PMAN, Finally, Acquires Corporate Headoffice, After 40 Years Of Existence

By Akinwale Kasali

After 40 Years of existence, the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria, PMAN, has acquired a befitting edifice as its  Corporate Head Office.

The acquisition was part of its quest to reward Nigerian musicians with befitting standing and proper remuneration.

The Multi Million Naira edifice located at the high brow area of Lekki, Lagos State, was unveiled to the admiration of colleagues, well wishers and friends of the industry.

This feat is happening 40 years after the umbrella body of Nigerian musicians was first formed.

According to Pretty Okafor, President of the Association, the decision to get a permanent office for the apex music association became paramount because of the union’s ongoing developmental programmes amongst which is the biometric card registration drive which is being implemented in conjunction with Zenith Bank.

He said: “For 40 years, getting a permanent corporate office for the union was not a priority for past Presidents and executives but we believed that every Nigerian musician deserves the best treatment. We considered this acquisition necessary because we need a business space that is accessible to all artists and the corporate sector.”

Explaining further, he said it  is also part of the biometric registration strategy which purpose is to have a database that will seamlessly and efficiently cater for the over five million members of the association in the country.

“This is so because the PMAN Nigerian Music House only belongs to musicians that are registered through the biometric system”, he emphasized.

Musicians who were present at the official unveiling described the acquisition as a “dream come through”.

Okafor also said that the acquisition is a management strategy. “Now the corporate world will believe that we are ready for business”.

Investigations showed that the cost of the edifice was N350 million. Okafor revealed that payments had been made through the banks.

Throwing more light on why PMAN’s executives chose to get the property at the Lekki area of the Island, he said : “It was a deliberate decision. You know our former rented corporate offices were in Ikeja. We  realised that Lekki is the new hub for the Nigerian music industry and the hotbed for the new wave Afrobeats culture”.