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| Tope Ilori |
Tope Ilori is one of
the shining lights in the Nigerian gospel music industry. God has been using her through her songs over the years to bless lives beyond measure. No doubt, she is one of the battle axes of God for the end time revival. In case you don’t know, she is a chorister at
Christ Apostolic Church, Adekitan, Mushin, Lagos. In this interview with ‘Gbenga
Bankole, Tope Ilori speaks on her sojourn in the Nigerian gospel music
industry, her assessment of the industry, the role of Holy Spirit in gospel
music and many other interesting issues. EXCERPT !
How was growing up
like being a member of the choir at Christ Apostolic Church, Adekitan?
Being a member of the choir has always been a fantastic
thing because that is one of the places where I am able to grow very well. I
was able to grow spiritually and musically being a member of the choir.
Although I didn’t start to grow at CAC Adekitan, I got to the church via
marriage. Meanwhile, I have been a member of the choir of the church for quite
a while and it has been a wonderful experience being a member of the church and
a choir member.
What are the
challenges you have been facing over the years being a gospel artiste from your
first track till now?
I believe every endeavour has its own challenges. It might
be different and may have different impacts, but there will definitely be
challenges. There are lots of challenges you just find yourself in as a gospel
artiste, but if you have a vision, the vision will be moving you. If you're
into the gospel music ministry for other motives rather than the vision given
to you by God, you may drop out because of the challenges. If there is a
calling and vision from God backing you up, you will find yourself moving
forward despite the challenges. There are different kinds of challenges. At
times it could be the challenge of recording your song or songs. You might have
written many songs (I am opportune to have the gift of writing songs) but,
there are a lot of producers out there who are too expensive for gospel artiste
to work with, though they know the job. To someone who has not even gotten any
money from the music industry, it would be very difficult considering the fact
that you are the one to pay the producer, the instrumentalists and other
people. That is one area of challenge.
Another area of challenge is the marketing of the songs
after going through the challenge of recording the song or songs, although it
is getting better due to the advancement in technology.
Tell us the number of
singles you have released from the first one up to date
I have released three singles so far. The first one was in
April 2018 and the title of the singles is “Thank You.” Later same year I
released another track tilted “Ayo.” I released the third track April this year
titled “E ko’rin.” We have a lot lined up and we are working on them. We are
doing it gradually according to the leading of the Holy Spirit and as the
resources come by.
Almost every gospel
artiste has a role model or mentor, who is the gospel artiste you have been
looking up to since your younger days in the choir?
I love Mama Bola Are. I love her ministration. I have been
under her ministration a lot of times and I have listened to her songs over and
over again. I aspire to be like her. There are so many other people, but I’ll
speak about Mama Bola Are for now.
Mama Bola Are has her
own style of music which I think is not the same as yours. What is responsible
for your own style of music?
There are lots of things that can make someone to adopt a
style of music. For me I don’t think I can give a word that will describe my
style. What I work with is the directive I get from the Holy Spirit. My songs
always come from the inspiration of the Holy Spirit which is deeply rooted in
the scripture. When the inspiration comes, I let it flow the way Holy Spirit
brings it. I write it down and interpret it with my knowledge of music. I have
written different kinds of songs in calypso, highlife and many others. I cannot
now limit myself to say my style is calypso or highlife because it cuts across.
I have written reggae songs that are very inspirational and powerful. I never wrote the song because I sat down to
write it, it is because the inspiration came. I always like to go with the flow
of the Holy Spirit. Whatever you hear
from me is from God and let it just be interpreted to you by the Holy Spirit.
How do you get
inspiration to compose or write songs?
I get inspiration through the Holy Spirit to compose songs
anytime. At times it could be when I am washing the dishes in my kitchen that
the inspiration would come and that is why I always have writing materials
close by. I always have my dairy, pen and my phone beside to write songs or
record. Once I write a line I will just put the solfa and later on I will work
on it. The inspiration comes in
different ways. Sometimes, it could be at the lowest point of your life. For
instance, my first single titled “Thank You” came at the lowest point of my
life and despite the fact that the song is a song to dance to or rejoice. When
you listen to it you may not be able to know the emotion of the moment of the
writing of the song. And that is why I acknowledged the fact that the song is a
work of the Holy Spirit because if we work by our emotion we may not get the
actual result God wants us to get with the song. Holy Spirit helps a lot in
song composition.
What is the position
of the Holy Spirit in the gospel music ministry?
For me, the work of the Holy Spirit is in diverse ways and
it is all encompassing because the Bible says the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of
truth. For the Holy Spirit to work in
your life or ministry, you have to allow His flow. The difference between a
secular artiste and gospel artiste is the input that is allowed by the Holy
Spirit and that is why the lyrics of gospel songs are different from secular
songs. A spirit-filled gospel artiste doesn’t entertain, but ministers to the
congregation or the audience. To be
filled with the Holy Spirit is one thing, to be filled with the word of God is
another. When you have the Holy Spirit in you, He will give you inspiration
based on what you know. You cannot write a song from what you don’t know. If
you don’t know a particular Bible passage and the Holy Spirit wants you to
write a song on that passage you might not be able to bring out the exact
message the Holy Spirit wants to pass through that song. The infilling of the
Holy Spirit and help of the knowledge of the word of God will go a long way to
help ministers in their ministration.
What should be the
main message of every gospel artiste to the world?
The main or primary message is to go into the world and
preach the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is our mission to show Christ to
every life. Most times we sing songs of thanksgiving, praise, worship, etc.,
but still we have to do the main job which is to preach the gospel of our Lord
Jesus Christ. As music ministers, the gospel of Jesus should be our message to
people.
A lot of gospel
artistes have spiritual fathers that they acknowledge in their songs. Do you
think that is right?
If I were to be
Elisha and I worked with Elijah, and I saw the way the God of Elijah worked in
Elijah and then Elijah passed on, I will still refer to the God of Elijah
because I can testify to Him. However, I will not praise Elijah because Elijah
was not the God. I am able to refer to God of Elijah because I worked with
Elijah and I know the God that Elijah worked with. We should praise the God and
not the man. Sometimes we forget that it is God that made the man who he is.
There is a place for reference, there is a place for respect and there is a place
for God which is not supposed to be a place for man.
You said earlier that
gospel ministers should minister, but not entertain their audience. What is
your assessment of the current state of gospel music in Nigeria?
If you look at the audience, in question now the Nigeria
audience, most people don’t know God personally, but they go to churches,
concerts and they are under the ministration of ministers of God. Most of them
attend concerts because of the invited guest and with the mindset of dancing when
they get to the concert, but will their dance get to God? Will God accept their
dance? The Bible says in Psalm 100:1-4 ‘Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all
ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness; come before his presence with singing.
Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we
ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his
gates with thanksgiving, and into his court with praise; be thankful unto him,
and bless his name.’ If God does not know you and you are praising Him, I don’t
know who you are praising. You cannot come to the presence of God if He doesn’t
know you. If God does not know you, you are not His sheep and He’s not your
shepherd. But God is a merciful God and that is why the sun will shine on
everybody. Everybody enjoys the mercy of God in one way or the other. We need
to know Him.
If as a gospel
artiste you are called to minister you need to draw people to God. There are
ministers of God who always make altar call at every ministration. There is no
point praising God and that praise won’t go beyond the roof. If you are not a
child of God, why are you praising God with the children of God? God knows His
children. He needs to identify you before He can accept your praise, otherwise,
you are just entertaining yourself. You may sweat, but your praise won’t go
beyond the roof.
You have released
three singles which undoubtedly blessed many lives. When should we be expecting
your first album?
We are working tirelessly on it. Our album will be released
very soon by God’s grace.
Where do you see Holy
Spirit taking you in the next couple of years?
God will not start a journey with you without the readiness
to take you to the final destination, if you are very patient in the journey. I
believe God to take me to the height I don’t think about. I see myself as a
vessel being used by God. Wherever God wants me to go is where I will go.
What is the role of
your husband in your ministry?
(Laughs) My husband is the vision carrier. At times people
may see you doing something, but the person that is pushing it will be someone
else. He has been really supportive. All
glory to God. (laughs).
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