‘Pastors who profess to do miracles are fake’
The world is definitely full of handicapped people, one of which is Willie Bestman, a blind musician. But unlike his internationally renowned colleagues, Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder who were born blind, he wasn’t born with that deformity which has been described as the most formidable of all handicaps.
It is unsurprising that Bestman will never forget how he lost his sight. “I was lying on my bed one day in 1997 when I felt a bang on my eyes. My wife was with me. I cried out in pain and I couldn’t see clearly again.”
That was in the evening. The following day, he and his wife went to an eye clinic “where it was diagnosed that my retina was detached. They said I would have to go to the United Kingdom to do the necessary operation that would restore my sight.”
Bestman then found himself in the uncomfortable position of many who needed more money than they could afford for medical intervention. “The fees for the operation were way far above what I could afford,” he recalls sadly.
One of the options always open to many such people has been a public appeal for help. “I couldn’t do that,” said Bestman. “It’s not a matter of pride, but I just couldn’t bring myself to go about begging for money. Maybe it’s because of how I brought up by my parents to always be responsible for myself and because I had always been fending for myself for a long time.”
Be that as it may, he let the opportunity pass him by. “Sometimes I do regret not having explored that option,” he admits, “but back then, I probably didn’t give it the extensive contemplation that I should have. I didn’t really want it, and I’m not sure I do even now.”
Insisting that he’s not being proud or stubborn, he said, “I just didn’t fold my arms doing nothing, however. I had always heard of people being miraculously cured of their ailments by pastors, so I went to them instead.”
Bestman’s problem with his sight began in 1997. It was in the year 2000 that he lost it totally. Between ’97 and 2000, he kept calling on popular pastors who were reputed to cure ailments through miracles. Now he has a bitter tale to tell.
“All these pastors professing to do miracles are fakes,” he blasted. “I know because I was with them for a long time and nothing happened. I’m talking two of the most popular ones. I would go to their church, they would attend to me, tell me to expect my miracle, and nothing. When I lost all of my sight, I finally stopped going to them. That was the confirmation that I was wasting my time.”
Bestman has since moved on with his life. “I thank God that I’m still alive and kicking. Being blind is not the end of the world. There are many successful people who are blind and not begging, so I’m not begging too. I have my profession, music, and I’m still doing it.”
When asked if he thinks he will be as successful as Charles and Wonder, his reply was instant.
“Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder had the privilege of being in the American music industry, an industry which you can’t even begin to compare with Nigeria’s. As a matter of fact, we don’t have a music industry in Nigeria. An industry that doesn’t have a union, is that an industry? PMAN is not a union, it’s an association.
“Forget all the good things you are hearing about the so-called industry. They are all blatant lies, a few people doing well for themselves while the majority suffer. The industry is a jungle. You can’t expect pension or gratuities.”
While it has always been known that musicians receive royalties, Bestman’s claim that they should have gratuities and pensions made this blogger ask him to explain what he meant.
“Royalties are the monies you receive based on the sales of your records and licensed use of your music,” he clarified. “But gratuities and pensions are due to a musician when he has paid his duties to his union constantly. It shouldn’t be a must for every musician to make a hit. The union should look after every musician in crisis.”
And Bestman says he’s “seriously in crisis. It has been very daunting for me and it still is. I used to have my family here with me in Lagos but because I don’t have money to take care of them, my wife had to take my children to Calabar where things are easier for her as an indigene. I try my best to assist them as often as I can. My son, Daniel, is in the university now studying medicine and I have to struggle to cater for his educational needs.”
Nevertheless, he remains forever optimistic and hopeful. “The thing about being a musician is that things can turn around for you at any point in time, at the point you least expect. That’s why they refer to us as overnight success. Today, you might go to bed a nonentity and tomorrow you wake up and your name is everywhere.
“I’m a very good musician, and I know I have it in me to take the industry by storm. My church is assisting me with my album project, my band is also back and we are rehearsing every week, so I can say watch out for me to storm the industry soonest."
It is unsurprising that Bestman will never forget how he lost his sight. “I was lying on my bed one day in 1997 when I felt a bang on my eyes. My wife was with me. I cried out in pain and I couldn’t see clearly again.”
That was in the evening. The following day, he and his wife went to an eye clinic “where it was diagnosed that my retina was detached. They said I would have to go to the United Kingdom to do the necessary operation that would restore my sight.”
Bestman then found himself in the uncomfortable position of many who needed more money than they could afford for medical intervention. “The fees for the operation were way far above what I could afford,” he recalls sadly.
One of the options always open to many such people has been a public appeal for help. “I couldn’t do that,” said Bestman. “It’s not a matter of pride, but I just couldn’t bring myself to go about begging for money. Maybe it’s because of how I brought up by my parents to always be responsible for myself and because I had always been fending for myself for a long time.”
Be that as it may, he let the opportunity pass him by. “Sometimes I do regret not having explored that option,” he admits, “but back then, I probably didn’t give it the extensive contemplation that I should have. I didn’t really want it, and I’m not sure I do even now.”
Insisting that he’s not being proud or stubborn, he said, “I just didn’t fold my arms doing nothing, however. I had always heard of people being miraculously cured of their ailments by pastors, so I went to them instead.”
Bestman’s problem with his sight began in 1997. It was in the year 2000 that he lost it totally. Between ’97 and 2000, he kept calling on popular pastors who were reputed to cure ailments through miracles. Now he has a bitter tale to tell.
“All these pastors professing to do miracles are fakes,” he blasted. “I know because I was with them for a long time and nothing happened. I’m talking two of the most popular ones. I would go to their church, they would attend to me, tell me to expect my miracle, and nothing. When I lost all of my sight, I finally stopped going to them. That was the confirmation that I was wasting my time.”
Bestman has since moved on with his life. “I thank God that I’m still alive and kicking. Being blind is not the end of the world. There are many successful people who are blind and not begging, so I’m not begging too. I have my profession, music, and I’m still doing it.”
When asked if he thinks he will be as successful as Charles and Wonder, his reply was instant.
“Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder had the privilege of being in the American music industry, an industry which you can’t even begin to compare with Nigeria’s. As a matter of fact, we don’t have a music industry in Nigeria. An industry that doesn’t have a union, is that an industry? PMAN is not a union, it’s an association.
“Forget all the good things you are hearing about the so-called industry. They are all blatant lies, a few people doing well for themselves while the majority suffer. The industry is a jungle. You can’t expect pension or gratuities.”
While it has always been known that musicians receive royalties, Bestman’s claim that they should have gratuities and pensions made this blogger ask him to explain what he meant.
“Royalties are the monies you receive based on the sales of your records and licensed use of your music,” he clarified. “But gratuities and pensions are due to a musician when he has paid his duties to his union constantly. It shouldn’t be a must for every musician to make a hit. The union should look after every musician in crisis.”
And Bestman says he’s “seriously in crisis. It has been very daunting for me and it still is. I used to have my family here with me in Lagos but because I don’t have money to take care of them, my wife had to take my children to Calabar where things are easier for her as an indigene. I try my best to assist them as often as I can. My son, Daniel, is in the university now studying medicine and I have to struggle to cater for his educational needs.”
Nevertheless, he remains forever optimistic and hopeful. “The thing about being a musician is that things can turn around for you at any point in time, at the point you least expect. That’s why they refer to us as overnight success. Today, you might go to bed a nonentity and tomorrow you wake up and your name is everywhere.
“I’m a very good musician, and I know I have it in me to take the industry by storm. My church is assisting me with my album project, my band is also back and we are rehearsing every week, so I can say watch out for me to storm the industry soonest."
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