The Bonny Has Talent Show (BOHAT) will avail youths of Rivers State, especially, those of Bonny Local Government Area, the opportunity to grow their talent, learn new strategies for realizing their dreams, stakeholders have said.

The Convener, Tammy Abusi, alongside other stakeholders said this on Thursday, October 12, 2023 at the unveiling of the BOHAT Show in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Abusi, a former candidate of the Labour Party for the Rivers State House of Assembly, emphasized that the BOHAT Show will impact the lives of Bonny people, stressing that Bonny has talents that need to be harnessed, stressing that the show aims at helping young people maximize their passion and change their focus from being job seekers to using talents gainfully.

“Bonny has talents. It’s about human capacity building, basically. The people of Bonny need to defect from what they are focused on right now.”

“They need to know that the gift they have inside of them is what is going to take them far, not about the jobs they get, not about the clamouring at the (employment) bureau where they are always standing but the gift that God has given to them.”

“The Bonny Has Talent Project, the BOHAT Show is that opportunity and platform that will create an enabling and support system to the young people of our community, giving them the tools they need to succeed. Today, unemployment and lack of opportunities for young people in our communities is at an all-time high.

“The Bonny Has Talent’ (THE BOHAT SHOW) project, will provide personality value training, mentorship and access to career opportunities for young people, this will enable them gain the skills and experience they need to secure employment and build a brighter future foe themselves and their families.”

She informed audition forms are currently out for interested persons to pick and participate in any talent of their choice cutting across singing, dancing, acting and lots more, ahead of the maiden edition of the Show on Saturday, November 25 in Bonny.

In his remarks, Chairman of the project, Torudoghubo Jamaica described the show as an opportunity which will blow up the participating youths by affording them the latitude to showcase their talents.

“Everybody has talent, this is the opportunity that will blow us up, in various areas there are good singers, dancers, choreographies and all that but they are silently wasting away, at the end of the day, we shall all appreciate what is coming.”

On her part, a renowned music artiste and ace entertainer, Ibitoru Green, popularly known as Lady IB, described the project as “first of its kind in the creeks”, stating that she feels proud to be part of such initiative.

“It’s a wonderful one. It’s a unique one. It’s impressive. First of its kind in the creeks and the Ijaw nation, and I am very proud to be part of it.”

“When my sister, fortunately, she is my cousin, came to me with the idea, we started this since last year, I told her it wasn’t going to be easy and by God’s grace, she is a goal getter, a fighter and she has arrived. So, l am so happy that we have come this far.”

“Bonny people, we are unique, in all ramifications, when it comes to dressing, give it to the Bonny people, we no dey carry last. So, we are unique and I know we are going to go places, whatever she wants to achieve, it’s world class.”

She noted keenly that the project will navigate neighbouring communities around the local government area thereby getting the youths busy and drawing them from vices.

“From here you enter Opobo. From Opobo you enter Andoni, from Andoni you enter Nkoro, before you know, you are taking people out of cultism, you are taking people out of “on colos”, igbo, SK, Nkpurumiri, ice, you all know what happens to a lazy man.”

“No job in Rivers State, what do you expect? And anytime you take igbo, it makes you happy, but when you are busy, you will not think of igbo, you will not think of drugs.”  

A veteran journalist and Chief Executive Officer of Mezie Communications, Emmanuel Nwabrije, PhD, applauded the convener for putting such a show together, acknowledging her past antecedents, calling for collective responsibility to make the project a success.

“With what Tammy has put together and taking it back by her antecedents, in those days ‘Checkmate’ you know, everybody will be rushing down to make sure you get back to your home to turn on your TV set and all that, and it went on and on. Lately, did we know that it’s our very own.”

“The beauty of talents is to harness them, if you don’t bring them together and show them the way, many will rot away. So, what you are doing here is not a moi moi thing, it has to do with what I call collective responsibility. Don’t say I am not from Bonny and shy away, Tammy here has said no to vices anymore, take them out of the streets, let’s give them a way of life.”

Highlights of event include the unveiling of the BOHAT Show brand icon, a pillow, which, according to the organizers, signifies comfort, warmth, relaxation, which is what the people of Bonny will experience; and a dance presentation by Mr. Nigeria International Planet, Tamunosa Ibiama, also known as Marvel Kings, who identified himself as the ‘Ibani Icon’.

In a chat with Kristina Reports, Marvel Kings, who recited the National Anthem and Pledge in the Ibani language, expressed his passion for his culture, noting that it is what made him win the Mr. Nigeria International Planet competition, acknowledging Tammy Abusi for holding him by the hand and helping him when he was seeking for assistance during the competition.

The BOHAT Show is open to youths and adults with various talents; to qualify, participants need to pick the audition form, fill and submit it to the organizers.