Adeboye On Sunday June 5, Lagos will again witness another large gathering of entertainers and show business stars happening soon after the March 21 dinner the Entertainment/Arts sector shared with President Goodluck Jonathan.

This star-studded event, that will pool together the brightest and best from across the broad spectrum of Nigeria’s entertainment industry, is not a concert, premiere or glamourous festival. It is a prayer service especially organised for industry practitioners across the country by Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG at the National Headquarters Church (Throne of Grace), on Redemption Way, Ebute-Metta, Lagos. RCCG General Overseer, Pastor Enoch Adeboye will be on hand to render the special prayers. At a press conference in Lagos on Wednesday, June 1 to announce the spiritual event, Pastor Goke Aniyeloye said the special prayer service is being held to put an end to premature deaths in the entertainment industry, especially among artistes.

‘It is also an opportunity to pray for special global breakthrough for the people in the industry’, he said. Prayers to preserve artistes from the cold hands of untimely death could not have come at a better time with the industry yet to recover from the abrupt and regrettable passing of Dagrin, Ayinde Barrister, Alasari, CD John, Chidinma Mbalaso and Ashley Nwosu among others in the past 14 months. Already, popular Nigerian artistes like Sunday Adeniyi Adegeye, aka King Sunny Ade; Evangelist Ebenezer Obey Fabiyi; Jide Kosoko; Ejike Asiegbu; Ini-Edo; Sunny Neji; Tuface Idibia; Peter and Paul of Psquare fame; Dbanj; Yinka Adeyinka; Teju Babyface; Wale Adenuga of Papa Ajasco and co; Mike Bamiloye and host of others.

President of the Actors’ Guild of Nigeria, AGN, Segun Arinze, and President of the Performing Musicians Employers Association of Nigeria, PMAN, Dele Abiodun, are believed to have shown tremendous interest in the special prayer session. Also, vital organs of the entertainment industry like the Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON); Musical Copyright Society of Nigeria (MCSN); Association Of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners (ANTP); Nigeria Guild of Directors; Nigeria Guild of Producers; Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC); Gospel Musicians Association of Nigeria among others, are said to have started mobilising their members toward attending the special prayer session. Friday Flavour spoke with some of the names billed to participate in the prayer service and everyone of them expressed unreserved gratitude to RCCG’s ministers and a readiness to attend the Sunday meeting. ‘It is a very good development. It means that our industry is being appreciated by distinguished people in the country.

For the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church to hold a special session for us means that the people in entertainment are being looked upon to help take the country to the next level. God’s watchful eyes will be upon our industry and we are talents who should be able to live well with what God has deposited in us’, said Segun Arinze, National President of Actors’ Guild of Nigeria, AGN. Also reacting, PMAN President, Admiral Dele Abiodun was full of praises for Pastor Adeboye’s initiative emphasising that divine guidance was very vital to the entertainment industry. ‘We will all be there and I want to say that it is a commendable thing coming from Adeboye. We in the entertainment sector need it because there is nothing like God’s guidance in what we are doing. He is also using the opportunity to tell us to be spiritual and close to God in our job. My wish is that this will become an annual event’, Abiodun said. Come this Sunday, the entertainment industry will kneel in one spirit, putting aside all internal strifes and rancour, to seek the Almighty’s favour and protection.