Gospel singer, Evangelist Kemi Jayeoba, has indicated her interest to lead the Gospel Musician Association of Nigeria (GOMAN), as the next governor of the Christian singers body in Oyo State.
Jayeoba, a former Commissioner for Commerce, Industry, Cooperatives and Tourism in Oyo State, said her decision to head the gospel musician association was a leading from God, who she said told her to go and add value to GOMAN.
Before securing a political appointmen, Jayeoba, had been a gospel music artiste, whose albums enjoyed good patronage in churches, conferences and Christian gathering across the country and beyond.
Speaking on her foray into music, she said: “I started singing at a tender age in the church because I love singing. I had never imagined myself to be a performing artiste but one of the elders in my church then, now of blessed memory, told me three times that the Lord told him to tell me to go and wax a record.
“I initially refused but after I was given a serious warning the third time I yielded, but at a time I started having financial crisis. This thus led to the release of my debut “Duro D’Oluwa” against all odds in year 2000 which eventually fetched me an award, the GOMAN Reigning Artiste of the Year Award in 2001 and since then, I have released another five more albums.
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The former commissioner, said, her aspiration to become the next GOMAN governor in Oyo State, is according to the voice of God that reached out to her, that after serving in various capacities, politically, she should go and add value to GOMAN.
“My aspiration in becoming the next governor of Oyo State GOMAN is only by the voice of God. It is only God that ministered to me that as I have served in various capacities politically, God wants me to go and add value to GOMAN. God had already paid something in my heart if I eventually I’m given the opportunity to serve.
“As a preforming artiste, I know the problems we face in the industry which include, but not limited to the following: Finance. So many talented artistes find it difficult to go to the studios and air the songs, this, if given the opportunity I will address this by finding ways to help our members.
“Publicity is another problem facing our members. Thus, I will strive for us to have air time on audio and visual platforms to showcase the many talents we have in the gospel music circle.
“Marketing is another area we need to address when given the opportunity to serve as the next governor of the association in the state.
“In the present age of online business I will love GOMAN to have our own website where fans can download our music and play it,” Jayeoba said.
The gospel singer, who said said she hails from a Christian family, and the first of nine children, speaking on her growing up said, “I attended St Bernadine’s Girl’s Grammar School. Have a diploma in Catering and Hotel Management and a bachelor’s degree in International Relations. I’m a politician as well and have served in different capacities both at the state and national levels.
“I am once a member of National Pilgrims Committee, member Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, member Oyo State Sports Council and former Commissioner for Commerce, Industry Cooperatives and Tourism in Oyo State.”
Speaking on the present leadership of the gospel musician association, Jayeoba said: “With the present leadership of GOMAN at the national level led by Evangelist Funmi Aragbaye, I want to say that things are changing for the best. Only to my amazement, majority of the reigning artistes are not in the fold which we have to work on to bring everybody together under a single umbrella as we are the ones that bring down the hands of God.”
To the gospel artistes generally, Jayeoba, who believed that, “some artistes, honestly speaking, are doing what God actually wants them to do,” said, still, “majority who are not called into the ministry are singing as their lips lead them. We are praying that God separates the seeds from the chaff as majority are in the industry only for entertainment.”
For the upcoming artistes, Kemi Jayeoba said: “My candid advice is for them to stay on the track, hold on to the voice that spoke to you. He is not a man that He will lie. Don’t sing anything to please man or make money, sing to who had called you and be yourself. God will surely help us all in Jesus name.”
