Several times in recent years, when I have been asked how I am able to do the many things I do, I have replied that I drive on a full tank of faith. Some people have told me that they find the line intriguing and want some explanation. The truth is that I do not believe that the Almighty will send me on an errand without ensuring that I have the transport money to get there.
I was born a Catholic and remain a Catholic but my elder sister and Madam complain ceaselessly that I do not go to Church as regularly as I should. I just do not believe that God is only in the Catholic Church. I believe that He is in every Church and in fact in the Mosque, in the market, in our offices, on the streets and in our homes. Now and again, I still worship in the Catholic Church but when I can, I attend an Anglican Church or any of the several Pentecostal churches.
On Friday, May 30, I was at the Central Mosque in Ebute Metta for “COSON in the Mosque”, with my colleagues and brothers: Chief Uche Emeka Paul, a Catholic Charismatic; Sir Angus “Power’ Nwangwu, a Knight of the Anglican Church; Pastor (Eng) Sharon Esco Wilson Joshua who pastors the Bible Believing Church; Richard Ayodele Cole, a devout Christian and Evangelist Olusegun Omoyayi, a Pentecostal Evangelist. My colleagues and I worshiped with the Moslem faithful. We did not die. Believe me, God is everywhere.
I honestly do not accept that there is one God for the Catholics, another for the Anglicans, a different one for the Pentecostals and a patently different God for my brothers and sisters of the Islamic faith. I do not accept that you will go to hell because you are not Catholic. I believe that the divisions that exist among us are man-made, more social, sometimes political and certainly not spiritual.
Each time I look at the many problems, quarrels and wars across the world, I see the consequences of the divisions that man has created among the children of God. These divisions result in hate and ultimately, in bloodshed and strife. Just look at what is happening in the Middle East. Most of my Christian friends believe that it is right for Isreal to annihilate hundreds of thousands of innocent children of God in Gaza, in Lebanon and now, in Iran and that God has so ordained it!
On the other hand, a good number of my Muslim friends believe that it is right for Iran to acquire nuclear weapons so that they can wipe out Isreal. Please just imagine this crazy idea that God wants His children in any part of the world wiped out. If it is true, does the Almighty need the help of Iran or Isreal or America or anyone to do so?
I have also said publicly that I am not driven by personal wealth. I do not dream of owning all the houses in Lagos. In fact, I own none and it does not bother me. I choose to invest in human beings and in initiatives that bring people together, give them true joy and an opportunity to feel that indeed, we are children of the same God.
I just spent an unbroken six months working on the events of COSON Week 2025 and trying to make sure that the events were rewarding to the people who attended and that we positively brought people together. At 1 am, 2 am, 3 am or 4 am, the lights in my office or my home were on and the computers practically on fire.
I want to thank the young people who were engaged in the labour of love with me, particularly, my extended TOPS family: Edith, Debbie, Ijay, Peter, KASI, Abey and Mama Gbenga. I practically drove them crazy, always asking for more and more. I certainly owe a lot to Seun, my graphic designer; Wasiu, my energetic printer; Ibrahim and Wale, my set designers; Alladave, my stage lighting maestro and his “First Lady” and my colleagues at COSON: KSB, Zdon, Bernice, Vincent, Pat, Yemi & Co.
I have stopped trying to explain to people that I do not subject myself to such sleep deprivation and the personal torture because I want to make money. There was not one event of the COSON Week at which one Naira was charged as gate fee or raised from the audience. We received very little money from anyone, to fund the much-hailed COSON Week 2025. Many of the people who made promises to help us are still to deliver.
Ordinarily, COSON Week 2025 should not have held because the resources to fund it were never there. Barely two weeks to go, there were serious discussions about suspending the events. I said “no!”
Because I drive on a full tank of faith and the Almighty has never let me down, despite the critical lack of resources, I was 100% certain that on Sunday, May 25, Nigerians of every tribe and every denomination would gather at Chapel of Christ the Light, Ikeja, enjoy the red carpet and join hands and voices to pray for the Nigerian nation, together profess: “Nigeria will rise again!” and usher in a magnificent COSON Week 2025 that would be streamed live across the world.
Even when at the last minute, our use of the auditorium of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, which we had paid for and advertised, was withdrawn under curious circumstances, I was confident that the COSON Lecture would take place as scheduled. With the great help of a magnificent Nigerian, Babatunde Ogala SAN and my friend forever, Prof Duro Oni, the COSON Lecture was a roaring success.
Children’s Day at COSON House, probably, my favorite event, was a show to behold. My ever-smiling beautiful colleague, Mandu Uwem Umoh, did not let me down. She was on point and delivered as tasked.
There were many who said that the 24 hours non-stop “COSON Mega Jamz” at Freedom Park, was a pipe dream. The planned event got shaken to its foundation when just three weeks to the May 27 date, the main driver of the Mega Jamz, DJ Bola Bown, died. There was confusion everywhere. But when there is a will, there is a way. With help from Theo Lawson and his people at Freedom Park, my guys, the Reggae Icons, Righteousman and Bishop Amos Mcroy, took up the challenge and made history. They put over one hundred Nigerian artistes on one stage with fantastic sound and beautiful co-ordination at Freedom Park, and did something no one has ever done.
Of course, The COSON Medical Outreach held as planned with Dr. Moses Jatto and his doctor friends and nurses from Care Life Hospital storming COSON House and treating sick and indigent music industry persons free of charge.
Is there anybody in Nigeria who does not know that the magnificent COSON Green Ball at MUSON Centre Lagos, held in style on May 30 and that “Fly COSON Flight FC 101” soared and set a new standard for Nigeria’s showbiz? Oh! Gbemisola Amedu was on point.
I am proud that every event of COSON Week 2025 was held to the glory of God. We kept all our promises. There were no apologies. There was no cancelation. There was no postponement.
I have been in this situation so many times in my life. Not once has the Almighty let me down. He always-always makes a way. People complain that I do not appear to worry about anything; my health, my safety; my finances or tomorrow. As long as what I am doing is to the glory of the Almighty, I do not worry. I drive on a full tank of faith. I verily do not believe that the Almighty will send me on an errand without ensuring that I have the transport money to get there.
I WILL ALWAYS DRIVE ON A FULL TANK OF FAITH!
See you next week.
