By Agatha Emeadi
At a tender age, Cosmas Maduka, chairman of Coscharis Group, caught the vision fast, dreamt big and embraced Christ at the same time. As he is driven to heights through determination, Maduka has built his billionaire conglomerate today known as Coscharis Group.
In this exclusive interview, Maduka went down memory lane to narrate his expository life’s hard challenge and the smiles that came years late.
He also talked about his passion for preaching, interacting with the youths and his son’s #EndSARS encounter.
He, therefore, asked Nigerians to be patient with the present economic and insecurity challenges, saying that he sees a spiritual big light at the end of the tunnel. “Nigeria is passing through its winter, but after that, there will be a sigh of relief.” he said.
Apart from the amazing special grace of God upon you, what were your personal commitment and rare attributes as a teenager that spurred you into greatness today; are those traits found in the present day generation?
My belief is that God orchestrates our lives, sometimes, it looks strange to us and some of the things we may not fully comprehend. My story as I often tell is way out of this world, which sounds absolutely incredible, one can think it is a fiction that does not look real. The word incredible in my case looks impossible, but it is true. It is compelling anywhere in the world and a movie could be made out of it, which would sell anywhere. My watch-word especially to the young ones are to have an open mind. The question for the young ones is how can I start? If Cosmas Maduka could make it in life, seeing where he is today, it is a hopeless situation for us now. Well, the fact remains that a man or woman who has a clear vision of where he wants to be in life, nothing intimidates the person. One can find his or her way in the midst of crowded situation where it looks impossible to survive from. I will take you through a journey when I was four years old.
“That fateful day for me is a day I will never forget. It was like a festival and a lot of masquerades were coming to our house. If one literarily pictures the situation for a four-year-old boy, how big it was for him at that time. It was like the best day of my life. One very particular thing was that I ate rice eight times that day. Those were the days when someone fakes sickness to eat rice or on Christmas days. On the said day, people were so kind to me, masquerades were coming and people were shooting guns. I picked the shell of double-barrels, perceived its nice aroma and gathered them as well. One thing struck me; my mother was not happy but every other person was happy in my own opinion. I saw her barricaded in one corner of the wall with scattered hair while crying helplessly. I was wondering what was wrong with this woman in the midst of plenty and merriment. I did not know what was happening at age four until I saw my father’s lifeless body laid down on a black suit with a bow tie. It was then it dawned on me that my father was dead and that was his funeral. So, I lost my father 44, at the tender age of four and did not have a father-figure, but I had a strong mother. For who my mother was, I have very deep respect for mothers who understand responsibilities. I am a product of a woman. My mother looked straight into my eyes before I turned five and said, Cosmas you would go places in life. She encouraged me to believe in God and myself. I am the second son, child, in my family. With what my mother said to me, I grew up with optimism and belief that doors never close before me. I challenge women to bless their children no matter the disappointment they see because words are powerful. Do not raise any abuse on your children. I also read in the Bible that God never asked his children to do anything, but He rather blessed them and gave them instructions, and that was exactly what my mother did. So, I grew up with that confidence and started taking responsibilities very early in life. Well, it might be of interest to know that life gave me no opportunity. It was hard and that is why people who avoid hardship in the early stage of their lives usually pay for it later in life; but when one does what is hard at the early stage of his life, the same fellow will enjoy at the later part of his or her life. Before I turned six, I would go grind beans very early in the morning for my mother to fry bean cake (akara) which she will also put in a round tray-pans for my senior brother and I to sell. I would sell two pans faster than my brother. My mother insisted to know the secret of my fast-selling. Not knowing it was simple; I told her “I would meet an elderly woman and say, buy akara from me; she might say no, I do not need akara, and I would hold her cloth. She would ask, is it by force, I would tell her that my mother says no one should say no to me. She would laugh and buy from me. Therefore, I grew up with that optimism, that no one says no to me. When people tell me that doors close, I would tell them not to worry, when I get there, the door will open and it works like magic. This is why by the time I became a Christian at the age of 14, the Bible brought a new life in me and gave me a horizon that nothing would have given me. I understood that there are inherent laws in the word of God; I also understood the power of attractions that whatever a man thinketh in his heart and that our thought processes are a creative energy. The things we think about, 99.9 per cent of them happen. Things we say either to ourselves or others is also a self-prophecy. So, our thought is so loud and very active, it is an energy that people cannot imagine about, that is why the things we think about are the things we see in our dreams, and attract in our various lives. I learnt a lot of principles especially in speaking negative words, I do not give energy to wrong things even when people say wrong things about me; I do not repeat it to myself, so I do not give power and energy to the wrong thing. Many a time, people say wrong things about me, but by my response, they wonder if I heard them or not. They would be rather confused thinking their word has disappeared. I simple neutralize and kill it by not dwelling on them. This understanding made me to live without television and it looked very weird. The reason was because 90 per cent of news thrive on negative things and project wrong happenings instead of good positive things. I studied all these which are inherent in the word of God, and they also revolutionized my life. People look at me and think that I am extra-ordinary, but I did not have the opportunity to go to school because of the death of my father, but my uncle who happens to be my mother’s younger brother took me to Lagos since I was sent to live with my grandparents at age seven.
My Lagos experience
I was my uncle’s apprentice here in Lagos. The same uncle worked with Bhjoson’s and lived with his wife and child in a mini-flat. My uncle’s box was in their room where he picks clothes to change in the bathroom. He sleeps at the corridor, while I slept in a lock-up shop in Oyingbo, Ebutte-Metta. There was no window, no air-conditioner, no bathroom and toilet. Initially, I was too small, my uncle used to lock me up in the shop when he is going and comes to open up for me in the morning. I did my stuff there and took care of it in the morning when the door opens. I lived a life that one does not need to tell it, but it helped me to develop unprecedented discipline in my life and I was determined to succeed. When I turned nine, my uncle trusted me to lock myself and open the door. Chisco Transport owner lived the same kind of life. We all slept in Ebutte-Metta in a shop to wake up by 5:00a.m in the morning, shower on the street and dress up before daybreak. All that did not disturb me, but I developed by the grace of God, in my private practice and effort to grow and learn through experience, observations, information and knowledge. The most important thing for me is wisdom which can translate the comprehension into action. Henry Ford said that an educated man or woman is someone who can organize his taught into productivity. I have seen intellectual failures in certain behaviour. I have encountered doctors in Japan, China and Korea who do not speak English at all. They speak their own language and developed it to fruition. I am not supporting illiteracy, but education is not the beginning or end to life. By the age of 14, I have met Jesus Christ and worked so hard to open branches for my master in Jos, Sokoto, Lagos and Nnewi. It was at Nnewi that I kept contact with Jesus Christ in His risen power and made a commitment with the Lord which revolutionized my life. I had a clear vision, lived a narrow life, chose who to walk with and has determined what I will do when I am at certain stages of my life. I said to myself and wrote it on the wall as thus; “Before I turned 15, I had noted what I will do at age 21, 23, and 25. Based on my new contact with the Lord, I did not want to go into any relationship with any girl. I wanted to live a clean and decent life and have a child at 21, so that when I am 40, one would think my children and I are colleagues. I wrote about owning a car before my 23rd birthday and became a millionaire by 25. And true to these words, by my 20th birthday on December 3rd, 1978, we wedded in September of that year. By my 22nd birthday, I have led a fairly good successful life and made my first worthy million before my 25th birthday, followed by the birth of my son at 26. Interestingly, I was still at Nnewi working for my uncle when he discovered that I locked the shop for three days because of our church activities, since our business was more of a religion especially coming from Nnewi, my uncle could not understand how his shop would be locked for three days, it was almost considered a taboo. When I eventually appeared to see him with my senior brother, my uncle asked where I have been, I told him we had a camp meeting and was fasting. It did not end well as he me gave N200, which was my settlement for all the years of my apprenticeship in 1976. But I was glad because I am at liberty to run my own stuff. Usually in an apprenticeship system where we were trained, I am supposed to have gotten half a shop, goods and cash to start my own considering that fact that I built his business with him from the scratch. I looked at my uncle eyeball to eyeball and told him that if God had hardened your heart to give me N200, five years from today; you would hear about me and shake. That statement rattled him and he said, I am sure you will succeed. I thanked him and left.
In fairness to him, he indeed has trained me and I considered it informal education of a sort. During apprenticeship, we learnt book-keeping, accountancy, research, inventory management because these simple economics were our working tools that propelled our business progress.
Forming of Coscharis industry giant?
My brother and I started immediately and registered a company called Maduka Brothers and we parted ways in a short time. I married my wife under 20, his uncle actually shot me three times and created a big scene in Nnewi because he was looking at my low class then while they belonged to the middle class. But alas; my wife saw future and believed in me and we got married. I worked hard to form other partnerships that also failed, and in 1980, I formed Coscharis coined from my name and that of my wife, Charity. It was a partnership that was formed in love. My wife was my first worthy employee. I would go to Japan to restock while she is selling in the shop. My second employee was her senior sister; before I started taking boys for apprenticeship and hired staff. The apprenticeship system that created me was a good one; but it is faulty and not sustainable. I have also wanted to be innovative, challenge status quo and find a better way to do things. In a situation where a man settles his boy, the boy rises above his master through dubious and obtain by tricks in a couple of months was not my idea of apprenticeship at all. I needed to change the system, make a big cake where everybody can take a bite. As my first set of apprentices were going, I started hiring staff. Because I do not have complex which is part of what destroy people; I accepted my limitations and brought doggedness to the table which was why I went for the experts who have gone to school to help me widen my horizon and knowledge. They didn’t have the vision I had, but I brought stream and made river out of it. As I shared my vision, they ran the race and that is the story of Coscharis. Presently, we have over 2,400 staff strengths. We attract high scale staff. Okey Nwuke, Josiah Samuel, Godwin Umeaka and Fred Amobi are seasoned directors piloting the organization for the best.
Today, our presence operates in Ghana for over 20 years, Gabon, Ivory Coast and Aba etc. We are into medicals, ICT, beverages, mobility services, car leasing and rentals. We have created a diversified institution, and play an important role in the economy. This is a bit of the institution we have built by His grace.
Insecurity has eaten deep into the society, economy and different businesses, did it affect your chain of industries?
Yes, insecurity which is a big factor in the country today did hit my business and this is why it is important to expand one’s business instead of putting all the eggs in one basket. Certain industries were much more affected than others. Since 2015 when the economy plunged, our automobile business was badly affected; if that was the only business we had, probably, we would have closed up. Every projection was off the record of what it should be. From close to 200-300 unit-car sells in 2016 – 17 by records, new cars that came into Nigeria was less than 7,000. Ghana had 14,000 while Nigeria had less than 7,000. Elizade that used to sell 47,000 pieces of Toyota products were among the people that shared the 7,000. The good news is our diversity into pharmaceuticals. Almost all car users are Coscharis customer regardless of the brand of the car. The more cars break on the road, it is to Coscharis advantage since we sell other components that do not segregate. If one drives a car, either Coscharis plug, break-fluid, engine oil or battery are all used by car owners.
Business challenge
Our new car business dropped and people are bringing used car, but those cars cannot be fixed without sending money to Coscharis through masking tape and paints. Coscharis represents the best two paint industries in the world. There are different businesses that we are into. The more cars move and break down on the road, the more business they create for us. We manage over 3,000-4,000 containers of components. We keep cars on the road, and many car dealers do not carry the inventory we carry. They sell cars, we sell the parts. We are also into Information Technology, Coscharis Technology and all these have a subsidiary of their own. We are also into car rental, Coscharis Mobility. We hold a franchise to lease cars to construction companies and blue-chip industries which help us in our automobile business. We have a maintenance place that maintains them. Then, we got involve in Agro-integrated value like rice system where we plant, harvest and mill, then sell in land that is close to 3,000 hectares in Anambra State. We acquired the property over 30 years ago and started developing it since year 2015. The farm is better toured with an helicopter and that excites me. That is where I plan to retire in the next seven years ago.
How I plan to retire
When I am 70, I want to stay 35-45 minutes’ drive from my house to the farm. It will afford me to be close to nature and sandwitched in between two rivers, Anambra and Iju rivers. In the farm also are about five natural lakes, do some fishing there, work goes on and avoid this complete world. Two of my boys who finished their MBA would join us in the companies. My last child would join his brothers much later in the company. All my children got their First Degrees in Nigeria before moving abroad for their Masters and that is my policy. I want them to know that they are Nigerians first so they will be able to come back after their studies.
What solution can you proffer to the insecurity ravaging the country?
The solution is for the leadership to take care of security and that is the number one duty of the president. Nigeria is going through the winter period of her time; I urge Nigerians not to lose hope, keep faith alive and understand we are passing through a phase managed by season. After winter, the best weather takes over. We will come out of this winter; it will not last forever. In the next two years, something will definitely happen. If you do not find reason to commit suicide, that is why God places season to manage time. We have to understand that winter is not an end to life, while summer is also not an end to life, one does not throw his or her winter cloth away. Life operates in season and that is what I try to encourage Nigerians to know. There is insecurity and it has never been this bad as we all can testify. This is a very exceptional winter, never have we had nepotism the way it is under this administration. Things that nobody would ever believe that Nigerians will get to this situation. Things have deteriorated so that if one is not optimistic, the fellow would lose hope and where there is no hope, people take their lives; we are almost getting to that point. All I tell the leadership is not to take people for granted; whether they like it or not, nothing is new under the sun. Several years ago, the leadership were so detached in French country where things were so bad and people told the leaders that there was no bread; leaders said, why not give them cake? Their understanding that people have no bread was that they could choose between cake and bread. Until there was a revolution and the leaders asked, which side do we follow? Whether we like it or not, this condition will not continue. If it continues the next five years, people will be determined, not willing to live anymore and change the leadership. They will try to kill and how many would they kill?
The young generation would say, Coscharis made it when life was fair, but with the present situation, how would one make it?
Let all know that the young generation do not think like us, we tasted a bit of the iceberg during the #EndSARS. Lagos State alone was like a war zone within the two days. It was more of a civil war fought in two days. If the leaders think they have got it figured out, it will get to a level that everyone who has been in politics in the country will be running for his life. The elite need to talk and begin to sit up. But I also try to encourage young people to be patient enough, two more years at most, there is nothing in my opinion that could be worse than what we have seen since I was born. We have never seen it this bad, all the same, I will not throw in the towel. We need to keep our head above the water so it does not get into our mouth, we will allow this season to pass.
My son’s involvement with #EndSARS
My son was part of EndSARS boys and I was not too happy with him because he was security risk for us. I warned that if he ever does a thing like that, I would remove him from the board of Coscharis. He asked me, “Have I encountered #EndSARS police? That we left them no hope, where do I think their children would be”. When people of my children generation joined #EndSARS, it would give you a sign how bad things are and that was a signal that they all spoke with one voice. That is why I warned that the leaders should not take these generation for granted whether they like it or not.
As a businessman, how do you foresee future with the present economy?
I believe so much and optimistic in this economy. For those who understand the power of number, there is no better place to be than in Nigeria even with the present challenges. Go and look at China and India, we have the demography that the world is looking for. The world bank has predicted that by 2050, there will be about 500 million people, the third largest population in the world; out of this 500m people with a life expectancy; this demography has youths that are between the ages of 12-40 which is the dominant number; 16 million active people who would give birth to children. This is why the whole world want to come to Nigeria. Our only problem is the leadership. The people who understand the power of number are saying that the best economic revolution that would happen in the world would come to Nigeria. The earlier one comes to take a position, the better and that is why I went into food, this 500 million people will need to eat food. I spent $3 billion, this is goldmine. Nigerians are running away while Chinese are coming into the country. People who understand this game, who saw something are coming while Nigerians are running away. It is just to be patient and navigate one’s way momentarily. Europe has peaked, there will not be anything revolutionary there, this is where it will happen. After China, Nigeria will be the next world economic revolution, leadership is the only challenge in Nigeria. We were almost close to it under former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s regime. It was gotten right because our stock market was doing well, economy was growing on the average of 6.5 per cent on a yearly consistency. We saw middle class again that is the edge of the economy, before things nose-dived. Consumer financing, banking and investments, that moved the economy; we only need a good leader to drive it and things will pick up. If Buhari had accepted defeat, it would have been a different ballgame. The darkest moment of the day is between 4:00a.m and 5:00a.m and that is where Nigerians are now. All I ask is for all to be patient, it cannot be darker than what it is now; light is coming.
With this level of hunger, hardship, insecurity, unemployment, poor living condition etc, as a Christian, do you think God has forgotten us?
God has not changed. The system of Nigeria cannot be worse than what we are seeing today. Have you forgotten the two Hebrew women who valued their male child and agreed to eat them simultaneously out of hunger, but in that situation, a prophet prophesied that by the same time the next day, there would be abundant food in the land? It is like saying to Nigerians today that a bag of rice would be sold for N2,000 by the next day. God has not changed. We have committed sin in this country as a nation, shed innocent blood, but God is purging us. All Christians have to do is to continue to confess our sins 2 Chronicle 7:13, If my people that I call by their name will humble themselves and pray, I will not only forgive their sin, but will heal their land. Dan: 9:5, Daniel prayed, Oh God, we have sinned, forgive us because we have forgotten your precept and went in the other way. This was two years before the 70th year of their captivity was over. And God took them back out of captivity. When Nigerians complain, I do not complain, not because I am comfortable, but because I believe that the current leadership might be a tool in the hand of God for this country to part ways without shooting gun because never has the minority, West and East, speak with one voice, everyone is saying restructure. Restructure might take place without anyone shooting a gun, it might come in a very peaceful manner. God told Hezekiah, listen to my servant Babylonian idol worshipper ‘Nebuchadnezzar. Buhari might be a tool in the hand of God. It is not uncommon that a president would lock his ears. He does not listen, would never react, would never bring hope of the people that voted him into power alive. No address, no apologies, no reassurance, just nothing. The more Nigerians languish in poverty and talk about nepotism, the more he does the opposite or employ his relatives the more. That people are talking from Kaduna, Plateau, Bauchi, Benue with one voice is a strong signal. People should be patient; I see something completely different from the spiritual point of view.
The Southeast, especially Imo State is burning seriously, what do you think should be done?
The same thing we are discussing here. It is as a result of bad leadership. When cancer affects a part of the body, it sure spreads on the entire body. It is a growth that has no life of itself. It grows inside the body and when the body dies, the cancer itself dies accordingly. Bad leadership is cancerous. That is what is happening in the South, East and West. There is nowhere that there is peace in this country. People should be patient and pray because I see something happening in the next one year that will solve this problem in a mysterious way. One man told Idi Amin, you can kill me, but cannot kill the faith of Ugandan people. The same thing to Hitler, you can never institutionalize injustice. It has a beginning and will have an end. The only thing that is eternal is love, it has no beginning and no end. Hatred has a beginning and an end. People should still be patient.
Do you still preach as insecurity heightens coupled with COVID-19 pandemic?
Yes, I still do both in the church and ordinary places. I preached yesterday night and will do so again today at a radio station. When I return here, I will go for my street evangelism and speaking engagement at Ogba and will continue tomorrow in Anambra State. But while evangelizing, I am passionate about talking to young people. Statistics prove that 86 per cent of successful people happen to be between the ages of 12-25 years. This is the age of opening mind, reading, listening to inspiring stories, dreaming, modeling lives and taking up responsibilities. The difference between a bush and garden is the order that is in it. If you don’t plant anything in your garden, weed will grow on it. If you plant roses, beautiful fruits, it will help to kill the weeds and the fruits will grow. If you don’t plant anything, nothing grows there. I didn’t go to school, but learnt through listening to inspirational tapes, I am still planting to protect my mind from getting it corrupted; what I put is what comes out of it.