Good day Reverend!

My name is Uche. I'm a photographer.

Sometime ago, I brought a 36x24 Enlarged Photograph of you sir, Rev Stephen Akinola to the Administrative Block of your Church at Omega Beach PH. The photograph was taken at your 60th birthday celebration at the church arena. On that day, I was acting as a freelance photographer(unofficial).

A week later, on Sunday to be precise, I brought the Enlargement to the Church premises, after the Service. I was meant to understand I couldn't see u or your secretary in person and that you have left the church. Because of the bulkiness of the enlargement, I decided to leave it with sister Gift at the Admin block. I told her that the enlargement was an unsolicited work which I have brought to show u and left my business card with her. She mistook my intentions and assumed that it's a gift of freewill which, I honestly didn't intend. Sister Gift furthered, this misconception to your Secretary, who told you same.

Few days later, I was at the church premises again, only to receive this stunning relevation by Sister Gift. She referred me to your secretary who told me,she acted on the words of Sister Gift. She said, she has already told you, it's a gift and can't go back telling you it's, an item to be paid for. I was asked, to meet a Senior pastor(think he's Igbo) and narrate my predicaments to him. I told him the Enlargement is N200,000.He ended up voicing the same sad news your Secretary told me and told me they will get back to me.

After few weeks of waiting and hearing no feedback from them, I decided to check them myself. I met with the Pastor, who told me, I was trying to extort you and I can't be given my Enlargement back. Also, I can choose to consult my lawyer. He told me, he's willing to offer me N20,000 only, since nobody sent me to do the job. All, effort to educate to him a little was fruitless because, he was confrontational and on the defensive. We had a heated argument. I bluntly refused the N20,000. I was told I won't be given any money or enlargement back. I was walked out of the church premises under the rain- the CSO threatening and alerting the guards that my face never be allowed in the church again.

I have never been this humilaited in my life. This one bitter unprecedented experience that will never lapse. I feel so cheated, despised and tormented. The pain I feel is immeasurable....every letter of words I have scripted are filled tears. All I seek is FAIRNESS!

Here, I have attached the photograph

With pain,
Uche

NB
Pardon it being on this section pls

Uche,

Sorry to hear your story. However, the way you are going about this is improper. First, there isn't any contract between y ou and the church or between you and the Rev'd or any of his appointed rep. So, you have a lost case already. What you did is "purely" a gift. How can you spend NGN200,000.00 to do a job that is unsolicited (as you claimed) and expect the intended recipient to cough out that amount of money? It is not done.

The photograph is a gift and so far, with the manner and way you are going about it, it will land you in serious trouble. Now, withdraw this open letter and do your best to see the Rev'd privately and appeal to his good conscience.

I wish you luck.

Anyway he did.nt send you to do the job. him not willing to pay you the money then he should give you back the enlargement or you go back to the church and break the fucking pastors head. On the other hand you should have accepted the 20,000 that was given to you besides nothing goes for nothing.

There is no way an enlargement will gulp up to 200,000 naira. OP, Imo, just forget it. See it as a gift to the man of God.

Btw, you don't need to come to NL to write an open letter since there was never an agreement between the Pastor or his rep and you. Like I said, sow it in his life and see the blessing therein.

MODs please delete this thread.

Dead on arrival

2014, the year of open letters

rolchi: Uche,
Sorry to hear your story. However, the way you are going about this is improper. First, there isn't any contract between y ou and the church or between you and the Rev'd or any of his appointed rep. So, you have a lost case already. What you did is "purely" a gift. How can you spend NGN200,000.00 to do a job that is unsolicited (as you claimed) and expect the intended recipient to cough out that amount of money? It is not done.
The photograph is a gift and so far, with the manner and way you are going about it, it will land you in serious trouble. Now, withdraw this open letter and do your best to see the Rev'd privately and appeal to his good conscience.
I wish you luck.

Michaeljude212: Anyway he did.nt send you to do the job. him not willing to pay you the money then he should give you back the enlargement or you go back to the church and break the fucking pastors head. On the other hand you should have accepted the 20,000 that was given to you besides nothing goes for nothing.

kel4soft: There is no way an enlargement will gulp up to 200,000 naira. OP, Imo, just forget it. See it as a gift to the man of God.
Btw, you don't need to come to NL to write an open letter since there was never an agreement between the Pastor or his rep and you. Like I say, sow it in his life and see the blessing therein.

Firstly, I must thank u guys for your comments.
Now, this analogy. I bring for instance, a car for u to inspect and buy, if u like it. It's an Invitation to treat and not a contact. It's not mandatory it must be bought. If the buyer doesn't show any willingness to buy must it now be converted. The same applies to my plight. The fact, that it's the Pastor's image doesn't make it his, without a due offer. There several works of art of prominent people displayed in galleries, exhibitions et al, why can't they go claim it because it got their images? I vehemently believe this a case of conversion and a civil wrong has been perpetrated on me. It was never in my intension to sow it as a seed. Why should I be circumstancial in my giving now?

Let me say N200,000 was my asking price for the work and not the cost of production

Ublaize:


Firstly, I must thank u guys for your comments.
Now, this analogy. I bring for instance, a car for u to inspect and buy, if u like it. It's an Invitation to treat and not a contact. It's not mandatory it must be bought. If the buyer doesn't show any willingness to buy must it now be converted. The same applies to my plight. The fact, that it's the Pastor's image doesn't make it his, without a due offer. There several works of art of prominent people displayed in galleries, exhibitions et al, why can't they go claim it because it got their images? I vehemently believe this a case of conversion and civil wrong has been perpetrated on me. It was never in my intension to sow it as a seed. Why should I be circumstancial in my giving now?

Let me say N200,000 was my asking price for the work and not the cost of production

Rubbish !!!!

Who asked you to do the job?

You sound like a scammer and if seems the whole thing was well orchestrated by yourself.

You dropped the picture at the church's office and then you come back asking for 200,000naira For a bloody, unsolicited picture? If you are a genuine person, you would have humbly asked the pastor to give you any amount God lays on his heart as you are just a hustler.

Bros, if you are broke , just come our clean and ask the church to assist you. This scam of yours is dead on arrival and you really should be ashamed of yourself.

Ralphlauren:

Rubbish !!!!

Who asked you to do the job?

You sound like a scammer and if seems the whole thing was well orchestrated by yourself.

You dropped the picture at the church's office and then you come back asking for 200,000naira For a bloody, unsolicited picture? If you are a genuine person, you would have humbly asked the pastor to give you any amount God lays on his heart as you are just a hustler.

Bros, if you are broke , just come our clean and ask the church to assist you. This scam of yours is dead on arrival and you really should be ashamed of yourself.

Bro, u may think I'm a gentleman, let me warn u I'm not one. Ur choice of words are very provoking. I dropped this here to analyse opinions and see if I'm actually on the right path. I'm just trying to be civil, next time u won't be lucky.

U may want to re-read the letter properly if u lack comprehension.

Ublaize:
Bro, u may think I'm a gentleman, let me warn u I'm not one. Ur choice of words are very provoking. I dropped this here to analyse opinions and see if I'm actually on the right path. I'm just trying to be civil, next time u won't be lucky.

U may want to re-read the letter properly if u lack comprehension.

What do you really want?

@OP,

Which kind wahala u dey find? U expect to take a picture of an individual without his consent and demand he either pays for it in accordance with your estimated selling price/worth OR he returns the item which bears his image. I think he was magnanimous to have offered you a token. If you insist on this smear campaign, I will suggest the bearer of the picture refute further attempt to negotiate a price and thereafter you both mutually agree on a suitable date to destroy the picture. He has a right to resist your ownership or any use of an item bearing his image.

My 2 cents!

I think you people are saying this because he is a pastor. Let's be realistic, if you think that the work(pics) is not worth 200,000 and he thinks the work is above 20,000 why not give him back the pics.
Nawaa for this country.

Ublaize:
Bro, u may think I'm a gentleman, let me warn u I'm not one. Ur choice of words are very provoking. I dropped this here to analyse opinions and see if I'm actually on the right path. I'm just trying to be civil, next time u won't be lucky.

U may want to re-read the letter properly if u lack comprehension.

Lol. See this riff raff. Who are you threatening?

Do I look like the pastor you are demanding 200k from for a bloody picture?

You are just an opportunist.

To answer your question, you are on the wrong path. You had no right to take the pastor's picture and enlarge it without his consent. Who do you think you are sef

clun: I think you people are saying this because he is a pastor. Let's be realistic, if you think that the work(pics[b][/b]) is not worth 200,000 and he thinks the work is above 20,000 why not give him back the pics.
Nawaa for this country.

Bros you are the only one that has copyright to your image...the said pix bears the man`s image and he alone can decide to return it if he choses to.
Above all, why the fuss over an unsolicited work..@op seek for personal audience with the pastor and plead with his conscience and above all, collect whatever he gives, there was no contract whatsoever.

Naija Photographers sef! You go do occassion, up to 10 different enlargements go come from 5 different Photographers you no even sabi or book for.

Make una stop to hustle people like that...e no gel.

People dey get budget for photographs, you no go just show up and expect guyman to cough out dough e no plan to spend.

In all fairness, make una learn from this incident and easy with the hustle.

I don talk my own for this matter...

Ralphlauren:

Lol. See this riff raff. Who are you threatening?

Do I look like the pastor you are demanding 200k from for a bloody picture?

You are just an opportunist.

To answer your question, you are on the wrong path. You had no right to take the pastor's picture and enlarge it without his consent. Who do you think you are sef

U've called me 2 words I find derogatory. A scammer and a riff raff. As for being a hustler and an opportunist, I don't see it in the nagative. I'm a business man.

The manner, attitude, choice of diction and the way u are going abt dis issue as if u are the dramatis personae u wld soon end up in psychiatry, that's if u are not in one already. Why are u so pained? Please, explain to this house. U obviously lack understanding to decipher an ordinary letter, u are suffering from mental incapabilities. You can continue to show your stupidity by commenting or show ur humility by hiding yourself.

Epileptic megalomaniac.
A comment from u will prove u are mentallty derailed....poo like u.

Back to the letter
I'm sorry civil people, if u find the above offensive. I've never met the pastor personally and all my efforts to meet were truncated by his Staffs and one senior pastor. They were the ones that offered to pay 20K for the Enlarged photograph.

Rev, is a very good man. I know if I had met him one on one wldnt av had any issues but for the trending Redtapes in churches now. As, it stands now my presence in the church premises will trigger security alert because I've been deem a persona non grata. My reason for choosing this medium as a reachout

@ Ublaize

U've called me 2 words I find derogatory. A scammer and a riff raff. As for being a hustler and an opportunist, I don't see it in the nagative. I'm a business man.

The manner, attitude, choice of diction and the way u are going abt dis issues as if u are the dramatis personae u wld soon end up in psychiatry, that's if u are not in one already. Why are u so pained? Please, explain to this house. U obviously lack understanding to decipher an ordinary letter, u are suffering from mental incapabilities. You can continue to show your stupidity by commenting or show ur humility by hiding yourself.

Epileptic megalomaniac.
A comment from u will prove u are mentallty derailed....poo like u.

Back to the letter
I'm sorry civil people, if u find the above offensive. I've never met the pastor personally and all my efforts to meet were truncated by his Staffs and one senior pastor. They were the ones that offered to pay 20K for the Enlarged photograph.

Rev, is a very good man. I know if I had met him one on one wldnt av had any issues but for the trending Redtapes in churches now. As, it stands now my presence in the church premises will trigger security alert because I've been deem a persona non grata. My reason for choosing this medium as a reachout
[color=#990000]


Old boy i think in my on opinion you are insane .You need psychiatric doctor's attention.You need to be chained before you will enter express.Sorry for you.I think you are one of those mad men writing on the walls along the major roads.

Uche i think you are constituting a nuisance in this Nairaland pages.Next time never pick your phone nor Lap top with you mad finger to write this nonsense you .Shameful idiot.Stop disgracing the igbos

ODENIG: Uche i think you are constituting a nuisance in this Nairaland pages.Next time never pick your phone nor Lap top with you mad finger to write this nonsense you .Shameful idiot.Stop disgracing the igbos

Do u av a tribe? U can go and die or visit a psychiatry. If u don't av anything meaningful to contribute pls go fvck yourself. What has tribe got to do with this? You are one of those instigating e-tribal wars........u can find urself another Nigeria or go join Ojukwu. Illiterate!

U can respond to show ur madness

@OP, I feel your pain but I must tell you that you goofed in the first instance when you dropped the photo enlargement with Sis. Gift without a clear indication of your intention either by word or writing and as a business man that you claim, you should have known better that a little note stating your intention clearly and a demand for the receiver to sign it would have saved you all this headache. Nigerian men of God mentality is all about seed sowing as they expect everything that gets there way as an act of seed sowing which yours is not an exception. Do the needful,go back and collect what the pastor is offering you and move on..... Also do not forget that if you had made your intention known for asking price of 200,000 the pastor would have either rejected it immediately or if it is too good to let go call you for negotiation,I feel you were only trying to play on his emotion unfortunately you failed.Mind you I am an Atheist and don't believe in that bulshit called MOG.

kel4soft:

What do you really want?

The essence of this letter is to appeal to the Pastor's conscience since I can't reach him and also appriase a self evaluation of me, as to where I went wrong.

It pretty obvious that people can't voice themselseve here without invectives or vituperation. This will kill NL someday.Anyway, I'm not deterred by those venomous voices.

deeptesting: @OP, I feel your pain but I must tell you that you goofed in the first instance when you dropped the photo enlargement with Sis. Gift without a clear indication of your intention either by word or writing and as a business man that you claim, you should have known better that a little note stating your intention clearly and a demand for the receiver to sign it would have saved you all this headache. Nigerian men of God mentality is all about seed sowing as they expect everything that gets there way as an act of seed sowing which yours is not an exception. Do the needful,go back and collect what the pastor is offering you and move on..... Also do not forget that if you had made your intention known for asking price of 200,000 the pastor would have either rejected it immediately or if it is too good to let go call you for negotiation,I feel you were only trying to play on his emotion unfortunately you failed.Mind you I am an Atheist and don't believe in that bulshit called MOG.

Thanks so much, I must humbly admit my mistake here. I should have dropped a note coupled with my business card.

Writing an open letter is not the right thing. The man of God in question probably doesn't know anything about this. We all know how overzealous aides of big men in Nigeria are. The best way to go about this is to meet a reasonable elder in the church and explain things to him or her. He or she may take your case to the man personally, or better still pay you off. Having said that, who on earth does an unsolicited work to the tune of 200k ?

kokoA: Writing an open letter is not the right thing. The man of God in question probably doesn't know anything about this. We all know how overzealous aides of big men in Nigeria are. The best way to go about this is to meet a reasonable elder in the church and explain things to him or her. He or she may take your case to the man personally, or better still pay you off. Having said that, who on earth does an unsolicited work to the tune of 200k ?

You just nailed it here. Hope the OP will do the needful.

kokoA: Writing an open letter is not the right thing. The man of God in question probably doesn't know anything about this. We all know how overzealous aides of big men in Nigeria are. The best way to go about this is to meet a reasonable elder in the church and explain things to him or her. He or she may take your case to the man personally, or better still pay you off. Having said that, who on earth does an unsolicited work to the tune of 200k ?

Thanks for your advice. The asking price for the enlarged photograph is 200K. It doesn't in any way represent the cost of production.