Ace gospel singer, Evang. Kemi Adeniyi-Babalola has staged a comeback after about a decade in Canada. In this interview with Christian Benefits on her return to Nigeria, the beautiful gospel singer shares some of her experiences, including her ordeals in the hands of two leading recording companies, before she traveled abroad and returned to the country with a bang to continue her ministry. Excerpts.
To start with, share with us your salvation encounter before your call to ministry
I am from a catholic background until I had an encounter while in secondary school when I lost my immediate elder brother and asked myself, if I die where would I go? Immediately, I turned my life to Jesus, went straight to Love of Jesus Evangelical Ministry (LOJEM) Obanikoro, and answered the altar call in 1986.
At what point in your walk with Christ did you receive the call to ministry?
After my salvation I began reading and studying the word of God till I asked myself, which area will I be useful for God? As a literature student, I write poems and songs and wanted to join the church choir but was not admitted. I was asked to lead the youth choir. That was how my call to gospel music ministry started.
Aside your background in literature what else inspired you for gospel music?
I always admire Mummy Bola Aare from childhood and follow her footsteps till now. I often sang her songs at LOJEM programmes. This greatly inspired me. I composed many songs for LOJEM programmes while I was in that ministry.
From then how will you describe your experience as a gospel music minister?
I have experienced both the good and the bad sides. I was naïve in my first 10 years as a gospel music singer. I was signed by a recording company but didn’t know what I signed. I released about six albums for the company. I couldn’t go elsewhere until I was forcefully pulled out. They paid me NI00,000 for the 10 years that I spent with them and fined me N65,000 for pulling out. From there I was signed by another recording company in Akure for three years and got nothing. I used my money traveling to Akure to just minister at the label owner’s programmes. She only used me for her programmes. I sponsored all my trips to Akure. She lodged me in the house of her manager. I could afford lodging in hotel instead on my own bills, but I wouldn’t because of what people may say seeing a young gospel singer coming out of hotel.
How long have you been in gospel music, and what sustains you this far?
It should be about 30 years now. I began doing gospel music in the 80s during my Industrial Training (T.I) in an engineering firm where I met my husband. I worked in that firm till when we wanted to get married, and I had to resign in line with the company’s policy against husband and wife working as co-staffers in the company. I joined another firm as Language Translator. I studied Languages (English, French and Yoruba) at University of Lagos. My passion to serve God sustains me this far. I abstain from conducts that will tarnish the name of Jesus in my life and ministry.
Tell us what inspired most of your hit songs like Olorun mi mo mope toga bo.
Most times I write and sing about what happened to me; about issues that deeply touched me. Eighty percent of what I sang happened to me. I was signed on by first record label and came out virtually with nothing. I was signed on by second record label and again came out absolutely with nothing to show. As a result of these two unpleasant experiences I starting going to prayer mounts from one place to another seeking God’s face in prayer for help and intervention. I mentioned one of the prayer mounts in one of my hit songs: SO EGAN MI DOGO as a communication of what was happening to me then that when my shame turns to glory I will render a huge thanksgiving unto God. It was like an outcry of what was happening to me except where I said troubles took me to the house of an herbalist to just express what one can ordinarily do when one is helplessly pushed to the wall. I also receive inspiration in the course of praying and writing and put them into songs. I released many hits albums about my diverse experiences before I left Nigeria. I marketed SO EGAN MI DOGO myself and it was a huge success before I traveled. My other hits are: SOWAJI, ERI NLA, DARI JIMI, IYE, and the upcoming SHEKERE
Tell us more about Shekere as title of your upcoming album
Shekere is the title except the Lord tells me to change it. The message and lyrics are deep. Shekere is not played at burial or mourning ceremonies. shekere is a musical instrument solely for joyous and danceable occasions. It is played for rejoicing and praises Shekere is all about high rejoicing and praises. Shekere is a way of thanking God for how far he has brought us as a band over the years. It is also to create awareness for my return to Nigeria gospel music scene with a bang. The song speaks of my gratitude to God using shekere to convey that.
The world is trending on digital marketing what efforts are you making at putting your musical works (songs) on some of the digital market platforms?
I have put some efforts in the past unfortunately someone else is reaping what I planted. On Boom play and YouTube, someone else is collecting the benefits of my works on those two channels in my name. We are presently re-strategizing.
