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Write with music festival by Moncoeur Global Concept known as (WWMF) median edition was held on Saturday, 11th November 2023, a first-of-its-kind festival for writers, musicians, and vendors in the heart of Lagos southwest Nigeria.
The event, as the name implies, Write with Music Festival with the theme, “Strengthening Connection” was a gathering of writers, musicians, and vendors, who came to celebrate their works as well as discuss pertinent issues that affect both industries.
The Write with Music Festival brought together writers, musicians vendors from diverse backgrounds to celebrate the collaboration of their works. It was a rich tapestry of music performances, spoken word poetry, a book fair, exhibitions, culinary delights, and games making it a perfect opportunity for an engaging media feature. Among the dignitaries at the event were,
Dr Abubakar Yusuf; International Counter Insurgency Expert and Intelligence Lecturer at Baze University as the event guest speaker, Francisca Okwulehie; Founder of Write with Music Festival and CEO of Moncoeur Global Concept, Tobi Abiodun: Multiple Poetry Slam Champion, Angeloh Anosike: 2x AMVCA nominee for Best Soundtrack (2023), Agbai Amarachi: Exceptional Media Personality.
The event attracted sponsors from major brands like cereal company, Kellogs Nigeria and Foam manufacturing company Vitavisco. At the event, Jacinta Okemini, a budding poet won the poetry category
of the Memory of Words and Music Contest and was awarded one of Vitavisco Products and the Write with Music Festival goodie bag.
Speaking to media at the event the founder and convener of Write with Music Festival shared the reason behind the theme “Strengthening Connection” for its maiden edition.
In her words; “Write with Music is a festival that celebrates the influence of music in writing. We call it a writers’ festival that is backed by music and all the influence that music has to do in the different areas and genres of writing.”
Francisca Okwulehie affirmed that positive writing and songs positively influence and change the lives of the youth. She said: “That’s the essence of the Write with Music Festival. It calls for the reengineering of the mindset.”
While calling for a concertizing of how Nigeria approaches music in terms of lyrical content, in terms of what they absorb, and what they take in, Okwulehie said: “These things are just like drugs.
They also have an influence on people’s lives. They affect what we bring out. You know it’s garbage in and garbage out.
Music tends to have a great influence on how people lead their lives. Music sends a message to the younger generation.”
According to her: “With the Music Festival, we are trying to push a new dimension that music has to be more thorough, just as writing is thorough.”
At the event, Multiple Poetry Slam Champion, Tobi Abiodun, said that writing is essential to music, as music cannot exist without writing.
He said that an artist or a writer should be conscious of quality in how his message is passed, adding: “Quality content is what you say and how you say what is being said.”Abiodun said that Art oftentimes influences before it reflects while expressing the opinion that artists are sometimes to blame for some societal ills.
A two-time AMVCA nominee for Best Soundtrack (2023), Angelou Anosike, said that art, in most cases, is a reflection of the people. On how to correct the negative ways of life of the people, Anosike said: “Sometimes meet the people and talk with them. It has to be an internal communal change.” He said that everyone has his or her role to play in bringing about social change. “We should find ways in our society to galvanize people in our community for social change.”
The event had a series of panel discus, during the panel session, David Odiase, a storyteller and multi-disciplinary artist, on “Employing music and writing for social change,” panel, said that people find ways of inculcating their social norms into music. Odiase added that the artist employs a whole lot of technicalities that help to amplify music better.
Emotional Intelligence Expert, Blessing George-Obi, while speaking on the mental health of an artist, panel, advised that irrespective of how a creator feels, he should wisely manage external pressures, as, according to her, “everything done comes from the brain.”
George-Obi noted that people do not care about what the artist battles inside of him, but added that he is expected to perform and meet the needs of the public.
George-Obi, speaking on balancing career and mental health as creatives, advised that they should try to balance the two as “All a man has to offer is himself. “You need to take care of yourself, as well as your space. A writer has to give from what he has within him.” She advised creatives: “Try to manage your expectations, understand that whatever you are going through is a process. Enjoy where you are before getting to the expected place. Manage yourself and get your sanity. Mental health should be tackled, protect yourself, and stay focused.”
Write with music festival team, staff and members of Moncoeur Global Concept appreciate all that made this outing a success 
We wish to see you next year as the event is set to be an annual event.
