By SUNNY OKIM

Nigerian musicians have been in celebration mood since the Appeal Court sitting in Kano during the week set aside the death sentence hitherto placed on a Hausa musician, Yahaya Sharif-Aminu.

Kano sharia court had in August 2020 sentenced Yahaya to death by hanging for alleged blasphemy of Prophet Mohammed.

The professional colleagues of the now free musician are thanking God for giving him another chance to live.

The musicians are also grateful to the justices of the Appeal Court led by the presiding judge, Justice Nuradeen Sagir and his co-panelist Justice Nasiru Saminu who examined the case through the legal binoculars of the law and arrived at the inevitable conclusion that the trial of the lower court was full of irregularities.

"We also want to thank all our musician colleagues in Nigeria and leaders of the music and entertainment industry (The Nigeria Music Industry Collective) who stood behind the campaign calling for Sharif to be set free as it could have been any one on that death roll as we now leave in a world full of uncertainties," Performing Musicians Employers Association of Nigeria president, Pretty Okafor told News Express.

"We commend our international partners, who rose to the occasion immediately: The International Federation of Musicians (FIM), European Music Council (EMC), Finnish Music Council, Finnish Musicians Union (SML), Freemuse, International Federation of Actors (FIA), International Music Council (IMC), Nordic Musicians Union (NMU), Artists at Risk/Perpetuum Mobile, Safemuse, just to mention a few.

"I want to thank the General Secretary of FIM Benoït Machuel who has been in constant touch with me and following up on the developments every step of the way," Okafor further said.

Okafor used the opportunity to talk of the readiness of the musicians' body (PMAN) to put a smile on the faces of all its members this new year and beyond.

"As stated in my New Year message to all musicians, PMAN is well positioned now more than ever to bring about the much needed changes to give us a better life in 2021 as we call upon all stakeholders - musicians, corporate bodies and relevant goverment agencies who have the interest of musicians at heart to join hands with us to make it come to fruition," he said.

"Music and movies played a vital role in keeping us entertained during the lock down as occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic, and we believe these practitioners who worked tirelessly even from their homes to put smiles on our faces and kept us sane deserve much better.

"It is very clear that we as musicians are one all over the world and we stand in solidarity together wherever and whenever as we are stronger together with one voice as music is our own religion," he added.

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