Pan goes to schools in Nigeria

Pan Trinbago has entered into an agreement to take the steelpan to schools in Nigeria. This was revealed by Pan Trinbago president Keith Diaz, during a prize- giving ceremony on Friday for the People’s Choice winners in the medium and large band categories of the Panorama finals last month.

The agreement is among the national pan body and three other parties — the T&T Nigeria Chamber, FCL Financial Ltd and Xcell Steelpan Communication Co Ltd, a Nigerian firm. Diaz said the Nigerian company was formed for the purpose of producing and selling steelpans throughout Africa, with emphasis on schools, where the use of steelpans in schools in Nigeria and South Africa was taking root.

Diaz said unlike trips to the Americas, trips to the African continent had already yielded financial returns. At the ceremony, Courts Sound Specialists received the $10,000 People’s Choice prize for the medium band category and large band Neal and Massy Trinidad All Stars received the $10,000 People’s Choice prize from FCL Financial.

FCL Financial’s representative Daniel Lambert also revealed an expansion of the people’s choice prizes to the small, and single pan categories. He described the text-to-vote option as a success, with 2,744 voters for the Panorama finals.