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Outlook: Bagpipe fever: One Nigerian's unlikely musical mission

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21/06/2023 GMT

Bagpipe fever: One Nigerian's unlikely musical mission

BBC World Service - Outlook, Bagpipe fever: One Nigerian's unlikely musical mission

How a teenage dream turned into a national revival

How a teenage dream turned into a national revival of bagpipe playing led by Chukwu Oba Kalu.

Pipe Major Chukwu Oba Kalu has turned a teenage dream into a national revival of bagpipe playing in Nigeria. When he was 18 he saw someone playing the instrument for the first time. He was captivated and told himself that one day he would learn how to play. His first challenge was getting hold of the practice materials and a set of bagpipes. Chukwu taught himself the basics, and then started to recruit old retired players to form a band. But his ambition didn’t stop there, as he wanted to see an old and faded tradition of Nigerian military pipe bands revived. 

Pushpa NM from Bangalore in India also had a chance encounter which set her life on a new path. After she helped a blind man to cross the road, he asked her to assist a friend of his to transcribe the answers in an exam he was about to sit. Pushpa has gone on to help over 1,000 disabled people write their exams, and received a presidential award as a result. She told her story to Outlook's Hetal Bapodra. 

Have you had a chance encounter which has led to a new passion? Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com

Producer: Rob Wilson
Presenter: Mobeen Azhar

Credit for audio of old Nigerian military band: Philips.
Credit for audio of NAF Pipe Band graduation ceremony: Trust Media Group

(Photo: Chukwu leading his pipe band. Credit: Courtesy of Chukwu Oba Kalu)

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