- Olumide and Kenneth sustain stride to clinch prize
Two more hymntestants have been hymnvicted (eliminated) in Stanza 11 of the Hymnodia reality show as the duo of Olumide Dada and Kenneth Ekhuemelo maintained their status as outstanding performers in the tussle for the ASAPH, the grand prize of the reality TV show, which will culminate on April 24.
The hymnvictees, Uduakobong Akpan Jnr and Jemine Edukugho, who were on probation in the previous Stanza scored the least votes and had to leave the show after exciting renditions that thrilled the audience in what was the final Performance Show for the Hymnodia season.
In his comments after the Performance Show, Mr. Kufre Ekanem, Managing Director of Philosoville Limited, initiators of Hymnodia, clarified that “our theme for this stanza was hymns in added verses. The hymntestants had to create and graft additional verses to popular hymns of their choice but retaining the poetic metres, rhyming schemes and syllabic structures of the selected hymns. No hymntestant was put on probation in the final performance show”.
Prior to exiting the Hymnodia stage, Uduakobong and Jemine rendered revised versions of the hymns Whispering Hope and All to Jesus I surrender respectively. Next followed a battle of the Final Five in an intense but wholesome show which will ultimately reward the winner with the Asaph (a specially designed award named after David’s chief musician), a brand-new car and N5 million.
Mobolanle Oladimeji and Abigael Nnadi, who had earlier survived the hymnviction process, performed His eye is on the Sparrow and How great Thou Art respectively, after Rachael Darley had kicked it all of with a sonorous take on God will take care of you. Olumide, whose trademark is his baritone voice, performed Old Rugged Cross, while Kenneth rendered Come Christians Join to Sing with a creative blend of several Halleluyah components.
Commenting on the Stanza 11 show, the judges eulogised the hymntestants for their brilliant renditions which have signposted the fast triple ‘E’ (entertainment, education and edification) promise of Hymnodia, the reality programme created around hymns and worship. Elimination on the show is by public votes and the process is audited by the reputable firm of Gbenga Badejo& Co. For the final, the winner will be chosen via a combination of public votes and judges scores.
Hymnodia is a one-hour programme on Lagos Television (Channel 256 on DSTV, Channel 90 on GOtv and Channel 113 on Startimes) on Sundays with a magazine show on same channels on Thursday evening. It is also streamed live online via the LTV App available on the app store and on the dedicated YouTube channel, Hymnodiahq.
The show can also be viewed on GITV, Kaduna; Anambra Broadcasting Service, Onitsha; Ondo State Radio/TV, Akure; ITV, Abuja and Cross River TV, Calabar. Others are: Akwa Ibom Broadcasting Corporation (AKBC); Kwara TV, Ilorin and Plateau Radio TV, Jos. All the stations show Hymnodia on the same days (Sunday and Thursday) but at different times.
