The Xpression with CDO to rock Nigerian campuses

Whether you’re looking for the perfect school party or you’re an old-timer, who likes music festivals and reliving your carefree collegiate days, The Xpression With CDO Campus Tour, is here.

Speaking on how the music festival was birthed, Convener, The Xpression With CDO, John Ikeotuonye, said: “Shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic, God laid it in my heart to build a studio and start a praise party.

“A month before the pandemic, I couldn’t sleep. I obeyed the instruction and created a space in my office for the studio. Everyone was wondering what I wanted to do with a studio. I told them that I didn’t know but God would let us know what to do with it.

“A week after the studio was ready, COVID-19 started and we all stayed at home. God told me that was the reason He wanted me to build the studio, as people would not be able to gather for some time. That’s how we started The Xpression with CDO. We gathered once a month in the studio for a praise party for almost a year. When the pandemic was over, God told me to take The Xpression to unusual places.  Our first outing was to a nightclub.

“This is a platform where God meets certain kinds of people and He has brought some artistes, mostly urban gospel artistes, to the platform. The style is what the world wants to see. This is what young people want to see, and the kind of music they want to listen to. But most importantly, the spirit behind it is the Spirit of Christ.

So, in everything, one thing is sure, we are preaching Christ. We are taking Christ to the people. By taking Christ to young people in different places, we are pulling down strongholds. We’re going to the streets, to the covens.

“We don’t preach, we just go with our music that carries the Spirit of Christ. And that’s what The Xpression is all about.

On the number of artistes, he said: “We have over 40 artistes that have indicated interest. The artistes have been following our events and they are always willing to answer us whenever we call on them. We have new artistes that have identified with us.

“Mike Abdul has been with us right from the beginning. We hope that more artistes will join.

“On our platform, everyone is an A-list artiste. If you’re doing gospel, you are A-list if you’re doing gospel because the master calls you and if the master himself called you, you are A-list.

On the duration of the tour, he said: “By our own measure, we’re looking at two years for the first phase. We have mapped out 52 universities for the first phase. After that, we’ll continue, our intention is to make sure that every university in Nigeria experiences the Xpression with CDO.

Speaking also, coordinator of the music tour, Rita Obi, said: “The Xpression with CDO is taking the gospel through music to youths. We are going to speak in the language they understand while also ministering to them the gospel of our Jesus Christ.

She said: “We are starting from Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) this month (March 2023). For now, our focus is on the western part of Nigeria. From OAU, we will go to Ekiti, then the University of Ibadan (UI), and then Bowen University. From Bowen, we will go to Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) so, we will move to Southsouth after that, then to Southeast, then to the north.

“We are not limiting the number of artistes. We will also like to get new talents when we go to the schools.”

One of the artistes who hadperformed on The Xpression with CDO, Timi Phoenix, said: “My experience on The Xpression with CDO has been extraordinary. From the very first day, I was at the house party, and he shared some of his visions with me. I know it is timely because it meets the present need, the gap that has been there between the church and the youths.

I see people that don’t even want to go to church on a normal day, when they hear sounds that are catchy like the ones we perform on the stage, they are being touched.”