‘Unusual Praise 2023’ Anticipates 50,000 Attendees 

Vanessa Obioha

The 2023 edition of ‘Unusual Praise’, a Catholic Church-organised impactful, soul-stirring music and prayer extravaganza, anticipates a worshippers’ congregation of over 50,000, converging at the Tafawa Balewa Square, Onikan, Lagos, on December 15.

The chairman of the Planning Committee Okey Nwuke, who revealed that around30,000 people graced the 2022 edition of the event, stated this.
During a chat with THISDAY, Nwuke revealed that requests have poured in to extend the event to other cities nationwide.

According to Nwuke, “We’re getting requests for that. But again, it is something that we have to process. There is a whole lot of work to organising these live events. People are calling us to come to Abuja, Benin; people have even called from the U.K.
“They however need to form a support group; we require support structures and once they are able to form a support structure, we know they can run the programme. Then we can now deploy our technical support. So it goes beyond just requesting.”

Over the years, ‘Unusual Praise’ has transcended its role as a platform solely dedicated to praising and worshipping the God.
It has evolved into a transformative space where entrepreneurs receive seed funding for their ventures through the Unusual Entrepreneur initiative.
Nwuke further stated that this year, approximately 100 entrepreneurs will receive seed funding ranging from N300,000 to N1.5 million. Already, 25 entrepreneurs have been selected from Onitsha, with an additional 75 to be chosen from Lagos.

His words: “The idea is not just about money but about mentoring. Our desire is that over time if we only have 10 people that benefited, based on the success of their business, they will give back and help other people to come in.”
Additionally, the event seeks to give up-and-coming gospel artists a platform to shine on. These artists will join established gospel music ministers like Sinach, Nathaniel Bassey, Tope Alabi, Ada Jesus, Beejay Sax, and a host of others.

“Unusual Praise is you going out of your way to praise God so that he can bless you all over again,” enthused Alabi who is already geared to lead worshippers into an encounter with the Supreme One.

Reflecting on the success of the event so far, Nwuke said: “The growth of ‘Unusual Praise’ is akin to the proverbial mustard seed. It started with just 150 people from a group called the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. It grew from an internal gathering to a parish event and is now an event that has the support of the Bishop. That’s a major milestone,” he said.

Nwuke also highlighted that 100 buses will be on hand to transport attendees from various locations to the venue. ‘Unusual Praise’ is an inclusive event, accessible to all, and will be broadcast live on ARISE News and dedicated channels on DStv and GOtv, as well as across all its social media platforms.