‘We Worship’ Holds Echoes Of Praise Midyear Concert In Kaduna

By Frederick Peters, KADUNA

NEWSDAILYNIGERIA: The ‘We Worship’ Gospel Music Concert recently held its Midyear Concert and Auditions in Kaduna, featuring several seasoned and emerging artists performing to the glory of God.

The event, which took place on Friday, 31st July, 2026 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Cathedral, Kaduna, was tagged ‘Echoes of Praise.’ It attracted prominent figures in the gospel music scene from within the Archdiocese, Kaduna, and beyond.

The Convener and Administrator of St. Joseph’s Catholic Cathedral, Reverend Father Isaac Patrick Musa, shared the inspiration behind the ‘We Worship’ initiative, which—by God’s grace—will mark its sixth year in December 2026.
“What actually inspired this concert is the desire to unite our youth. The youth need a meaningful way of expressing themselves and discovering who they are, they can make a productive use of their youthful time,” Fr. Isaac said.

“My aim here is to engage them through songs of praise, worship, and adoration unto God. By that, we can draw them to worship God and teach them to stay close to the house of God. Most of our youth prefer clubs, drinking spots, and social activities where they don’t engage in holy things. Bringing ‘We Worship’ is a way to keep them close to God. The time set aside for them to praise, honor, and adore Him is best way to please Him.”

Expressing his satisfaction with the event’s outcome, he added:
“I am very, very happy because almost everyone we invited attended live, participated, and engaged deeply. Seeing the entire congregation moved into the realm of worship inspires me and gives me confidence that what we organize is not a waste of time or resources, but a powerful opportunity for evangelization.”

Looking ahead to the grand finale scheduled for December 11, 2026, Fr. Musa explained the purpose of the midyear gathering, “this midyear concert gives us an avenue to audition those who desire to participate in the main event, which features a much bigger stage. This mini-concert allows us to listen to them and evaluate their stage management before they perform in front of a larger crowd. We brought in those who are professionals in the industry to observe and provide their remarks in order to guide our selections. We thank God for everyone who had the privilege to participate.”

Speaking on the future of the initiative beyond the Archdiocese, Fr. Isaac outlined an ambitious vision:
“The intention of ‘We Worship’ is to evangelize globally. We started as a small gathering inside a parlor, moved to space inside the church, and eventually outgrew it due to the rising number of participants. We had to move outdoors, and even parish compounds became too small, leading us to use the Papal Altar because of its capacity.

“Sensitization for this mini-concert was intentionally minimal to keep attendance manageable. However, our ultimate goal is to expand from Kaduna across the North, move nationwide, and reach the world through conventional and social media.”

Echoing these sentiments, the Parish Pastoral Council (PPC) Chairman of St. Joseph’s Cathedral, Brother Ferdinand Nwajiaka, highlighted the growth of the initiative anchored by Fr. Isaac:
“When Fr. Isaac was posted to this cathedral, we started holding this every last Sunday of the month. Music is his calling and passion. As people noticed, worshipers from different parishes—and even non-Catholics—began joining us.

“They say, ‘He who sings prays twice.’ It is an uplifting, spiritual program. In difficult times like this, with economic and security challenges, having a place to come, praise God, dance, and feel free without reservations brings great relief.”

The Manager of the ‘We Worship’ team, Bro Samuel Agada further elaborated on the meaning behind the name:
“Where one person worships, it is ‘I Worship.’ But where two, three, or five gather, it is ‘We Worship.’ The convener came up with this idea to bring people together across different denominations.

“The midyear concert was wonderful. Even though we told artists it was a mini-event, many insisted on being present. The worship and testimonies were mind-blowing. For our grand December concert, we usually record over 3,000 attendees, making it one of the biggest gospel concerts in Kaduna.”

Abuja-based gospel artist, Sax Preacher, described ‘We Worship’ as a household name and shared his excitement about the project’s growth

“This is my sixth time participating, and ‘We Worship’ continues to grow from glory to glory. Compared to last year, this year’s midyear gathering had much higher engagement and visibility. It is no longer where it used to be, and I believe next year will be ten times better.”
Calling on Nigerians to embrace worship as a solution to national challenges, he added:

“Praise and worship hold a vital place in the church. While 90% of our prayers consist of requests where we seek God, praise brings God’s presence to us because ‘He inhabits the praises of His people.’ Whatever situation Nigeria faces, confronting it with praise and worship can bring breakthroughs, just as the walls of Jericho fell through praise.”

A renowned gospel artist, Bilyaminu Yusuf Ishaq, popularly known as (Sir Billy) minister and writer of the hit song ‘Watarana’, expressed gratitude for being part of the event and shared a personal testimony:

“It is an awesome experience gathering the youth with one heart to worship God. Seeing their hunger and excitement to dedicate their time to Him is powerful.

“Regarding my song ‘Watarana’, it was born out of a terrible season in my life when everything fell apart. I felt lost, hopeless, and heard voices telling me to give up or end my life. But God turned that situation into a testimony, and being here to worship Him alongside these youths is a blessing.”

Another Gospel minister and audition judge, Zkiel Jossy, commended the organizer’s attention to detail:
“This mini-concert is a laudable idea to prepare for the main event at the end of the year. Knowing Fr. Isaac’s commitment to excellence, this platform helps checkmate and correct errors beforehand.

“Regarding the auditions, we required physical presence to evaluate stage presence, charisma, and gestures rather than relying on virtual entries. Out of those who performed live, about three candidates stood out exceptionally well.”

Adding her perspective, Sister Blessing Chidiogo Ezeyi, Secretary of the Parish Laity Council and President of the Catholic Youth Organization of Nigeria (CYON), stated

“It was a magnificent and glorious experience. People came together in unison, and echoes of praise were heard all around. We thank God for our Administrator, for the wisdom given to him, and for all the supporters. We look forward to an even greater celebration on December 12th.”

Concluding the remarks, Mrs. Theodora Benedict from St. Malachy Pastoral Area commended the organizers:
“Sometimes when you want to pray, you don’t know what to say. But coming to an atmosphere like this allows you to let go and let God take control of every situation. It was truly a refreshing experience.”