Lagos, Nigeria - A union between Nigeria’s Xcel Steelpan Co., Ltd., Trinidad and Tobago’s Pan Trinbago Inc. and FCL (Financial Concepts Limited) was consummated in Gatwick, United Kingdom on Saturday 12th May, 2012. The three organisations came together to form the Africa-Trinidad and Tobago Steelpan Development Company Ltd. (ATTSDC), with its Head office situated in Lagos, Nigeria.
The official signing of the Shareholders and other agreements was witnessed at the South terminal of the Gatwick Hilton, UK, by Trinidad & Tobago’s High Commissioner to Nigeria His Excellency Nyahuma Obika; Trinidad & Tobago’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom His Excellency Garvin Nicholas and; all directors on the board of the new company. Participating in the signing ceremony were Chief Bowie S. Bowei of Xcel, Nigeria, Mr. Keith Diaz, Pan Trinbago President and Mr. Daniel Lambert of FCL Trinidad and Tobago.
(l-r) Jawara Mobota, ATTSDC Company Secretary/legal adviser; H.E. Nyahuma Obika; Keith Diaz; Chief Bowie S. Bowei; H.E. Garvin Nicholas; ATTSDC shareholder, FCL’s Daniel Lambert
The company was formed to promote the Steelpan art form in Africa through the organisation of Panoramas, the setting up of steelbands at various levels, promotion of steelpan artists and groups, training of Pan builders and tuners, training of Pan music producers, and promotion of Pan music education at the tertiary level, amongst others.
Already, an affiliation has been worked out between the company and Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education, Lagos, to run educational programs and award degrees, certificates and diplomas in various music disciplines including instrument construction engineering and sound engineering. This will be for students who may not have the required qualification for entry into undergraduate programs in Universities, while graduates of this program as well as students qualified for the undergraduate program will run programs at designated centres once the affiliation arrangements are worked out between the company and the College of Science, Technology and Applied Arts of Trinidad and Tobago (COSTAATT).
Other directors on the board of ATTSDC include Mrs. Ladi Franklin, Mr. Jawara Mobota, Mrs. Modupe Okebukola, Mr. Emmanuel John, Mrs. Charity Babatunde, Mr. Allan Augustus, Mr. Lancelot Anyanya and Mr. Richard Forteau.
ATTSDC CEO Chief Bowie S. Bowei with H.E. Garvin Nicholas
Chief Bowie S. Bowei will run the operations of the company as Chief Executive Officer while Mr. Keith Diaz has been appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors. The company is expected to begin operations immediately, and its presence is expected to be strongly felt at the 50th Independence anniversary celebration of Trinidad and Tobago as well as the November 2012 Nigeria Abuja Carnival. The company will be officially launched in Trinidad in June 2012 and in Nigeria in July 2012.
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Africa-Trinidad & Tobago Steelpan Development Company Ltd. (ATTSDC)
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