Evangelist Bola Are, the first female gospel music minister in Nigeria has reacted to the lyrics of a reigning gospel chorus in Nigeria, especially in
Evangelist Bola Are, the first female gospel music minister in Nigeria has reacted to the lyrics of a reigning gospel chorus in Nigeria, especially in the Yoruba speaking South West, Ko wo bi mo se nwuwa as worldly and not inspired by the spirit of God.
Loosely translated, the song says …
God does not consider my immoralities
He is not watching my actions
Neither is he bothered by my behaviours
But He has been kind to me always
In a video by the Yoruba section of the British Broadcasting Corporation BBC, Evangelist Bola Are said God roused her from sleep, instructing her to pass a message to the composer of the Chorus, currently on the lips of many Christians, that the chorus is not from Him because the lyrics do not reflect the true gospel.
Quoting the lyrics, Are said, do you mean God does not consider your misbehaviour, your stealing, your adultery, and he has been blessing you every day? Never! That is a lie! God does not operate that way. I don’t know the composer of the song, but I use this medium to advise the person to recompose it. You mean despite bleaching your skin, God is still blessing you? Never! I am a dark-complexioned person and this is how I will remain till death. When women would bleach their skins, use artificial nails, all manners of immoralities, what is the difference between them and the harlots in the hotels? That song is not from God.
‘I appeal to the singer not to be angry with me for calling him or her out. And if the person is crossed at me, there is nothing he or she can do because I was sent by God. I do not know the composer but the Lord instructed him or her to recompose the song, just like King Sunny Ade, the ace Juju musician recomposed a song he did in the 1970s. If Sunny Ade could recant and recompose, there is nothing difficult in recomposing,’’ Bola Are said.
In the same video, Bola Are made reference to another instance of a gospel musician who used slang she considers derogatory to the person of Jesus Christ. ‘Another musician said Jesus should continue to paro. Paro is a worldly slang encouraging one to continue. How could she use worldly slang for Jesus? Would she use worldly slang for her biological father? I searched for the musician and corrected her. Gospel musicians must always ensure that their music ministers to lives and are acceptable to God.’
COMPOSER OF MUSIC
Bose Adeiwa
Efforts to trace the composer of the chorus has so far been unsuccessful. Many of the current gospel musicians who often sing the chorus in churches and parties said the song is an old chorus in the Church probably composed in one of the numerous crusades in the Christ Apostolic Churches.
Speaking to E-life in a phone chat, Bose Adeiwa, an Ibadan-based gospel music minister said the song is over 20 years old. It’s been a popular song in so many Churches and no one can trace who composed it. ‘The song is only talking about the mercy of God, and not encouraging anybody to moral laxity as it is currently canvassed.’
Another gospel act, Bose Adekunle also told E-life that the chorus is an old, popular song in the CAC church. She likes singing it as a chorus whenever she is playing but she wouldn’t know when it was composed or who composed it.
Bola Adewara
Nigerian Christians who listen to and sing the song in their homes and churches reacted to Bola Are in diverse ways. Olusegun Adewara, journalist and editor E-life magazine said, God has used Bola Are to draw our attention to the anomalies of the current noise we call gospel music. ‘In so many Churches, choir members will pick some disco songs, turn their lyrics to church slangs and be dishing it out to the admiration of the ignorant congregation. Later, we complain that the Holy Spirit has moved out of our churches. Why would He not move out? I praise God for the life of Bola Are for drawing our attention to this negative development.
‘The current gospel music does not appeal to the mind and the heart again, they appeal to the legs and bumbum only in dancing. The lives and behaviours of many of these gospellers do not synch with the gospel songs they claim they are singing. More often than not, the message is not just in what they say but how they say it and the lives of the singers. The world does not read the Bible again, they read the lives of the singers. They do what they see them do. That is why some people would rather listen to pastors than read the Bible.
‘When you say you are a gospel act and you tone your body complexion from black to ‘yellow’, what are you saying? When you say you are singing gospel and your band boys are dead drunk, their bodies reeking of alcohol when they come to play, perform (not minister) in churches, what are they saying? A gospel musician MINISTERS in songs. He is not performing or playing. That place he stands on to play is not a STAGE but an ALTAR! We need to get some facts clear. Gospel music means the gospel in music, not tungba, not this rubbish all over the place.
Rev. Bolu Akinyele
Also speaking on the matter, Rev. Bolu Akinyele of General Superintendent at The Infinite Power Of His Resurrection Ministry – INC, Lagos Nigeria said gospel music is not meant to primarily appeal to human senses which about ninety-eight per cent of so-called and self-called “gospel” artistes are gunning for but to appeal to the inner man with the intention of drawing him nearer to his Creator – God.
‘Gospel music’, Akinyele posited, ‘should be for meditation, serving as a catalyst to hook up with the Spirit of God during spiritual exercises – in prayer, in situations where one wants to receive instructions from God etc. Quality praises to God shouldn’t be diluted with worldly adulterations and demonically inspired words.’ He added that ‘Most of these singers have inordinate ambitions of making quick money through singing gospel music – their own version of gospel music. They don’t have the aim of singing to praise God but to become a celebrity – pushing Christ the Owner of their lives to a remote corner while elevating themselves. They showcase themselves and not Christ. That’s why they want to sing to please the world and not God who called them – if they are ever called into music ministry.
Chris Kasiari
Chris Kasiari, a pastor in Grace Ville Chapel International, Ikeja Lagos Nigeria said he quite understands what Bola Are is saying but what the singer of that song is saying is that God is so magnanimous despite our shortcomings. Kasiari said ‘Bola Are is not a saint. She also enjoys the same grace and mercy just as the prostitute on the road and drunk in the club. The Bible says why we were yet sinners Christ died for us. So I think someone should explain to Bola Are that God didn’t condemn Rahab the harlots and that God is still God over all creatures.’
Also, Segun Adegoke said there is a misconception on the song by Bola Are. ‘The singer of that song was emphasising the mercy of God on mankind despite our shortcomings. However, Bola Are has a point in the fact that we must choose our words to give honour to the Most Highest God.
Somuyiwa David
Also disagreeing with Bola Are’s position, Somuyiwa David, in his comment on social media said there’s no problem with the song, it is the perspective with which Bola Are is looking at it that’s faulty. ‘If God would look at our attitudes, will anyone remain on earth? Even the Bible says in Psalms. 130:3, If You, LORD, should keep an account of our sins and treat us accordingly, O Lord, who could stand? That’s the meaning of the song. Bola Are, the critic should tell us who is taking care of the sinners. If men were God, he will select those who should receive rainfalls, but God is not counting people’s sins against them in 2 Corinthians. 5:19. We are not justifying sin, but the message in the verse is that he has given us the ministry of reconciliation, to tell people that God is not mad at you.’
Atinuke Falegan
Atinuke Falegan, another commentator said she is not saying Bola Are is lying that God told her to correct the musician, but the language ‘God told me…’ as Bola Are used in the video, has caused so many doubts in Christianity. ‘On this one, I can prove that there is carnality in it. Bola Are got it wrong. Christians should read and study the Bible themselves and ask the Holy Spirit to teach them so that they can judge prophesies and revelations properly, just as the Bible says prophecies should be judged irrespective of whom is saying it.
‘Many people,’ Falegan added, ‘are hearing from the devil and they say it is God that’s talking to them. The plausible question to ask is how do you know it is God that’s talking to you? When God talk to us today, He talks through the Holy Spirit (the still small voice), and according to the Scripture, God is not about to say anything new other than He has said before, according to John. 16:13. The mind of the Father is communicated through the Holy Spirit. Bola Are should provide the scriptures that agree with what she is saying. In Romans 5:17, He made us know that’s our righteousness is a gift, not because of work. Bible says By grace ye are saved not of works lest any man should boast. Eph. 2:8 God has the power to have mercy on whom He will.’
However, not everyone disagrees with Bola Are. In his comment, Ola Nnyigide said Bola Area is right. ‘Psalms 97:10, says all you lovers of Jehovah, hate what is bad. How can God, who hates every form of disobedience, blesses the disobedient people at the same time. God loves righteous acts. So, we should not be fooled by songs that are not based on the Bible. By God’s undeserved kindness or grace, He begs the wicked to change their ways and be saved. But if the wicked refuse to change, God will eventually destroy them, just as He did in Noah’s day and with Sodom and Gomorrah. So, based on the Bible, God is concerned with our morality. We cannot remain in sin and expect grace to abound.
.
.
Leave your comments below…
COMMENTS