Gospel songs are a kind of motivational Christian music that has become a major part of Nigerian music . In the 1960s the Evangelical Church of West Africa Choir was popular, and in the early 1970s Bola Aare , Ebenezer Obey and later, Panam Percy Paul , Onyeka Onwenu , Tope Alabi , and Kefee were notable. Also, in the early 1970s and 80s Arch Bishop Benson Idahosa 's choir, The Christian Redeemed Voices were known for their gospel sound. Idahosa would purchase instruments for the choir.
12-584: Samson Uche Mogekwu , known as Samsong , is a Nigerian gospel artist, based in Abuja , the federal capital territory of Nigeria . Samson Uche Mogekwu was born on November 30, 1974, in Delta State , southern region of Nigeria. He began singing while in high school , where he also took on the name Samsong. He attended Ambrose Alli University , Ekpoma, Edo State , majoring in Accounting. Samsong formed
24-456: A 43 songs under Zonophone Records (now Warner Music Group), making him the first Nigerian to have recorded gospel songs. Another landmark in the birth of Nigeria gospel songs was in the person of the late Ikoli Harcourt Whyte. He was a leprosy patient. For 45 years (until his death in 1977 at the age of 72), he lived in a leprosy colony in Uzuakoli, Abia State, Nigeria. The colony was owned by
36-752: A duet with Styl-Plus entitled "Live Right". He won the Grace Honorary Award for Excellence, that same year. In 2008, he was nominated for the award of "Best Gospel Artist" at the Nigerian Entertainment Awards (NEA) in New York City . He embarked on an international tour to promote his album, including South Africa, the United Kingdom and Germany. In Germany, he recorded and performed with German gospel producer Chris Lass . His most recent headlining tour
48-405: A quartet known as Praise Creation . They were signed to Ivory Music Label, and released their debut album, Best of Life , in 1996. The group subsequently broke up, and Samsong became a solo artist, releasing his debut album, Count Your Blessings , in 2002. The album won The Psalmist Award that same year. His second album Still Counting was released in 2004. He won the "Best Male Vocalist of
60-715: The Anglican Church songs. He was baptized in the Anglican communion in 1859 at age four. He grew through the ranks in the Anglican Communion to become an established Minister of God; and in 1922 was ordained Canon of the Cathedral Church of Christ, Lagos. In 1879 Ransome-Kuti took up a job as music teacher in CMS Girls college, Lagos, where he taught music for eight whole years. In the 1890s, as
72-676: The Methodist Church. Harcourt Whyte was a member of his school choir, where he played flute and side drum but in 1919 at age 14, he was diagnosed with leprosy and sent out of school. At the leprosy colony, he devoted most of his time to studying the Bible and the Methodist hymn book, from where he drew inspiration for his songs. A huge source of encouragement for him was Rev. Dr. Frank Davey C.B.E. (Director of Methodist Leprosy Settlement at Uzuakoli from 1936 to 1959). Dr. Davey who himself
84-551: The Organist of St. Peter’s Church, Abeokuta, he began to compile the Anglican Communion hymns in Yoruba , and to compose other songs in Yoruba language. These songs gained him fame as he was said to have won more converts through singing, and therefore was described as “The singing minister”; whereas in other quarters, he has been described as “The revolutionary music minister”. In the year 1925 Revd. Ransome-Kuti recorded and released
96-519: The Year" Award at Today's Music Award in 2004, and "Best Male Vocalist of The Year" Award in 2005 at The Amen Awards . At the Vigoma Awards in 2005, he received the "Best Video of The Year" Award. His third release, The World of My Dreams , was issued in 2007, featuring a remake of the well-known hit " One Love " by Onyeka Onwenu , with whom he performed the song as a duet. The album also featured
108-557: The activities of CMS centered mostly around South-west, Nigeria. The CMS introduced a different genre of Church music that involved congregational singing of hymns led by a choir. Incidentally (and not surprising), the first known Nigerian to have recorded gospel songs was a product of the Anglican Communion’s CMS. He is the late Reverend Josiah Jesse Ransome-Kuti. Revd. Ransome-Kuti was a Christian music minister from Ogun State, Nigeria. He got his influence and inspiration from
120-668: The form of monophonic liturgy like the Gregorian chant - these are songs without polyphony and not written (rendered in parts) but having only one line of melody. By mid-19th century, missionary activities (which had diminished earlier) had revived in Nigeria. This time around, it was championed by the Church Missionary Society (CMS), which is owned and funded by the Church of England (Anglican Communion). At this time,
132-485: Was an ardent lover of music guided and supported Harcourt Whyte’s musical flair. Though a kalabari man from Abonema, Rivers State, his stay in Uzuakoli influenced him to write songs in Ibo language. He is referred to as “The father of Igbo church music”. Between 1921 and 1977, he wrote over 200 songs. He raised a choir, which traveled and ministered around Nigeria. He performed for British dignitaries who visited Nigeria during
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#1732786922722144-629: Was in August 2009. He toured the island of Seychelles , where he was received by Vice President Joseph Belmont . Nigerian gospel A number of gospel artists have released notable albums such as TY Bello and Samsong among others. In 2012, el Mafrex got nominated for the 2012 MOBO Awards . The act of singing gospel songs is a practice that was brought into Nigeria about late 15th century, by Portuguese Catholic who had arrived Benin city at this time for missionary work. These songs were mostly rendered then during Church worship service. They took
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