12 Oct 2014

The Botswana Musicians Union (BOMU) activations leading up to the 6^th Annual awards kicked off with the ‘BOMU’s in Your Area’ campaign.

The campaign is geared towards addressing the social ills that young Batswana students face today, namely, alcohol abuse, irresponsible sexual habits and elicit drug usage among the youth. 

This initiative focuses on setting up a surprise concert and interactive talk between top local artistes and students every week throughout the month of October. 

BOMU recognises that musicians have a direct responsibility and role in assisting our youth to address these problems. Each school will enjoy one song from each of the two artistes and a further 40 minutes reserved for question and answer sessions posed by the students. 

BOMU’s In Your Area’s first school was Maoka Junior Secondary School in Gaborone and the two artistes selected by BOMU were ATI and Eugene Jackson. Students posed different questions to the artistes and interacted with them. 

In addition, Eugene Jackson shared some life skills with some of the students concerning some of the challenges they should expect to face as young adults. 

Every Student that asked a question was given an opportunity to take a picture with the artistes and have it branded and printed on site for them to take it home as a memento. 

The most interesting moments throughout the campaign at Maoka were the over-the-top response ATI received. 

The students requested musicians to become more exemplary on issues of sex, drugs and alcohol for they remain a powerful and influential tool among students of their age. 

BOMU’s In Your Area initiative is one of the numerous activations that BOMU has put in place to not only position the event brand of the upcoming 6^th BOMU Awards to take place on December 13, but also to carry out a form of social responsibility through BOMU members. 

Thabiso Nasha, one of the organisers, told BOPA that BOMU realises and appreciates the power of music.

In addition, he said the Union is very much aware that music is a social tool that can be both good and bad.

Some of the social ills that happen in society regarding nightclubs, house parties, bar outlets, any social gathering even irresponsible driving behaviour can be influenced by music, he said. 

“The first step therefore is to take some form of responsibility through educating our youth on some of the challenges they are likely to face at one point or another in their lives. 

This campaign aims at educating and also bringing awareness to these problems while also positioning the BOMU Awards as a relevant and progressive brand. 

Our awards event is more than just a night of glamor, but a celebration of the good work that Batswana artistes have done and will continue to do within their communities,” he says. 

He believes that Artistes/Musicians will always have some influence over their audience, especially the young ones. 

“One day and moment can make a real positive and progressive difference in a young person’s life. 

That one person making a concerted effort to change, that one moment makes this initiative worthwhile,” said Nasha.

At the moment BOMU is in the working with the Diamond and Narcotic Squad to enable students to see some of the drugs available on the streets. 

This week the union mentioned that they will be hosting its second instalment at a second school featuring Vee and Nono.

Students are encouraged to state reasons why BOMU should visit their school next through the Botswana Musicians Union page on Facebook or through the BOMU twitter handle BOMU99. ENDS