When I add that to the many colours of good wishes I received from hundreds of friends from every part of the globe this week and many who I do not even know, I ask myself what I have done to deserve this out pouring of love. Is this a dream or am I going away soon?
I had started the day reading the unique words written about me and posted on the Internet by my brother and friend, Patrick Doyle who has seen all of me in good and not so good times and then this?
Stella, you missed my pure water and groundnut birthday affair. It was hot. It was a working day, a Tuesday afternoon in Lagos, three days to Christmas. The traffic was like nothing you ever witnessed. From Ajah to Ikeja, everywhere was jammed, absolutely suffocating.
There was no Ebenezer Obey, no Sunny Ade on my birthday. Sunny Neji was not there and Iyanya did not show. I did not even hire one of those cheap deejays with the big black loud speakers that sound so hollow you think the music is coming from a church.
There was no ‘asoebi’, no invitation card, not even a small cake. We did not slaughter any cow, any goat or even a rabbit. No decorator was called to decorate anything. I did not even buy myself a new shirt but I was the happiest man in Nigeria, probably the world.
Forget Iyanya, forget Sunny Neji , the mystical one Majek Fashek dared the traffic and came and so did the likes of KSB, Chris Mba, Azeezat, Princess Ann Inyang and Queen Ure.
Tell me, is every Stella beautiful? You should see Stella D’Lyte the hot and sassy Nigerian singer, on her way to making her own statement in people’s hearts. She was there.
Girl, I was moved when Majek asked everyone to stand up and he began to quote the bible and say such wonderful and thoughtful prayers for me. No amount of money could have bought me such a moment. That was the same Majek who six months ago everyone told me to stay away from because according to them he was finished.
Once again the good Lord has shown that no one is finished with him. I wish you have a chance to see the new Majek on stage. I know no artiste in Nigeria with such stage energy and crowd appeal.
Hello Stella! I must confess that I have always been intrigued by you. Who is not? Everyone can see that you are so beautiful. Your tremendous talent either as an actor or as a singer is not in question. What I know which many probably do not know is that you are brilliant and you have a heart.
Every time I have had the honour of working with you, I have marveled at how organized you are and how focused you can be. Each time I talked, you always brought out your notepad and took notes and went about briskly to execute.
In an industry where too many people talk and too few act, Stella Damasus gets things done without complaining. What really are you thanking me for? Loving you? I should thank you because you make it so easy to love you.
More than most people, you know how long I have been trying to get the copyright thing to work in our country for the good of all. Because of it I have been called all kinds of names, taken to the police, dragged to court back and forth and thoroughly messed up.
Baby girl, would you believe that it is gradually beginning to work? Last week, COSON had a meeting with musicians from all over the country in Lagos. Everyone was free to ask every question. Nothing was kept under the table. At the end of the day, we took a decision to distribute N140 Million! Instantly, musicians began to get alert from their banks.
In the hard time that Nigerians are facing, there are thousands of musicians across our country that will buy rice and eat chicken this Christmas simply because we refused to be deterred by the never ending insults and name calling.
A lot of the musicians call me on the phone and pray for me and my colleagues that have worked relentlessly so that this can happen. They have not seen anything yet! Why should I not be exceedingly happy?
Of course there are people who think that I am stupid to let go of such money when I do not have a big house anywhere. They do not understand.
As I verily experienced this week, it is not how much money you spend that makes your birthday rock.
It is not what you eat that makes you happy. It is the spirit with which you eat it. What if I pocket all that money and God pockets me?
As we go into the New Year, I pray to the Almighty to give me the means to pay my bills and take care of my family and friends.
It will be nice to build a beautiful house in 2016 but I believe that it will be nicer if I can put a smile on the faces of more people in the new year, lighten the burden of a lot more, lift the spirit of a great more people and love a lot more people no matter where they come from or how they worship their God and make my nation a better place to live in.
Hello Stella, when you think of it, that is the spirit we share, the bond that has held us together.
I thank you for not forgetting me. I pray for you and the kids. I know that you will not let me down. Please help me pray for the many who read this column every week, the many who give me a helping hand in the work that I do and please pray for our President and those working with him to make our country better.
I don’t care what anybody says, I will always love you Stella.
