The setting was the Kingdom Men Summit, which took place at the Presken Hotel in Ikeja, Lagos. The time was about 11 am on Saturday, May 10. The guest speaker that quiet morning was Dr. Cosmas Maduka, the celebrated Nigerian Christian whose testimony of grass to grace echoes with compelling convictions.
He is the founder, president, and chairman of the Coscharis Group. As of 2015, his business was estimated to be worth $500 million
His delivery at the Kmen Summit was both natural and passionate. He spoke from his heart, delivering his lines with an urgency that desired to make all his listeners entrepreneurs with Bibles in their hands.
He started with a suit and a tie to match, but by the time he was through with his 40-minute lecture, he had released the tie from his neck, and the suit was off his body. This is to show the zeal he put into his lecture.
Maduka did not present himself as your typical Nigerian billionaire with protocols and an array of security men around him. He had no airs and was comfortable in his world.
The words came off his lips effortlessly, from the well of his experience with Jesus since he became a Christian in 1976.
For Maduka, how the millions came is secondary. What is important is the question of eternity and the need for people to know God and live a life of integrity.
A Christian who became a billionaire
He was quick to tell his listeners he was not a billionaire who met Jesus, but a Christian who became a billionaire.
His perspective and orientation are indeed avant-garde and perhaps not things you get in the four walls of a school.
He had been taught of the Lord, and those lessons were what he shared with the kingdom men that Saturday morning.
At age 4, Maduka had become fatherless. So, going to school was not a reality. He confessed that he did not go beyond Elementary 3.
But his mother turned out to be his guidance angel. ‘My mother told me to believe in myself and put my faith in God, and that all things would become possible.
‘That was what fired me on in life. I believed her and took her words to heart. What has kept me going in life is the scripture that with God, all things are possible.’
Living example
The 67-year-old Nnewi, Anambra State-born billionaire said he had come to realise that ‘It is not what you are that holds you back. It is what you think you’re not. I am a living example that all things are possible. I am not speaking from my intellect or what I read in books, but what I have tested and what has been proven.
While agreeing that times are tough, he said, ‘We are living in a time where people’s hopes are being shattered. But I want to announce to you that your first major victory in life is that you were born. Millions of sperm competed to fertilise the ovaries in your mother. That you were born in the first place is a victory.’
He observed that things are getting worse because the government is bereft of ideas. ‘Our government tries to make a speech, but they end up saying nothing. No one knows what to do. Our leaders are currently bankrupt of ideas. But there is hope.’ He said..
Started with N200
He recalled how he started his business with just N200 given to him by his master after he completed his training as an entrepreneur in 1976. Then that money was equal to 400 USD..
It was from that little beginning that he has been able to grow his business to a conglomerate, so to speak. He has spread his business tentacles from Nigeria to Ghana, Sierra Leone, Japan and a host of other countries.
But the defining moment began when, as an apprentice in Ebute Meta, Lagos, a Christian came to buy a product from him. He asked the customer what he should write on the receipt.
He had been used to inflating the cost on receipts for customers. He felt this man was just another kind of such customer since the product was being bought for his organisation.
But the man was not what he thought. He fired back. Just write the exact amount of the product on the receipt. And he went on to lecture him on why it is wrong to inflate figures on receipt.
‘It was the action of the man that brought me to Christ. I was moved that a man could have such a level of integrity. I followed the man later to start attending Bible study at Deeper Life, where I surrendered to Christ. That was when they were using the same venue along with the Redeemed Christian Church of God in Ebute Metta.
Since that faithful day, Maduka has not looked back; he has not regretted his decision either and has continued to follow after the Lord, learning at his feet daily.
Lessons
The lessons he learnt from the Lord have produced fruit in his life. Many want to glean from his wealth of knowledge.
Today, Maduka is a living example of trust and integrity. He is bold about it, and he minces no words talking about how he cherishes right living.
For him, there is no future for anybody who does not like playing by the rules. And truly, as he delivers his lecture, he was touching on critical issues of life sufficient to make one have a rethink and toe the right path
He says, ‘Laws make life predictable. Laws are principles that are inherent in the word of God. A seed can only germinate if it is planted. No matter the prayer you pray, if a seed is not sown, it will not germinate. It has to follow the laws of sowing and reaping.’
Why people fail
Maduka noted that many are first-class academics but are not first in life because they fail to follow the principles of life.
According to him, the first place to start for the believer is to live by kingdom values. ‘You can’t live by kingdom principles and not impact your world.
He also believes the problem with many is a lack of vision. ‘ You must have the capacity to see beyond what you are looking at. If you’re not seeing beyond what is visible to others, you can’t make the desired impact in life. But beyond having a vision, you must believe in your vision.’ He said.
Citing the example of Joseph in the Bible, he said, ‘The evidence that you believe in your vision is in saying it. Joseph had a vision, and he was bold about it. By saying it, you show that you believe it. You must be willing to be misunderstood. Vision speaks differently.’
Maduka stated further that anybody willing to succeed in life must also have the courage to act on their vision. ‘Fear is necessary for courage to thrive. If nothing is frightening you, you won’t know the level of your courage.
‘You have to take action, without which you are going nowhere. You must be willing to be laughed at. The worst thing that can happen to you is to delay action.’
Millions don’t respond to amen
Maduka stressed, ‘Millions don’t respond to amen. There are actions you need to take. Nobody has it all. God gave us five senses so we can function well. But if one of the senses is impaired, the other senses become sharper.
He explained further that ‘a man’s belief will create his values, his values will produce morals, his morals will produce ethics, while his ethics will produce his character. It is the character of a man that will eventually control his life. Success is predictable, so is failure.’
The billionaire counsels that people should focus on one thing, contrary to advice in some circles that people should pursue many streams of income. ‘Focus on one thing and be creative about it,’ he declared, adding, ‘entrepreneurship is where you’re given the ingredients of business.’
When asked if he had reason to compromise his Christian faith since he started business, he said, ‘I am a Christian who became rich, not a rich man who became Christian. I am a Christian whom God can trust with money. I have lost businesses on account of my values. God is my king. His will is my command.’
Definition of money
But the most riveting part of his presentation is his definition of money. Maduka believes the least definition of money is cash, while explaining that the number one element of money is credibility.
While noting that money is exchanged for value, he said, ‘the first thing to note about money is that it responds to credibility, which is a consistent way of living and doing things. ‘
Another factor that attracts money is a credible relationship. ‘In that case, you don’t have money, but somebody credible gives you access to his wealth. If a rich man gives you one-off cash, he has cheated you. What you need from a rich man is access. That is why you need to treasure the access a rich man gives you.’
He cited the example of how he gave a young man access, and he did not misuse it, unlike some other young men around.
Maduka also stated that integrity is very important in the business of making money. Integrity is doing the right thing even when nobody is watching you.’
The person who truly desires to be rich in a godly way must also have strong character. According to Maduka, “when people know you as a person of solid character, it will be easy for them to trust you with money.’
He stated that a person must also have competence in the chosen field of play in addition to having solid character.
While emphasising that the least thing about money is cash, he said, ‘anybody that does not have a credible relationship, character, integrity and is not competent and still has money, that person is a thief.’
On that note, Maduka brought his delivery to a close. Participants wanted more, but time was not a friend. The lessons were, however, deep and impactful. The Chief Steward of the Kingdom Men Network, Rev. Remi Akano, was grateful for the honour and the time Maduka spent at the forum. Indeed, the 2025 summit of the Kmen will for a long time be a reference point.
1 comment
Revelation from a man who walks the talk. He does not hide his Christianity rather, he is a sure apostle of Christ in the Market place.