Afrobeats star Divine Ikubor, widely known as Rema, is set to electrify the historic city of Benin tonight with his first-ever homecoming concert.
The event, scheduled to take place at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, is expected to be a landmark occasion, signaling a new chapter in Edo State’s entertainment scene.
This concert comes after a previous attempt by Governor Godwin Obaseki to host Rema in December 2023, which was canceled due to health concerns.
Rema expressed his excitement after receiving a hero’s welcome upon his arrival in Edo a few days ago, in anticipation of the concert.
Recently, Rema joined Governor Obaseki for the groundbreaking ceremony of Edo Arena, where he laid the first block.
The arena, to be named ‘Rema’s Dome,’ is being constructed at the former Garrick Memorial School Ground on Ekehuan Road in Benin City.
They were accompanied by Dr. Asue Ighodalo, the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Uyi Oduwa Malaka, the Commissioner for Tourism, Arts, Culture and Diaspora Affairs, along with other top government officials.
Rema expressed his gratitude to the people of Edo State for their unwavering love and support and praised Governor Obaseki for his transformative reforms and projects over the past eight years that have significantly improved the state.
“I am happy to be here. I thank the people of Edo for their prayers and support. I am proud of the State, especially the progress made so far.
I am proud of the unity, passion, and determination to make it even greater,” Rema said.
Commending the governor for the arena project, Rema added, “I am proud of the youth and am ready to be involved in any initiative that empowers and motivates them.
This is a blessing, and I will ensure that this project is completed successfully.”
Governor Obaseki explained the rationale behind the project, saying, “When we took office in 2016, we didn’t have a proper venue for large events; we were renting spaces and canopies.
It became clear that we needed our own venue for hosting significant events.”
He added, “Edo State holds a unique position as the heartbeat of Nigeria, with substantial traffic passing through.
This offers us a significant economic advantage, and we realized the potential to host national events and draw people from across the country. We strategically planned to showcase our culture and attract more visitors to our state.”
Obaseki noted that once completed, the arena will host a variety of events, including concerts, national conferences, symposiums, and other large gatherings.
