Thursday, March 28, 2024

Fikayo, 14-yr-old violinist, dazzles church congregation

Impressions at the ambience of Redeemed Christian Church of God, the Tabernacle of David Parish, Province 17, Lagos, were eclectic, last Sunday. The faithful sat with rapt attention, as Miss Fikayo Moronkola took the stage for what later turned out to be an epic performance.

Holding her violin instrument under the chin, supported by the left shoulder, young Fikayo drew the bow across the arco of the elitist gadget. Enrapturing all, she went on a sojourn of soul-lifting musical lyrics, twinning out various tunes of pristine and overt Christian songs.

Fikayo, 14, played, using the violin to dish out melodies of sonorous Christian songs such as ‘You are Great’ by Steve Crown, ‘Daily as I live’ and ‘We Cry Abbah Father’ by Chris Morgan, and ‘Alagbara’, a Yoruba Christian song.

Unfazed by the fact that she is a teenager and that she is still a student, Fikayo, who is SS1 student of United Missionary Comprehensive College, Ibadan, Oyo State, exuded boldness and mastery, leaving the fairly large church congregation to imagine a big-time adult and a veteran violinist performing to its delight.

Asked how she got to the Olympian height of this art, young Fikayo shocked all, saying, “I started learning violin in August last year, under the tutorship of my lesson teacher, who was teaching me both at home and in the school.”

That confession alone could only demonstrate the commitment of her parents to a violin mastery for young Fikayo, as her mum and dad live and work in Lagos, whereas, she attends a school in Ibadan.

Pastor Tokunbo Moronkola, her father, is a senior cleric with the RCCG and also a top banker, while her mother, who coincidentally bears the name ‘Tokunbo’ with her husband, works in the Lagos Local Government Service Commission.

“My parents, including my sister, have been encouraging me, always telling me not to give up, even when I make mistakes,” she affirmed.

Fikayo advised her peers and others with various musical aspirations, saying, “No matter how small or big the instrument is, as long as you play from your heart, you can use it to inspire everyone.”

This young violinist who aspires to be an architect also hopes to play the instrument at big functions of the RCCG, such as the Holy Ghost Congress and the Convention. This is aside from targeting high-profile Christian events across the world.

Fikayo also hopes “to have a gallery and play with my violin every day, and teach other children so that they can play it too.”

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