Here
are some Notable Nigerian gospel singers and facts about them. This
list was curated from Wikipedia’s list of Nigerian gospel musicians.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
1. Bola Are
Bola Are (born October 1, 1954) is a Nigerian gospel singer and former President of the Gospel Musicians Association of Nigeria
She
was born on the October 19, 1954 in Erio a town in Ekiti-West local
government, of Ekiti State, southwestern Nigeria. She had her primary
education at Christ Apostolic Church Primary school in her hometown and
her secondary education at Christ Apostolic Church Primary School at
Efon Alaye in Ekiti State before she proceeded to The Polytechnic,
Ibadan where she obtained a diploma certificate in accounting.In 1973,
she established Bola & Her Spiritual Singers and her debut album
titled Baba Kuse was released on August 1977.In July 1985, she obtained a
Doctorate degree in Music at St. John’s University. Bola was gifted and
brilliant. She started singing from the age of two and the power of God
was greatly upon her even from the incipient stage of her life. She was
brought up by four major prophets in Christ Apostolic Church – Apostle
Ayodele Babalola, Prophet Babajide, Prophet Akande and Prophet T.O.
Obadare. She spent most of her youthful time on the mountain and got her
inspiration directly from the Holy Spirit.
Read more: https://en.wikipedia.
2. Cobhams Asuquo
Cobhams
Asuquo is a Nigerian musician, producer, and songwriter. In 2005,
Asuquo was signed on with Sony ATV London as a songwriter.
After
working as Head of Audio Productions at a local label, Questionmark
Entertainment, he set up his own recording facility in 2006. He is the
former CEO/ Head of Productions of CAMP (Cobhams Asuquo Music
Productions) represented himself, Bez Idakula and Stan Iyke. He was
responsible for Aşa’s highly acclaimed international album ASA and has
been mentioned on many artists’ sleeve credits as producer and writer.
He is now the Founder/CEO of Vintage Grey Media.
Read more: https://en.wikipedia.
3. Dunni Olarewaju
Dunni
Olarewaju (December 2, 1960), popularly known as “Opelope Anointing” is
a Nigerian gospel singer, songwriter and televangelist.
Opelope
Anointing was born at Akinyele, a local government area in Oyo State,
southwestern Nigeria into a Christian family of the late Isaiah and
Deaconess Elizabeth Olaniyi. She had her primary education in a village
called Sannu before she later proceeded to Elekuro Secondary Modern
School in Ibadan but left to Ejigbo High School in Lagos State, where
she finally dropped out to focus on gospel music. Her debut album titled
Adun-Igbeyawo was released in 1998 but was famous for the album title
Opelope Anointing, a music she scripted and recorded in one day. She got
her appellation, “Opelope Anointing” from this album. She launched her
20th album on October 26, 2014 and in attendance were renowned Nigerian
gospel singers, Joseph Adebayo Adelakun, Tope Alabi, Bola Are and Funmi
Aragbaye. In 2010, she established “Opelope Anointing Foundation (OPAF),
a charity initiatives, Non-Governmental Organization.
Read more: https://en.wikipedia.
4. Ebenezer Obey
Ebenezer
Obey (born 3 April 1942 as Ebenezer Remilekun Aremu Olasupo Obey-Fabiyi
in Idogo, Nigeria), nicknamed the “Chief Commander”, is a Nigerian jùjú
musician.
He
began his professional career in the mid-1950s after moving to Lagos.
After tutelage under Fatai Rolling-Dollar’s band, he formed a band
called The International Brothers in 1964, playing highlife–jùjú fusion.
The band later metamorphosed into Inter-Reformers in the early-1970s,
with a long list of Juju album hits on the West African Decca musical
label.
Obey
began experimenting with Yoruba percussion style and expanding on the
band by adding more drum kits, guitars and talking drums. Obey’s musical
strengths lie in weaving intricate Yoruba axioms into dance-floor
compositions. As is characteristic of Nigerian Yoruba social-circle
music, the Inter-Reformers band excel in praise-singing for rich
Nigerian socialites and business tycoons. Obey, however, is also
renowned for Christian spiritual themes in his music and has since the
early-1990s retired into Nigerian gospel music ministry.
Read more: https://en.wikipedia.
5. El Mafrex
El
Mafrex (born Mfreke Obong Ibanga; May 14, 1984) is a Nigerian-born,
urban gospel singer-songwriter, based in Edinburgh, Scotland.
He
was nominated for Best Gospel Act consecutively at the 2012 and 2013
editions of the (MOBO) Music of Black Origin Awards. He won Artiste of
the year and Urban Recording of the year at the 2012 Scottish New Music
Awards, making him the first black man to win the SNMA.
His
song, “Jehovah”, which features Christian rock band Royal Foundlings
had more than 500,000 hits in the first five months of its release on
YouTube. He released “That Man from Galilee” in the first quarter of
2013, which debuted at no 49 on the iTunes UK Chart for Gospel and had
over a million hits on YouTube in its first 6 months.
On 30 September 2012, he was featured in the Sunday Mail.
He was nominated for the Season 8 of The Future Awards Africa on the 10th of July 2013.
Read more: https://en.wikipedia.
6. Frank Edwards
Frank
Ugochukwu Edwards (born July 22, 1989) is a Nigerian contemporary
Christian singer-songwriter and recording artist from Enugu, Enugu
State. He is the founder and owner of the record label Rocktown Records,
which is home to recording artists such as Edwards himself, Gil,
Divine, King BAS, Nkay, David, Micah Heavens and among others.
Frank
Edwards was born into a family of seven. His birth name is Frank
Ugochukwu Edwards. He was born in Enugu state of Nigeria. He has five
siblings. He began singing at the age of ten. He learned to play the
piano from his father when he was young. In his teenage years, he became
a born-again Christian. He has six albums and many hit singles to his
name. His recent Album Frankincense.
Read more: https://en.wikipedia.
7. Funmi Aragbaye
Funmi Aragbaye (born July 5, 1954) is a Nigerian gospel singer, songwriter and televangelist.
Funmi
Aragbaye was born on July 5, 1954 in Ondo town, into a Christian
family. She was trained at Ondo states civil service training schools
before she joined the Oyo State civil service where she retired as
principal administrative officer in 1997. Although, she started her
musical career at Evangelical Church Winning All at Ilorin, the capital
of Kwara State, Nigeria shortly after she obtained the West Africa
School Certificate. Her debut album titled Olorun Igbala, alongside with
Sioni Ilu ayo was released in 1983. She celebrated her 60th years
birthday and 30th years in gospel music on July 5, 2014 in Lagos state
and in attendance was veteran Nigerian gospel singers and artist
including chief Ebenezer Obey, Joseph Adebayo Adelakun, Dunni
Olanrewaju, Kunle Ajayi, a saxophonist and evangelist Bola Are, two-term
President of Gospel Musicians Association of Nigeria.
Read more: https://en.wikipedia.
8. Jahdiel
Grace
Jahdiel Okoduwa popularly known by her stage name Jahdiel, is a
contemporary Nigerian gospel singer-songwriter and vocalist. She
professionally began her music career in 2006, releasing her debut album
Heritage in 2008. She is one of several gospel artists under Loveworld
Records of Christ Embassy.
She
was born in Ikoyi, Lagos State, Nigeria where she had her primary and
secondary school education at Aunty Ayo International School, Ikoyi
before proceeding to further her education by obtaining a B.Sc degree in
Chemistry.
Read more: https://en.wikipedia.
9. Jeremiah Gyang
Jeremiah
Pam Gyang (born 13 October 1981) is a Nigerian singer-songwriter,
instrumentalist and record producer. Many regard him as a Wunderkind
playing both the piano and guitar before the age of ten. He is often
credited as being responsible for bringing contemporary Hausa music to
the mainstream of the Nigerian industry in 2004 with the popular hit ‘Na
Ba Ka’ (I give you).
Jeremiah
worked in the Sheraton Hotels and Towers in Abuja for 3 years as a
keyboardist, percussionist and vocalist. He left thereafter to join
Quest Media Studios in 2002, where he worked for two years as a
songwriter and producer.
Read more: https://en.wikipedia.
10. Joseph Adebayo Adelakun
Joseph Adebayo Adelakun (born June 12, 1949) is a Nigerian gospel singer, songwriter and televangelist.
Adelakun
was born into the family of Salami Adebayo who was a Muslim. He hails
from Saki a town situated in the northern part of Oyo State, western
Nigeria. He was trained as Electrical engineer at Kareem Electrical
Engineering Company in the city of Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State.
Having completed his training in 1968, he joined the Nigerian Army and
was deployed to the Nigerian Army Barrack, the Engineering Construction
Regiment at Ede in Oyo State. He was baptized at Christ Apostolic Church
in 1972, the same year he began his evangelism.
Read more: https://en.wikipedia.
11. Kunle Ajayi
Kunle
Ajayi (June 16, 1964) is a Nigerian gospel singer, songwriter,
saxophonist, televangelist and Director of Music at the Redeemed
Christian Church of God.
He
was born on June 1964 in Mushin, a local government area of Lagos
State, the administrative division of Nigeria, located in the
southwestern part of the country. He attended Mushin local council
primary school Idioro for his primary education before he proceeded to
Eko Boys High School where he obtained the West Africa School
Certificate. After leaving high school he went to Ijanikin where he
studied music. Formed a band called ‘The Ambassador’ with his group of
friends and produced his very first album. He later married his sweet
heart at The Apostolic Church Idioro, Mushin. He was ordained as an
assistant pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God in 1991 and
later became a full pastor in 1997 having completed a one-year program
at Faith Bible College.[5] He later studied music at Adeniran Ogunsanya
College of Education, ijanikin. He later proceeded to the Royal College
of Music in London where he obtained a certificate in music.
Read more: https://en.wikipedia.
12. Lara George
Lara George is a Nigerian gospel singer, songwriter and producer.
Lara
George was born into the family of Oluwole Bajomo in Lagos State, the
administrative division of Nigeria. She attended Queen’s College, Lagos
before proceeding to the University of Lagos, where she obtained a
bachelor’s degree in Architecture.
George
began her music career at the University of Lagos, where she joined the
campus fellowship choir. She was a member of the disbanded musical
group Kush, which included TY Bello, Dapo Torimiro and Emem Ema. Her
debut album, titled Forever In My Heart, included the hit single “Ijoba
Orun”; it was released in 2008. The album earned her several awards and
nominations. In 2008, she won Voice of the Year at the Nigeria Music
Awards. She emerged the winner of the Best African Female Gospel Artiste
category at the 2011 African Gospel Music Awards.
Read more: https://en.wikipedia.
13. Mega 99
Abel Oluwafemi Dosunmu, known as Mega 99, is a Nigerian gospel juju musician and songwriter.
He
was born in Oshodi, a metropolitan city in Lagos State, the
administrative division of Nigeria. He obtained a Bachelor of science
(B. sc) degree in accountancy from Olabisi Onabanjo University. In 1994,
he established a musical group called Abel Dosunmu and the Mega 9’9
Band. His debut album titled My mother was released in 1998 and another
album titled Prayer was released in 2000 but was famous for his album
titled Money which was released in 2004. He later released “Ona Ara” in
2006 followed by “Weep Not” in 2008 and Thanksgiving in 2010. Another
album titled Victory at last was released in 2012, Fear Not” in 2013 and
Emajo Emayo was released in 2014.
Read more: https://en.wikipedia.
14. Nathaniel Bassey
Nathaniel
Bassey (born in 1978) is a Nigerian gospel recording artiste, singer
and songwriter, trumpet player and music producer[2], famous for
starting ‘Halleluyah Challenge’, a live Instagram praise session that
attracts over 60,000 people, as reported on CNN.
Bassey
was born and raised in Lagos. He is a native of Akwa-Ibom. He studied
International Relations and Politics at the University of Lagos for two
years, then he moved to London to continue studying Politics. After
studying Politics, he went on to study Music at Middlesex Summer School,
where he graduated as the best student.
While
growing up, Bassey was fond of jazz music. He formed a Jazz quartet
called ‘Spectrum 4’ with his childhood friends, after which he was
invited to join the Steve Rhodes orchestra, where he played the trumpet
for 2 years. While the singer began to rethink the kind of music he
made, he decided to create gospel music as a tool for communicating with
God.
Bassey heads the Trumpet and Ministerial Academy, an educational institution based in Lagos.
Read more: https://en.wikipedia.
15. Nikki Laoye
Oyenike
Laoye-Oturu, professionally known as Nikki Laoye, is a Nigerian
recording artist, singer, songwriter, dancer and occasional actress,
renowned for her eclectic musical expressions and captivating stage
performances. As a recording artist, Laoye’s music has earned her
several awards including The Headies Award in 2013 for Best Female Vocal
Performance and the All African Music Awards (AFRIMA) in 2014 for Best
Female Artiste in African Inspirational Music. She is also well known
for the 2006 hit song Never felt this Way before, the 2013 dance single
“1-2-3”, the soulful ballad “Only You”, which she remixed in 2016
featuring Seyi Shay and the love song Onyeuwaoma featuring Banky W.
Her
passion for humanitarian activities attracted the attention of the
Nigerian National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally
Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), who unveiled her as the celebrity ‘Voice of
Refugees’ in Southwest Nigeria in 2013.
Her
musical style is an urban contemporary sound with the fusion of
alternative rock, R&B, hip hop, pop, soul, funk, jazz and Gospel.
Born
in Lagos, Nigeria, Laoye hails from the musical lineage of the talking
drum legend – Late Oba Adetoyese Laoye (from Ede, Osun
State-Nigeria),The singer, fondly called, the small one with the big
voice, rose to fame in 2006 with the hit single, “Never Felt This Way
Before” from her debut studio album, Angel 4 Life (2008), which also
featured other notable singles, including the Hip-Hop collaboration with
Rooftop Mcs and her brother, Rap2Sai – “Taka Sufe”; the love ballad
“Someone to Love” with R&B crooner Jeremiah Gyang amongst others.
Read more: https://en.wikipedia.
16. Nosa
Nosa
Omoregie, professionally known as Nosa, is a Nigerian recording artist,
singer, songwriter and performer. He is currently signed to Chocolate
City. His debut studio album, Open Doors, was released on 14 March 2014
and supported by the singles “Always Pray for You”, “Why You Love Me”
and “Always on My Mind”.
Nosa Omoregie, hails from Benin City, Edo State and studied Engineering in UNIBEN.
Nosa
started out in the children’s choir in church and is majorly influenced
by gospel singers like Fred Hammond and Kim Burrell and the noted R n B
group Boyz II men. He later got to love jazz and soul music and then
rock, for the simplicity of it. He is also greatly influenced by
Afro-Highlife.
Nosa’s
aim with his music is to create a bridge between music genres while
making sure the gospel aspect of it is on a fore-front platform just as
the other genres i.e a unique merger of sorts: creatively superimposing a
soul tune on a high-life beat, a high-life verse with a rock-y chorus
or singing ‘Pidgin’ English with an R n B flavor while proclaiming an
inspirational and uplifting message to his listeners.
Read more: https://en.wikipedia.
17. Samsong
Samsong
is a Nigerian gospel artist, based in Abuja, Nigeria. He has had a
successful recording career with radio hits like Bianule, and a handful
of accolades such as The Psalmist Award in 2000, and recently being
nominated as “best Gospel Artist” by Nigerian Entertainment Awards (NEA)
in New York in 2008. He has graced the stage with Gospel greats like
Marvin Winans, Donnie McClurkinand Panam Percy Paul, as well as
successful mainstream artists like Donell Jones, Kenny Latimore, 112,
TuFace, D’Banj, Faze, and Styl Plus.
He
was born Samson Uche Mogekwu in Delta State, Nigeria. He discovered his
talent for singing while in high school. It was also in high school he
was monikered Samsong.
Read more: https://en.wikipedia.
18. Sammie Okposo
Sammie
Okposo (born 30 May 1971) is a multiple award-winning international
Nigerian gospel artist. He is a music producer, psalmist, entertainment
consultant and the CEO of Zamar Entertainment.
Okposo’s
music career started in 1992 when he joined the Nigerian movie industry
as a sound track producer and later ventured into full music
production. He is credited for producing hit songs for the biggest names
in the Nigerian music scene.
Okposo is a United Nations Youth Ambassador for World Peace.
In
2000 he took the African music scene to another level with the release
of his debut album, titled Unconditional Love. The hit track of the
album, “Welu Welu”, gained a lot of local and international popularity.
In 2004, Okposo was invited to perform at the Martin Luther King Day and
July 4th Independence day celebration respectively by the American ambassador to Nigeria.
Read more: https://en.wikipedia.
19. Sinach
OSINACHI
JOSEPH (nee Kalu) popularly known by the mononym SINACH, is a multi
award-winning Nigerian Gospel music singer, songwriter, and senior
worship leader at Believers Loveworld International. She is known
globally for several gospel hits songs which include, ‘WayMaker’, ‘I
Know Who I Am’, ‘Great Are you Lord’, ‘Rejoice’,’He did it Again’,
‘Precious Jesus’, ‘The Name of Jesus’, ‘This Is my Season’, ‘Awesome
God’, ‘For This’, ‘I stand Amazed’ , ‘Simply Devoted’, ‘Jesus is Alive’
and many more.
In
2016, she was the first recipient of the LIMA Song Writer of the Decade
Award,recognizing her outstanding and undeniable contribution to gospel
music in the past decade, with her songs being sung in many countries,
translated to many languages, on all continents of the world. In 2016,
she received the African Achievers’ Award for Global Excellence, putting
her in a prestigious list of Africans which include Arch Bishop Desmond
Tutu, Joyce Banda, Richard Mofe-Damijo, Fadumo Dayib, Babatunde
Fashola, and a few more. Also in 2016 for the second time in a row, she
won the Western Africa Artist Of The Year by Groove Awards in Kenya, and
was listed by YNaija alongside Chris Oyakhilome, Enoch Adeboye as one
of the top 100 influential Christians in Nigeria.
Read more: https://en.wikipedia.
20. St. Chika
Chika
Nwaogu (born 20 May 1990), better known by his stage name St. Chika, is
a Nigerian contemporary Christian singer and songwriter, best known for
his 2017 hit single “Higher”, which has been featured on ‘virtually
every music blog’ in Nigeria.
St.
Chika was born in Lagos, Nigeria to American parents. The gospel singer
has four siblings. He was taught to play the piano by his uncle. Prior
to a gospel music career, St. Chika was a professional computer
programmer. He is a member of Christ Embassy Church in Nigeria.
St.
Chika began playing the instruments and writing his own songs at the
age of eight. He is a graduate of the University of Lagos, where he
studied Physics. St. Chika abandoned a career in computer programming to
create award-winning gospel music. Since releasing his singles, the
gospel singer has enjoyed good airplay from many radio stations in
Nigeria. He has been celebrated by music experts to be the ‘next
sensation in the Nigerian music industry’. Described by The Nation as a
‘fast-rising gospel sensation’, St. Chika has been featured on leading
music platforms in Nigeria for his single ‘Higher’. St. Chika received
four nominations at the 2017 Exousia Gospel Music Awards. He has also
performed at Coast 2 Coast Live, one of the largest artiste showcase in
the world. In April 2018, Connectnigeria.com, Premium Times and several
news portals in Nigeria reported that the gospel singer attempted to
break the Guinness World Record for the ‘longest officially released
song’. He is most known for songs “Higher”, “My Mrs Me”, “Paid It All”
and “Jesus Only You (JOY)”
Read more: https://en.wikipedia.
21. TY Bello
Toyin Sokefun-Bello (born 14 January),
better known as TY Bello, is a Nigerian singer, songwriter,
photographer and philanthropist. Prior to pursuing a solo career, she
was a member of the defunct gospel band Kush. TY Bello is also a member
of the Nigerian photography collective, Depth of Field. She is best
known for her singles “Greenland”, “Ekundayo”, “This Man”, “Freedom” and
“Funmise”.
TY
Bello was born in Ogun State. She attained a degree in economics from
the University of Lagos. She briefly practiced journalism and eventually
ventured into photography. TY Bello emerged onto Nigeria’s musical
landscape as a member of the defunct group Kush, an acronym for
Kinetically Ushering Salvation into Hearts and Homes. Other members of
the group included Lara George, Dapo Torimiro and rapper Emem Ema. Kush
gained popularity in the early 2000s with the single “Let’s Live
Together”; the group managed to release an album before disbanding.TY
Bello was the official photographer to former President Goodluck
Jonathan during his tenure in office; she also does work for Thisday
fashion magazine.
Read more: https://en.wikipedia.
22. Onyeka Onwenu
Onyeka
Onwenu (born 17 May 1952) is a Nigerian singer, songwriter, actress,
journalist, politician, and X Factor series judge. She is the youngest
daughter of the Nigerian educationist and politician D.K Onwenu. Dubbed
the “Elegant Stallion” by the Nigerian press, she is a former
chairperson of the Imo State Council for Arts and Culture, and currently
the Executive Director/chief executive officer of the National Centre
for Women Development.
Onwenu
possess a BA in International Relations and Communication of the
Wellesley College of Massachusetts, USA, and a master’s degree in Media
Studies from The New School for Social Research in New York. She worked
for many years at the United Nations in New York before returning to
Nigeria in 1980, where she completed the mandatory one-year National
Service, at the NTA where she made an impact as an articulate, incisive
and fearless reporter. In 1984, she wrote and presented the
internationally acclaimed BBC/NTA documentary called Nigeria, A
Squandering of Riches which became the definitive film about corruption
in Nigeria as well as the intractable Niger Delta agitation for resource
control and campaign against environmental degradation in the oil rich
region of Nigeria. She has also served on the board of the NTA.
Read more: https://en.wikipedia.
23. Patty Obasi
Patrick
Obasi (15 May 1951–16 October 2012), popularly known as Patty Obasi,
was a Nigerian gospel recording artist. Regarded as one of the pioneers
of Nigerian gospel music, Patty Obasi rose to prominence in 1980 upon
the release of his album Nwa Mama Iwota.
Patrick
Obasi was born in Mmaku, a small town in Awgu local government area of
Enugu State, Nigeria where he began his singing career. He released his
debut album Bianu Kanyi Kele Jehova and went on to release over 15
studio albums.
Obasi died in his residence on 12 October 2012 after suffering from kidney failure.
Read more: https://en.wikipedia.