emPawa Publishing marked a significant milestone with its highly anticipated inaugural Fireside Chat event, held on November 6, 2023, at the prestigious Oriental Hotel’s Ballroom in Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria.
Founded in 2020, emPawa Publishing boasts an impressive lineup of accomplished writers and producers, including Mr Eazi, Tekno, Killertunes, Joeboy, Type A, BeatsbyTimmy, and more. The company has distributed royalties exceeding One Billion Naira to its esteemed clientele.
The Fireside Chat, led by Ayomide Adeware, Head of emPawa Publishing, featured a distinguished panel comprising Mr Eazi, Founder & CEO of emPawa Africa; Willard Ahdritz, Founder and Chairman of Kobalt Music; and Emmanuel ‘EKelly’ Nwosu, Head of Music at emPawa Africa. The discourse emphasized the pressing need for infrastructure development, implementation of best practices, and financial investment in both the Nigerian music industry and Africa at large.
Reflecting on the session, Mr Eazi emphasized, “Nigerian Music leads consumption across Africa, and Afrobeats stands as one of the fastest-growing genres. It is imperative that we continue to offer education and support to creators, bridging gaps in the African publishing landscape.”
These sentiments were echoed by Willard Ahdritz, who expressed confidence that Lagos has the potential to rival Los Angeles’ achievements within a decade, given the right foundations.
Eminent figures in the music industry, including Kenny Ogungbe, I.D Ogungbe, Olisa Adibua, Pretty Okafor (President, PMAN), Killertunes, Osagie Osarenkhoe, Gospelondbeatz, Spreachbeats, Nasir Achile, Dan Dizzy, Bizzle Osikoya, Adaobi Obimma (Clients partnership, emPawa Publishing), and representatives from the Musical Copyright Society (MCSN), were also present.
The event spurred dynamic conversations through interactive Q&A sessions, panel discussions, and social media interactions utilizing the #emPawaFireside hashtag.
Attendees, both physical and virtual, were actively engaged, contributing their perspectives and insights.
The Fireside Chat offered a platform for industry veterans and emerging talents to connect, exchange ideas, and forge new collaborations in music publishing, industry trends, and the future of the music business.
The Fireside Chat concluded with Kelechi Nwosu extending gratitude on behalf of the emPawa group to all the speakers, attendees, sponsors, and partners whose contributions led to the event’s resounding success.
Organized by emPawa Publishing, the emPawa Fireside Chat plays a pivotal role in empowering and educating music creators, aligning with emPawa Africa’s mission to nurture and champion creative talents across the continent.
