Church events get no respect – and they should. No, really.

Plenty of the organic buzz goes to plenty other concerts as the biggest Nigeria has seen. Centuries ago, it was Rhythm Unplugged. These days its OLIC, or the Mavin Concert, over whatever it is Wizkid is doing at the end of the month that he tags a ‘home-coming’ to a country he actually lives in, and is the only citizenship he has o.

Anyway, The Experience comfortably sits at least 500,000 people EVERY YEAR, without fail, at the Tafawa Balewa Square in Lagos.

Many of us go for the sheer transportation to heaven, linking hands together in rapturous worship, dropping all our cares at the feet of the Audience of One. Bound together in abandon to His control of the universe.

But let’s exist the glory of all of that for a minute, and actually think about the thing as a physical, human activity. 500,000 of some of the world’s greatest performers – CeCe Winans, Donnie McClurkin and others – in an 8-hour non-stop concert, of the highest global standards. That is not beans. Or rice. Or beans and rice with two pomo and 1 shaki. That is HUGE.

And it’s about time someone begins to make that point. And respecting the cast of artistes that altogether pull half a million people, ever single year.

The Experience has spawned off several other incredible platforms – Night of Worship, Night of Mercy, and that thing Yudala did at Federal Palace a few weeks ago. Every new generation mega-church now has an annual major worship experience (well every church except for Covenant and Daystar that want to use the Word to scatter our heads).

And they have in turn spawned a generation of performers that are pushing the envelope and capturing the hearts and minds of churchgoers across, and beyond, the nation.

Put some respeck on that.

Isime Esene