The FCT Chapter of the Performing Musicians and Allied Professionals Association of Nigeria (PMAN) has appealed to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike for support in establishing a functional secretariat in Abuja. Michael Oyibo, Acting Chairman of PMAN FCT, made the appeal during a news conference on Friday, stating that the lack of a permanent office has hampered administrative effectiveness. He emphasized that a dedicated secretariat would serve as an administrative hub, training centre, and welfare support system for musicians. "A union without a base is a union without direction," Oyibo said, urging Wike to back the initiative.
PMAN FCT also unveiled a plan to train and empower 3,000 youths in instrumental performance, music production, live band professionalism, and music business. Oyibo highlighted a recent audition where 99.9 per cent of applicants were singers, exposing a critical shortage of skilled instrumentalists like keyboardists and saxophonists. The chapter aims to position Abuja as Nigeria's hub for live music excellence through partnerships with music academies and private investors. Oyibo condemned the underpayment and exploitation of musicians, pledging to set minimum performance pay benchmarks and deploy a task force to enforce compliance. A digital membership system is also being rolled out to enhance global visibility for Abuja-based artists. The group's previously scheduled congress has been postponed for better planning.
Michael Oyibo is asking Nyesom Wike for a building, but his real challenge is making PMAN FCT relevant beyond appeals. With 99.9 per cent of auditionees being singers, the gap in instrumental talent is not just a training issue—it reflects years of neglect in music education. If the union cannot secure a secretariat or enforce pay standards on its own, another plea to a minister, no matter how loudly made, changes little. For Abuja's musicians, visibility means nothing without power.
