IT was fun time recently, as work was temporarily halted at the headquarters of Seven-Up Bottling Company (SBC) Plc, Lagos, when Moses Obi-Adigwe, winner of Nigerian Idol season three, paid a courtesy visit to the management and staff of the company for sponsoring the platform that has given him a voice in the entertainment industry.

Speaking at the event, Executive Director, Human Resources, SBC, Mr. Femi Mokikan expressed the company’s delight in contributing to activities encouraging Nigerian youths to discover their innate abilities and aspire to become what they want to be.

Mokikan used the occasion to stress the company’s love for youth development in music and in football. “Just recently, our Pepsi Music Campus Challenge produced a winner from Delta State University and we are currently in the process of producing a music video for him. Through the Pepsi Football Academy, the company has been discovering and nurturing young Nigerian talents for over 20 years, including giving them full scholarships to study and play in top high schools in the United Kingdom,” Mokikan said.

Also speaking at the event, Mr. Rotimi Pedro, Managing Director, OMG, organisers of the Nigerian Idol, commended the management and staff of the company for buying into the idea from the first season to the just concluded season three.

According to him, “by accepting the offer for sponsorship from Season one, your organisation has really being of immense benefit to the realisation of the international idea at home, adapting it to suit our environment. Pepsi has really helped us to nourish that idea, which has now become a big idea that is fast spreading across the shores of Africa.”

He noted that the youthfulness of thebrand has made this possible: adding, “we are very delighted that Nigerian Idol is the second most watched reality TV show in Nigeria with great followership on facebook and twitter.”

Highly elated Moses was full of praise for the soft drink company for giving him a platform to voice his dream to pursue his early childhood passion.

In his words, “I feel very honoured in this place and right from the gate when I saw myself on the flex banners all around the premises, the joy in me knew no bounds.  That is why I am really grateful to Pepsi for making me who I am today. I appreciate the fact that the entire company is rejoicing with me for emerging the winner of season three.”

The climax of the event was when Moses thrilled Pepsi staff with a live performance of some of the songs he did during the competition. He was later presented with an illuminated portrait of himself as a gift from the company.