23 Notable Nigerian Gospel Singers and Facts About Them

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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)”

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.