When opportunity comes knocking for us to fulfil our dream, every other thing becomes less important. That was the case of Omo Bello, Nigerian born, France-based opera singer who left Nigeria after she got a scholarship to train in France as an Opera singer after studying Cell Biology and Genetics in University of Lagos, Nigeria.
Bello is an Edo with Igbo parentage. The dream of being an opera singer had been with her as a child who loves to just sing. And being a Nigeria, the dream seems rather impossible considering the amount of people that listens to opera music in Nigeria.
The 29 years old Bello is the first Nigerian Classical Soprano Singer on the International Opera scene who started officially at the University of Lagos by singing MUSON during her spare time.
She has won the first prize in the Luciano Pavarotti Giovani 2010 competition and famous critic called her ‘A Talent of Gold’. She also won the 1st prize in the 2011 Anselmo Colzani International Singing Competition and was awarded with the Italy prestigious international Arca D’Oro Prize for Young Artists in 2013.
She was nominated for France’s ‘Victoires De La Musique’ in 2014 awards in the Lyrical Revelation of the Year Category and according to the French, the award is equivalent to the Grammy’s Award in America and recognizes outstanding contributions to the regional and global music industry.
Her story is a source of inspiration to young people both in Nigeria and abroad that opportunity comes but once and once it comes, it is best to utilize it well.