In 1986, the renowned Fuji musician Alhaji Chief Kollington Ayinla and his Fuji 78’ Organization released a complete musical album titled “ORI MI GBEMI” under his record label. The album’s highlight was track 2, which was dedicated to the Pastor Founder of Celestial Church of Christ, Prophet Samuel Bilewu Joseph Oshoffa. This emotionally charged track not only paid tribute to the late Pastor Founder, who passed away on September 10th, 1985, but also showcased the musical prowess of Kollington Ayinla. The track was re-launch by some concerned members after Portable and Pasuma had already performed the stage at CCC Land of Goshen Lagos during their musical night.
As an ethnomusicologist, I hold no reservations about the inclusion of Fuji musical style in church settings, as long as the lyrics of the songs align with gospel messages. It is important to recognize that Fuji style is a genre within Nigeria’s popular music scene.
Interestingly, many members of Celestial Church embrace juju musical styles in their parishes, which also fall under Nigeria’s popular music umbrella. However, they do not criticize this musical style within their own congregations. This raises the question:
1) Is MEJA 99 a Gospel musician or a Juju Musician?
2) Is Sammy P a Gospel musician or a Juju Musician?
STANDARDIZATION OF CELESTIAL CHURCH MUSIC
In many parts of Africa, gospel music has become a mainstream genre, with its own unique characteristics and practices (Emielu, 2014).
When it comes to composing music for the church, there are certain essential qualities that must be present: meaningful lyrics, a melodic tune that is easy to sing, and a rhythm that is suitable for dancing.
Gospel music is defined as music that ministers to others by preaching the gospel of God (Adedeji, 2015).
The main objective of my view is to explore the standardization of Celestial Church of Christ music, bringing it in line with contemporary music standards in the modern world. Celestial church music falls under the umbrella of gospel music, which has been a topic of debate in terms of interpretation among African and Afro-American individuals. Historically, gospel music was popularized as a genre primarily associated with black American music in the 1920s.
Another controversial and ethical issue within gospel music is the incorporation of secular styles such as Highlife, Juju, Waka and Fuji. These musical styles are part of the broader category of popular music. Christian and Gospel musicians often refer to them as secular due to their lyrical content, free dance accompaniment and other performance practices. It is now common to hear terms like Highlife Gospel, Fuji Gospel and Juju Gospel within Celestial Church.
Gospel music is one of the Christian musical genres that falls under the popular music category in Nigeria. Its content is traditionally and theologically evangelistic, aiming to spread the message of Jesus Christ and save souls (Abiodun, 2010).
To be continued…….
