Elder (Dr.) Olusunmbo Sangogade (J.P), music director, Apostolic Church of Christ (ACC) Jagun Akanran, Ibadan, Oyo state highlights the power of praise & worship thanksgiving in impacting lives with awesome miracles. The Polytechnic, Ibadan mass communication graduate and a director in Oyo state Agency for Youth Development shares with Christian Benefits the wonders of praise & worship thanksgivings at this year 2023 annual thanksgiving anniversary of The Victory Singers Int’l of Apostolic Church of Christ, Ibadan. Excerpts.
Please, can we meet you?
I am Elder (Dr.) Olusumbo Sangogade (J.P). I was born to the family of the now late Elder & Mrs. Gabriel Sangogade. I had a Christian background and upbringing.
Since when did you join Apostolic Church of Christ (ACC) worldwide, and tell us about your growth and strides in the church over the years?
Actually, I was born and raised in a good Christian home before joining Apostolic Church of Christ (ACC) worldwide in 1984. I grew up in the church first as a choir member. Around 1994/95 I was appointed the church choir master. In 1997, I was ordained a deacon in the church. In 2015, I was ordained an elder in the church. The church had wanted to ordain me a pastor, but I said they should allow me wait until I receive the call from God and attend a Bible school for that office. By God’s grace I have attended a Bible school and graduated for this purpose. I am presently the church coordinator and music director. By the grace of God, I’m privileged assisting the church pastors, leaders and elders in coordinating the church activities.
Please, can we have a look at both your academic and career profiles?
By the grace of God, I am a communicator by training and an administrator by career. I attended The Polytechnic, Ibadan, for both my National (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) in mass communication. I had my masters in communication arts from University of Ibadan (U.I). Due to career exigencies as an administrator in Oyo state civil service, I obtained a post graduate diploma (PGD) in public administration from Lead City University, Ibadan. I have served in a couple of parastatals in Oyo state civil service. Presently, I am a director in Oyo state Agency for Youth Development. As I said, I also obtained a Bible school diploma.
The idea is to annually offer a special thanksgiving unto the Lord. As you know, our Lord takes no other food other than our thanksgiving. And one special and unique way of offering thanksgiving to the Lord is through praise & worship music. Praise & worship thanksgiving wrought wonderful miracles in the lives of people. In the atmosphere of praise & worship thanksgiving to the Lord, the heavens usually open and God showers abundant blessings, salvation, healing, deliverance and awesome miracles, signs and wonders upon the people in such atmosphere. This is exactly what we do, and experience yearly at The Victory Singers Int’l annual thanksgiving anniversary. Through this God has helped us to overcome lots of problems and challenges in our lives. In the journey of life there are lots of challenges. We thank God for the fact that we hold this event annually God has been helping us to overcome challenges.
Since when has The Victory Singers Int’l been holding this event yearly?
Actually, the church has been holding choir anniversary since 1985. However, due to various developments in the church, The Victory Singers Int’l was birthed to add more glamour to the church choir annual thanksgiving anniversary when I became the church music director in 1995. Since then the Lord has been helping us.
Is The Victory Singers Int’l an integral part of Apostolic Church of Christ (ACC) or an independent music ministry under your leadership?
The Victory Singers Int’l is an integral part of Apostolic Church of Christ. We keep the singers in the church in order not to cause divisions in the church choir. If I were to run the group as an independent ministry a lots of the church choir members will join the ministry, and that may adversely affect the church choir. The members of The Victory Singers Int’l are largely members of Apostolic Church of Christ Choir.
Does The Victory Singers Int’l minister at occasions or events outside Apostolic Church of Christ?
Yes, we receive invites from other churches, ministries and individuals; and also for crusades and revivals within and outside the ACC to minister at church programmes, weddings, child dedications, house dedications, burials and other social functions. That is why we have several church choirs, music ministers and gospel singers feature yearly at our annual thanksgiving anniversary. Some of the church choirs and gospel singers that featured at this year’s thanksgiving anniversary include The Second Coming choir, Wonderful Power for Jesus Choir, Christ Warriors Church choir, Awayin o C&S choir and gospel singers like L/E Folashade Taiwo, L/E Toluwani Adewunmi, Bukky Sam, Bukky Voices, Yinka Glory, Festus WG and juju maestro Idowu Santana a.k.a Arole Ayefele among others.
Senwele Jesu has been my sister for ages right from the 90s long before she became an independent gospel singer. We used to belong to the same ministry where I was the secretary. She would have featured at this year’s anniversary if she were not outside the country at the moment.
Briefly tell us about Apostolic Church of Christ (ACC) worldwide
Apostolic Church of Christ (ACC) worldwide was founded by the now late Apostle Amos Olalekan Mobolaji (a.k.a Omo Jesu) who passed on in the year 2005. By the grace of God since his transition I have been the church coordinator though we have pastors in the church. I assist the church pastors to coordinate the church activities since the founder’s transition to glory. Apostolic Church of Christ is a New Testament Apostolic model church principally based on sound doctrines and preaching of the Gospel to all human races regardless of climate, race, social and economic condition for fulfillment of our LORD JESUS CHRIST’S desire inheritance of God’s kingdom. Our vision is to propagate the preaching of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ to all the nooks and crannies of the world through the Word.