Sound of Fuji music, jokes at Catholic Praise Concert

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Catholic-Praise-2---Ss-Lucy-with-her-fellow-Rev-Sisters

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Catholic-Praise-3---Tessy-Aniesi

Contrary to expectations, this year’s edition of the Catholic Praise Concert (CPC), third in the series was a huge success. The one-day gospel music concert brings together Christians from all denominations to offer praise offering to God.

The holy gig featured performances from some known gospel music talents, who led the audience in praise, worship, dance and special highlight performances. The show has become an opportunity for Christians, particularly Catholic faithful to gather, putting aside all ungodly differences and lift their voices in worship to God.

There was pessimism before the show; this is due to its shift from daylight to all night, which according to feelers from the audience would discourage people from attending, as many cited the recent security challenges in Lagos as premise.

Artistes on parade on the night include 13-year-old David Aduragbemi from 2013 Nigeria’s Got Talent (NGT), Kenny Kore, Joe Praize, Rev. Fr. Tony-Maria Boluwaji, Rev. Fr. Lawrence Adelana, who is also known as ‘Fada Fuji’; Rev. Ss Lucy, Tessy Aniesi, Psalmos, Kellar Thrillz and Daniel Azuka popularly known as A-Strings, a Nigerian violinist based in Turkey.

Others are Great CYON led by Grace Bernard, Harmonic Syndrome, Chikamji, Hillary George, SOTM Crew, Clenz, Nonso, Jesus Baby, St. Leo Charismatic Band, Victor and his group, Emmanuel and his group from St. Leo Catholic Church.

Choirs that graced the event include St. Augustine Choir and St. Charles Lwanga Choir both of St. Leo Catholic Church, and St. Cecilia Choir of St. Thomas More Catholic Church, UNILAG, while comedians Judicious, MC Ukwa and Paloma rib-cracked the audience as they kept asking for more of their jokes.

Expressing his excitement at the success of the show, one of the artistes, Fada Fuji, said he had been looking up to the show, adding that CPC is squaring up to House on The Rock’s ‘Experience’, which attracts gospel musicians from across the world.

“I am very excited; it is as if someone has given me trillions of dollars. It has been my dream to see things happen this way in the Catholic Church. It is close to ‘Experience’ organised by Adefarasin,” he said.

Known and loved for introducing fuji, which used to be a street music into the church, Fada Fuji wowed the audience with his performance as everybody wriggled and wiggled their waist in gyration to the rhythmic tune of the fuji.

Rev. Ss Lucy displayed expertise with the saxophone while performing Nathaniel Bassey’s Imeela, just as Kellar Thrillz thrilled the audience with raw energy as his dancers displayed acrobatic dancing skills, especially when he performed the song Egwu eji.

The show was wrapped up with the holy Eucharist, the church’s highest form of worship, amid intercessory prayers. While administering the mass, which came in the wee hours of the night, the officiating priest, Rev. Fr. Joseph Anyanwu, stressed the importance of listening to God.

“It is important that we pay heed to the word of God and act upon it. Only then can we love God and answer the children of God. Listening to God makes us children of faith and people of God,” he said.

The first edition of the concert was held at Freedom Park in 2014, and the second edition at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) in 2015.