAN President because of my achievements over the years. As they have never witnessed what has happened in PMAN in recent years. More so, PMAN now has a solid structure as an institution while the union can now boast of its radio station and other investments in the real estate and hospitality that would fetch money for the association and its members. So, it was so hard for them to let me go.”

Okafor, a fine arts graduate of Yaba College of Technology, is widely acknowledged as the pioneer of the Afro-hip-hop genre in the late 1980s.

He was renowned for his musical fame with ‘Junior and Pretty,’ however, he gained even greater popularity as PMAN president.

He assumed office in October 2016, and ever since, Okafor has steered the association’s affairs and achieved significant milestones during his tenure.

Earlier before the PMAN national conference, Ms. Aralola Sherifat Olamuyiwa, Nigeria’s foremost female drummer popularly known as ‘Ara,’ was also appointed as the governor of the Lagos State Chapter of PMAN.

At the inauguration ceremony, Okafor who announced her appointment and presented her certificate of appointment at the Nigeria Music House in Lagos, said the choice of Ara to lead Lagos Chapter is very strategic as she was chosen because of her work ethic and appeals to the cross-generational demography of artistes.

Speaking about her plans for the Lagos Chapter of the Union, Ara stated that her focus would be to make the state become more vibrant and create awareness on the significance of PMAN to the Gen Z generation and every other artist yet to join the association.

Ara also took to her Instagram account to announce her new appointment.

“Thank you to God Almighty for a successful swearing-in ceremony today as PMAN Governor Lagos State Chapter,” she wrote with photos showing off her certificate.