Some of his songs have become popular choruses across churches all over the world. But little is known of this vessel who leads Fountain of Praise, the choir of a church in Lagos. In this interview which was conducted sometime ago, Wale Adenuga, narrates how the songs come, the essence of a worship leader, what he is after in music and why great composers don't get financially rewarded in this part of the world. Excerpts.

Why Praise and Worship
“Praise and worship is something the Lord wants me to do. It is my vision, which crystallized properly during my youth service days. Where I served, there was no much work so I stayed at home listening to worship music by different foreign artistes.

In addition, it occurred to me that this is what I like to do. I had had such experience since my university days at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife where I led worship in the Christ Love Fellowship (CLF). Therefore, the youth service year helped me to consolidate the passion.

Worship leader
“A worship leader is one who helps people to connect with God and once that is done, he gets out of the way. He facilitates an encounter with God. He is a matchmaker. The worship leader is not there to draw attention to himself but to draw people to God.

“My interest in music began when I was growing up in Ile-Ife where my parents worked on the campus of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), I was exposed to the music of Sunny Ade, Fela, Obey, I.K. Dairo etc, but because of our peculiar culture, parents don't like their wards to go into professions like music, drama, etc. They don't encourage artistic expressions. I never concerned myself with anything like music until I knew Christ in 1988.

“I remember that in 1987, I had written some songs and poems, which I sent to some recording companies in the United States of America. They sent some forms to me but it ended there because the following year, I gave my life to Christ.

Talent and professionalism
“I knew that the Lord has given me the talent and leading worship is gradually becoming a profession for me. Though, I read Engineering I am into design and prints

Abroad, if anybody uses your songs, artistes or churches, there are collecting societies that would collect your royalties. Bob Fits, who is a friend of the house, collects his royalties until he dies.

If I want it to put food on my table, it would but that will make me function in a situation I do not want like playing at weddings, parties etc.

However, I do not see anything wrong with that but I do not think that is what I want to do. What we are doing now is to build a foundation, which could lead to full and gainful employment for me and everybody in the group. Our model is the Integrity Music which is quoted on the stock exchange. We want to get to that level some day.

"However, God has been able to put food on my table, I still own my business, when we go out people are kind enough to give to us. Occasionally I draw a salary from the group but not a huge salary that could paralyse the infant group.

Fountain of praise
“Fountain of praise is the choir of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Jubilee Parish in Suru Lere, Lagos. However, our ministry is doing more than that.

“I got to this church on April 4, 1994 at a time I was asking God to lead me to the right church. I have been to so many churches but I was not touched by them. When I got here, the church was barely six months did. Immediately I joined the church, I knew this is the place. Three weeks later, I joined the choir and the Lord told me that I would lead the choir. Two, three months later, I became the choirmaster

“The first two recordings were done live. But later knowing that our strength in this church is praise and worship and that praise and worship is best expressed live, so we decided to do a live praise and worship project.

"Before then, we had had some relationship with Panam Percy Paul. He had come for a seminar in our church, so we invited him and he came, joining others like Kunle Ajayi who was on saxophone. The album is doing well in the market.

“Today O”
“The song, Today O came to me when I travelled to Ile-Ife to see my parents. I was inspired by what my family and I went through in 1987 at Ife. I went to school in the morning and before I got home in the afternoon, our house had been burnt. At that time, none of us in the family was a Christian. However, in 1988, I gave my life to Christ and gradually others did.

" However, in 1995, I sensed that we could do more than we are doing. Therefore, a friend of mine, Theophilus, the keyboardist and I decided to go to God in prayer every Monday morning that God should give us direction on what to do.

“God answered our prayers and we began to write songs like You Alone Are Worthy Lord, etc and we began to use them naturally and gradually the song became so famous. Other songs include Today O , two songs I wrote, Talo dabi re written by Bimpe Afolabi, It Is You Jehovah was also written by me.

Of a Truth album
"Before Of A Truth album, we had recorded about two other albums. The first one did not do well in the market and the second one was Hosanna song which sings thus

“No matter what I face
when trouble comes my way
I will praise the Lord”.

It is like a vow to the Lord that I would not leave him.

You Alone are Worthy Lord
“The song also came to me in this church while I was thinking about the faithfulness of God. He alone can be praised for His faithfulness, which is constant. Some of these songs have become so popular across the land. "When I heard people sing it in churches, I just wonder that so my songs are this popular. But in Nigeria, such fame does not translate to money for the composer.

Abroad, if anybody uses your songs, artistes or churches, there are collecting societies that would collect your royalties. Bob Fits, who is a friend of the house, collects his royalties until he dies.

“My songs are registered in so many organizations but our churches and artistes do not care about copyright laws. They pick any song and use it without regards to the laws guiding the usage.

Segments
“Gospel music has different segments. There is the entertainment side of it, but that does not make it less spiritual for entertainment in parties like weddings and burials, etc as a Christian you can't invite secular musicians who do not know Christ.

“We have entertainment on praise and worship too but whoever sings gospel, such songs must be based on the word of God. Such musician must have integrity; his lifestyle must exhibit Jesus.

“I do not have anything against all the genres like Juju gospel, Fuji gospel, Waka gospel, etc. To me, its an innovation but I do not believe the have enough depth to sing the Fuji the way it should and fuse the gospel to it.

"When I heard people sing it in churches, I just wonder that so my songs are this popular. But in Nigeria, such fame does not translate to money for the composer. "

“There must be decency in such areas. I don't like to see or hear songs where the tunes are directly copied from secular songs because when you hear such tunes, your mind flashes back to the original singer and the lyrics. You then dance the way they dance it in the world. It becomes a big distraction in devotion to God.

Challenges
“As a worship leader, one of the challenges is imparting the vision you have into the choir. Everybody has his purpose for worship and praise. Some use it to Jazz up the people before the pastor commences his sermon, but in this church, we do not do that. Our praise and worship is for God and God alone. Our praise/worship moves God such that things happen here when we sing.

“Another challenge is in individuals like myself about, how to be right with God so that individual testimonies can be maintained until He comes.

Vision of FOP
“Our vision is to praise God through praise and worship to the end of the earth. We hope to go beyond what we are doing now, go beyond Nigeria to America, Europe etc, and to become a force to be reckoned with.

" We want to be more creative in expressing our feelings to God. So many worship songs in the country are shallow compared to other people's like Bob Fits, Darlene Zschech, Don Moen. Their songs are super.

"We see ourselves collaborating with such people so that them and we can benefit from one another. We see ourselves organizing worship concerts and seminar outside Africa. We are working on Europe right now.”