On the 24th of February
2016 Mrs Toyin Saraki was with Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle Obama, at
the final music concert of the Obama administration, “Smithsonian Salutes Ray
Charles
Mrs Saraki, founder of the
leading maternal and child health NGO of the Wellbeing Foundation Africa, was
on a private visit to the United States of America to mark 2016 Black History
Month.
A longstanding supporter of
the creative arts and music in Nigeria and globally, Saraki was at the concert
alongside performing artistes Usher, Demi Lovato and Grammy Award winner
Brittany Howard,
During the White House
tribute to international music legend, Ray Charles, she underscored the
important contribution of music to culture and development.
Recognised along with
Pepsi, American Airlines, the Kovlar Foundation and other eminent philanthropic
personalities as a key supporter of creative arts at the Tribute Performance,
Mrs. Saraki, accompanied by her son Oluwaseni, expressed appreciation to the
United States of America’s First Couple for the warm and welcoming reception.
“I am delighted, that
during Black History Month, the superlatively inspirational musical tradition
of late Ray Charles Robinson is being honoured so singularly, by current
musical greats,” she stated.
US R n B singer, Usher and
gospel recording artiste, Yolanda Adams, were also among a number of
contemporary artistes that performed the late Ray Charles’ music to an audience
that included eminent guests such as renown civil rights crusader, the Reverend
Al Sharpton; legal luminaries Sam Seymour and his wife, Karen Patton Seymour;
and Directors of the Smithsonian Museum and Ray Charles Foundation, Kirk
Johnson and Valerie Ervin respectively.
Despite hosting over a
dozen “In Performance” events at the White House over the last seven years,
President Obama has described Ray Charles as one of his musical favourites who
continues to influence generations of musicians.
In 2009, the
Founder-President of the Wellbeing Foundation Africa equally participated in
Black History Month in the state of South Carolina, where she was honoured by
the South Carolina State House of Representatives in a House Resolution, for
her humanitarian effort for reproductive health and girl’s education on
February 25, 2009.
Very historic indeed .
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