NEITHER POWER NOR MONEY HAS CHANGED MOSES EKPO

NEITHER POWER NOR MONEY HAS CHANGED MOSES EKPO

Last week, I was in Uyo, the well laid out capital of Akwa Ibom State. I had travelled with my COSON colleague, Chinedu Chukwuji for the grand burial in Abak of Emmanuel Ntia who at well above ninety years remained a musician's musician and an incredibly vibrant performer. We stayed in a modest hotel.

At about 9.30 pm, Chinedu knocked on my hotel room door to say that I had visitors. Who could that be? Who knew I was in town? I went downstairs. Lo and behold, waiting for me was the Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State, the great Moses Ekpo. He had come with Aniekan Umanah, former Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Information whom I had met several times while Godswill Akpabio was governor. To my mind, Aniekan is one of the best communications man any state in Nigeria has had. Of course, before him was Moses Ekpo, the first ever Commissioner for Information in Akwa Ibom State.

The Deputy Governor told me that he would not hear that I was in town and not come to see me. We shared a drink and discussed happenings in our nation, including of course, our mutual friend, Godswill Akpabio. I was touched. In his exalted position, Ekpo could have asked me to come and visit him, especially in the middle of the time-consuming election campaign. He did not. Instead, he came to me. Give a man money or power and you know who he truly is. Neither power nor money has changed Moses Ekpo.

Next morning in Abak, His Excellency, the Deputy Governor waited for me to arrive the home of Emmanuel Ntia to join him before the lying in state ceremonies could begin.

Not very long ago, I received a very warm welcome in Benin City from his Royal Majesty, the Oba of Benin. Two years ago, the Olubadan of Ibadan who was once a music industry person, practically rolled out the red carpet for the COSON delegation which I led to his palace.

Last year, I was at the palace of the revered Emir of Kano, the very brilliant Mohammed Sanusi II, with my friend and colleague, the late Ras Kimono. My delegation and I were warmly received by the Emir. His Highness who clearly understands economics and the way the wealth of nations is built, said very kind words and had effusive praise for the work we are doing to reposition our country in the new knowledge and creative economy. 

Visiting an Oba, an Emir, a Minister or a Governor in our continuous outreach to expand the frontiers of the understanding of intellectual property in our country, is probably one percent of the work we do. That is however the part of the work that sometimes elicits envy, covetousness and hatred.

Anyone who has managed a band of a few creative people, will understand that the real hard work of bringing together thousands of creative people, managing their effervescent temperaments and molding them into a force for progress is not beans. My phone rings practically off the hook. Any problem of each of the thousands of members of COSON is my problem.

WILL TONIGHT’S PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE MATTER?

WILL TONIGHT'S PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE MATTER?

There is a young man who works with me. The ongoing political maneuvering has become his drug. He is hooked. His life in the last several months has revolved around the upcoming presidential elections.

I wonder whether my guy sleeps at all. These days, he appears to live on the internet, consumed by his never-ending schemes to promote his choice candidate on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and their sister platforms. In the same manner, he is working non-stop to degrade the person he considers his candidate's chief opponent in next month's presidential election.

My guy is a southern Christian who is 100% convinced that the Muslim northern Muhammadu Buhari is the answer to every Nigerian problem. "Can't you see that the President is fighting corruption and taking on the looters?", he would ask. Don't even try arguing with him; he will not listen to you. Buhari can do no wrong.

For several months, he has alleged to whoever cares to listen that Atiku Abubakar is a thief who has been banned from entering the United States of America as a result of his thieving. My guy cannot understand how anyone can vote for such a man, a man who cannot enter America!

                                        Courtesy:naijagists.com

When photos of Atiku in America appeared everywhere, my guy unabashedly asked, "what is the big deal in going to America?"  

WHEN WILL AMERICANS SAY TO DONALD J. TRUMP “YOU ARE FIRED!”?

WHEN WILL AMERICANS SAY TO DONALD J. TRUMP "YOU ARE FIRED!"?

I did not think that a man with the obvious character flaws of Donald Trump would ever be elected President of the United States of America. I thought that Americans are too smart to fall into such a hole.  I was wrong.

Let me confess that the election of Donald Trump left me devastated. It made nonsense of everything I thought I knew and I was terribly confused. For weeks, after that crazy Tuesday in November 2016, I refused to watch any TV news channel and weaned my addiction to my once favourite website, politico.com. The idea of seeing Donald Trump addressed as President elect of the United States was too much for me to bear.

I am an event organizer and love big theatre. Which theatre in the world is bigger than the inauguration of the President of the United States of America? Which show has ever attracted a live audience that big? Which big sporting event attracts a worldwide TV viewership that massive? I did not watch the inauguration of Donald Trump as President of the United States. For the first time, I was not interested in big theatre.

                                          Courtesy: Google.com

You are damn right if you say that I was acting like a jilted lover. True, the Americans jilted me. I was going through that kind of pain and emptiness you feel when the one you love deeply suddenly walks out on you. I love America. I am inspired by their ability to manage their diversity and use their coat of many colours to produce the most beautiful garment the world has ever known. I love the boldness of America that screams at you, "nothing is impossible!". I am awed by the intricacy of the New York Subway, the audacity of the Lincoln Tunnel, the sheer dizziness of the Manhattan skyline.  

I have been to Hollywood and marvelled at the depth of thought that conceived the gargantuan Universal Studios and the almost indescribable Disneyland. 

TODAY BELONGS TO TOLU BALOGUN

TODAY BELONGS TO TOLU BALOGUN

I have been asked many-many times why COSON is so resilient and regardless of what is thrown at the organization, it continues to expand, grow and match on.  

There are of course several factors that have made it impossible for those who want to bring COSON down to succeed. Yes, we have learnt from the sad experience of organizations in the creative sector.  One of the key factors in the resilience of COSON is the strength of the bond within the COSON family. That bond is found within the Membership, the Board and Management. 

I am sure those who have tried to crack the bond have been surprised at how tough it is. I remember early in 2018 when there was a concerted ploy to pitch our General Manager against his immediate deputy. Anywhere else, it may have worked because the plotters were devious and had tried to exploit the natural greed of man. Not at COSON. The ploy fell like a pack of cards as the plotters left with eggs in their faces. Not one member of the COSON Management left his position in 2018.

The attempt to decimate our board by publishing bogus financial transactions so as to sow the seeds of discord has been a non-starter. Where trust is lacking, it may have worked. Not at COSON. 

I know that the expectation was that with their constant pot shots and arrows, the membership would dwindle. Anywhere else, that may have been the outcome. Not at COSON. Indeed in 2018, the COSON membership grew by almost 10%!   

Those who think that we run COSON in the typical shabby Nigerian style miss the point. With all humility, we run COSON well which is why all the stones thrown at us promote us.

Rather than weaken the organization, every attack has strengthened the bond within the COSON family. In the COSON family, the pain of one is the pain of all and the celebration of one is the celebration of all.

Today, in the ancient city of Akure, the COSON family will be celebrating with one of our own.

The day he came up to the Board room to tell me that one beautiful babe had finally decoded the password to his heart, I told him to get lost. I scolded him with "where dem born the gal?" That is the kind of banter I engage in with my guy, the COSON Head of New Media, the guy that has made "COSON Naija" one of the most popular platforms on Facebook and got COSON sizzling on Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and everywhere else.

The day he came back to the Board room with a bundle of Aso Ebi, a card and a bottle of wine, it began to dawn on me that what may have begun as a joke is serious.

Today, the joke is on me.  Today, the joke is on all the pretty girls in Lagos who have gone to all kinds of pastors each praying that my guy, one of the most dashing guys in the city, will pop the question. He has indeed popped the question but sorry, not to any of them.

Love, they say conquers all and today in Akure, the COSON family will eat, sing and rock to every dance style as we bear witness to the conquest of love at the ToluTomi wedding which begins at the Emmanuel Anglican Church, Osinle and hots up at St Thomas Church Event Centre.