Renowned music educator and academic researcher, Gerald Eze, will be among exceptional individuals to be honoured at the upcoming AMTY award scheduled for 22nd March, 2025, at the Stanel Dome, Awka.Â
Gerald Eze will be celebrated as the Social Impact Investor of the Year.
In their letter to Gerald Eze, the organizers pointed out Gerald’s remarkable work in using music to positively impact the lives of young people as the basis for the recognition.
They commended Eze for being a global cultural ambassador of not just ndi Anambra but ndi igbo across continents.
Eze, also known as Ogbuoja-Eze, is a master performer of the Oja, a traditional Igbo musical instrument. He has dedicated his life to preserving and promoting Igbo-African cultural heritage through music education.
In 2013, Eze founded the Ichoku Academy, which provides music education to Nigerian youth, grounded in Igbo-African cultural systems. Through the academy, he has produced many young performers and instrument technologists of Igbo music and musical instruments, ensuring the preservation of endangered Igbo musical resources.
Eze’s outstanding contributions to music and cultural preservation have earned him numerous accolades, including the Christopher Kolade prize for music excellence in 2015. He has also been featured on BBC Africa and has performed globally, including at the Asian-African festival in Beijing, China, and the African Concert Series at Wigmore Hall in London.
As a globally recognized cultural ambassador, Eze was selected as a OneBeat Fellow in December 2024, by the Found Sound Nation and U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. His commitment to social impact through music education has made him a deserving recipient of the Social Impact Investor of the Year award.
