Nigerian businessman Cosmas Maduka has highlighted the essential things a Nigerian man must have before considering marriage.
Mr Maduka, the founder, president, and Chairperson of the Coscharis Group, married his wife, Charity, on 23 September 1978, at 19.
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They have five children—four sons and a daughter.
In an interview on ‘The MIC ON podcast’ with Seun Okinbaloye of Channels Television, posted on YouTube Saturday, he emphasised that marriage goes beyond a man’s ability to speak in tongues.
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The businessman, featured in Forbes Africa’s TV series ‘Worst Day’ with Peace Hyde, said: “Some ladies jump into marriage just because a man tells them he loves them, but can they eat love? I mean, ladies, if they marry a man with no job simply because he speaks in tongues, they are not being spiritual. I don’t encourage the ladies to marry a man who has no plans for their life.
“A man must have, at the very least, a two- or three-bedroom apartment before marriage. He must also be transparent about his earnings because marriage is not about living by faith alone. At 18, I planned to marry and ensured I had a three-bedroom apartment. I didn’t take my wife (Charity) to my mother’s house because my elder brothers still lived there.”
Vision
Additionally, the 66-year-old, who appeared in a CNN ‘Marketplace Africa’ interview with Zain Asher, urged women to understand their presumed spouse’s vision.
The Anambra-born added that women should marry men within their age bracket rather than settling for someone significantly older.
He says marrying within the same age range fosters better communication and understanding.
“When I talk to young people, I tell ladies never to ask a man who claims he wants to marry them if he loves them. That’s the wrong question. Don’t ask a man if he loves you—if he didn’t, he wouldn’t be talking to you in the first place. Instead, ask him where he is taking you in life. That’s precisely what my wife asked me.
“She wanted me to share my vision with her because, as a man, I needed to have a clear vision for my life. I told her, ‘By 20, we will be here. By 21, we will have a male child. By 23, I will own a car. By 25, I will be a millionaire.’ She held my hands and said, ‘We will do it together.’ When a man shares his vision, his wife becomes his prophet at that moment,” Mr Maduka noted.
The father of five stated that a man without vision will always be doubted by his father. “She (my wife) was a God-given wife—supportive and encouraging,” he said.
Marital life
The businessman revealed that when he married his wife, he outlined his vision for her and shared his goals, detailing what he intended to achieve before reaching a certain age.
He noted that his aspiration to have a two or three bedroom – apartment led him to rent one, as he needed a home for his wife.
He said: “I had a clear vision of where I wanted to be. I was a virgin when I married my wife, and once we had that understanding, we got married before turning 20. By 15, I was already thinking like a man because I knew an unwanted child could derail my vision. Among the five key things I wanted to achieve before turning 25, one was to take a woman to the altar by 20.
“I missed that goal by just three months because I married Charity on September 23, 1978, and turned 20 on December 24, 1978. It wasn’t about money—I didn’t have any—but I had faith and conviction. By the time I married, I had saved enough money to secure a three-bedroom apartment. I also had a gas cooker, a deep freezer, a standing fan, and everything a man should have before getting married.”
Background
At 17, Mr Maduka ventured into business after being dismissed by his uncle—who initially engaged him as an automobile apprentice.
Undeterred, he co-founded a spare parts company, CosDave, alongside his friend Dave. However, the startup failed sooner than expected, prompting Maduka to establish Coscharis Motors in 1977 with just N300.
The company initially specialised in the sale of automobile spare parts. According to him, Coscharis is a fusion of his first name, Cosmos, and his wife’s name, Charity.
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His breakthrough came in 1982 when the Nigerian government granted import licenses to ten automobile companies, with Coscharis among those selected.
A devout Christian, Mr Maduka frequently preaches at churches and youth conferences across Nigeria.
He credits his early decision to surrender his life to Jesus—alongside the inspiration he drew from the teachings of the late Reverend William Marrion Branham—as pivotal influences in his journey.
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