THE GREATEST DISCOVERY

Born blind Nigerian music star, producer and song writer, the CEO/Head of Production of CAMP (Cobhams Asuquo Music Productions), is currently representing himself, Bez Idakula and Stan Iyke in a world’s arena. He was responsible for Asa’s highly acclaimed international album ASA and has been mentioned on many artistes’ sleeves credits as producer and writer. He’s a producer par excellence. His style comprises of a wide spectrum of genres based on his careful understudying of such classical, jazz and traditional music greats as Tchaikovsky, Dave Grusin and Haruna Isola respectively. Cobhams Emmanuel Asuquo is a born blind.

Cobhams said his music career started when he was a child. As a young boy, he used to organize concert in his neighbourhood, drumming on his mother’s barrels water. All the kinds from the neigbouring block would come and they hang, out and make so much noise. He said he didn’t realize at that time he was preparing himself for what would be his life career and destiny.

According to Asuquo, his musical journey seemed to come to a halt a few years later when he entered university to pursue studies in Law, but he realized that he had to follow his musical passion, leaving legal studies to embark on path that, for a young blind musician in Nigeria was far from easy to tread.

He has likewise produced numerous award-winning songs for Nigerian recording artists such as: Banky W. Wale, Timi Dakolo, Dne Art – Alede Rooftop MCS Faze; Mode, Ego, Shold Allysor, Dynee Maintain. He is also a Judge on Nigeria Project Fame – a television musical talent shows where he helped young singers achieve their dreams. Cobhams said, “It gives him joy when he mentor and inspire fresh talents”. Asuquo is not only interested in helping out fielding music stars, he also sees himself as an ambassador for blind young Nigerians who still face many challenges in their daily life.

In an interview with BBC, he talked about the advantage of being blind, he said “I think it would be meaningless if I can achieve as much as I can achieve and as much as I hope to achieve and I’m not able to offer other blind people”. He emphasizes “It is time to bring to the fore the needs of people with special needs and just how much they can contribute to growing Nigeria as a nation and the world at large”.

He was featured on CNN’s African Voice for his contribution and impact on African Music Industry. In an interview when he was asked: “Do you sometime wish you could regain your sight even for a day? He said Yes, I would love to regain my sight even if it is for one day just to see my wife’s face. That is one of the things that would make her happy”. He has won several awards in the music and film scene in Africa and beyond.

The greatest discovery yet to be made is the discovery of the opportunities that you have in living – the undeveloped, non-actualized potential within you that wait to be discovered like a lost treasure.

I want to remind you of this story of a teacher who asked her students this question, “Where are the richest places in the world?” Some students answered Canada; others said London, Japan, China respectively. A student stood up and said “cemetery”. The teacher shouted; Boy what do you mean! Are you out of your senses?” The boy replied, “No Madam, the reason I said that a graveyard is the richest place in the world is that about 75 to 85 percent of people die with their beautiful and wonderful talents, potentials, gifts and special abilities wasted and they are all buried in the grave”.

I wish to emphasize that the major reason people die with their talents and potentials unutilized is their inability to recognize and acknowledge them. The question is; have you discovered yours? And what have you done about it? In my work, I have studied several men and women whom you would classify as being successful. They are successful because they discovered their talents and made full use of their potentials.

My studies has also shown that richest men in the world leading by Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, Amancio Ortega, Waren Buffett, Mark Zuckerberg, Carlos Slim Helu, Larry Ellison and Michael Bloomberg, who are behind and founders of world class empire and international businesses, first of all discovered themselves, their inner ability before they discovered and found those businesses that made them wealthy and became the richest men in the world.

There is something in you that the whole world needs, find it, develop it and give it a commercial value. Friend, if you discover yourself, it will profit you. You will struggle and sweat needlessly for money, it will give you a “light fly” for success and achievement in affluence influence and fame.