A CREWShall Testimony

39 YEARS

OF MUSICAL JOURNEY

“M ummy, can I join the choir?” I asked.

“Not now; maybe sometime in the future,” my mum replied.”

A few years later, we moved closer to a branch of the church and then my dream came true as she gave her approval to join the choir as promised. This marked the beginning of my musical journey in 1980.

It started in Ibadan, Southwest of Nigeria as I hit two wooden sticks together for the choir to sing. That was the job of a time-keeper in music. I later progressed into playing several Yoruba local drums. In 1983, we organized a Christmas Carol that was shown live on the State TV called Television Service of Oyo State (TSOS). The carol attracted one of the leading Musicians in Nigeria called Blackman Akeeb Kareem who later joined our church and started teaching the choir members song composition, guitars, piano, drums and training our voices. Afterwards, he led us to the studio and we recorded our debut Christian album titled “Baba mi Loloko” [Meaning my father (God) owns the car]. The song was a hit in 1984 with the “Only Jesus is the answer” track. Subsequently, I learnt to play the acoustic guitar with the help of my teacher Martins Olubiyi Olaitan who replaced Blackman as the choir master.

That same year, I gave my life to Christ during a crusade organized by a church called Deeper Life Bible Church. However in 1985 Blackman left Nigeria but then we had recorded other albums with him. Following this, some of the choir members decided to form their personal Bands. Some of these Bands include Tap Root Band, Wale Jingo Band presently known as Wale Thompson Band, CCC Olorunsogo Choir and the Emeralds Band. This experience exposed me to playing different styles of music such as Highlife, Reggae, Juju, Blues, Jazz, Afro, Funk, Fuji and other indigenous styles of music. Thus, I continued to feature in several albums as I worked with many music studios.

In 1988, my journey took another turn as my desire for fame and money drove me into playing worldly music. I joined D’ ROVANS Band founded by Late Chief Francis Aiyegbeni as an instrumentalist and singer. It was a band with 45 experienced men in music; the only Band in Nigeria that sang in 16 different languages and wellstructured with a music studio, video production studio, trainers in music and dance, sophisticated musical instrument and security.

The Band created a music style called “Highlife- Juju music” and in 1991, we released two debut albums titled “D’ROVAN HighlifeJuju hits” and “Highlife Music hits”. Subsequently, a hotel was built named after the Band (D’ROVANS HOTEL in Ibadan, Nigeria).

The Band was very popular and was nicknamed the “West African Band”. Through the Band, I played with Late Eddy Okonta (Obi of trumpet), Victor Uwaifo and met with other leading musicians in Nigerian like Fela Anikulapo, Shina Peters, King Sunny Ade, Ebenezer Obey, Evy Edna Ogoli, Christy Edna Igbokwe, Onyeka Onwenu, Alex O, Alex Zitto, Charley Boy and so on. I was very busy playing in nightclubs, hotels, TV shows, parties, music concerts like “Lekki SunSplash ” in Lagos. I made some money and fame. Our band was “talk of the town” and the envy of other musicians. I deserted the church and concentrated on the world and all it had for me. But with all these, I had no peace. My future was bleak. My gift was being used to promote sexual immorality, drug abuse, gambling, promiscuity, hooliganism and innumerable evil vices. At the peak of it, some of us were advised by other musicians to join a cult in order to fortify ourselves in the spirit and maintain our fame, but we refused. In 1991, I yielded to an old friend’s advice to further my education in Accounting. Following this, I relocated to Jos, the Northern part of Nigeria. That was when my journey took another dimension as I returned to the Lord that same year. After my studies, the Lord told me to remain in Jos till further notice and he also restricted me from playing worldly music. It was difficult for me because music was my source of livelihood. At that time, music in the Northern part was not as profitable especially in the church. Some Christians even frowned at paying musicians in the church but forgot to think of how to meet their daily needs.

It was a tough decision for me but I obeyed the Lord and started my life afresh. I had to live by faith, one day at a time, as I prayed, studied the Bible and depended on God for my daily needs. Through it all, God was faithful. As I walked with him, I experienced righteousness, peace, joy and love. Subsequently, God instructed me to teach his Church what I had learned musically and spiritually. This was what gave birth to my ministry and I have been using my gifts as a tool for evangelism, discipleship and reaching out to the unreached.

Over the years, I have helped to start many bands and choirs from scratch. I produced many

gospel albums and discipled many people through music, both old and young. Some of the people have also developed into Music directors, Producers, Choir masters, Band leaders, Pastors, Bishops, Evangelists and Songwriters. I have performed at several crusades, music concerts, led conferences and workshops within and outside Nigeria. In addition, I got married and God blessed us with two beautiful girls. I obtained my Bachelor of Arts (BA) and Master of Arts (MA) degrees in History and international studies from the University of Jos. I also studied Advanced Ethnoarts in PAYAP University, Thailand after I joined an international mission organization where I was trained as an Ethnoartist. I later became the Ethnoarts Team leader and Partnership Director of the mission organization. God has transformed many lives through my music and ministry and this has filled my heart with joy. God has made my musical journey very sweet!!! p

Peter Nwufo Ethnoarts Team Leader & Director of Partnership, SIL Nigeria

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