After several months of the closure of churches in Ogun and Lagos States due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the states’ governments have announced that worship centres can now open. While Lagos allowed the reopening from Friday, August 7, 2020, the Ogun State government stated that these centres can open from Sunday, August 16.
As worshippers gear up for church resumptions, gospel artistes like Lanre Teriba, Tope Alabi, Tim Godfrey, Mike Abdul, Kunle Ajayi, are speaking about their experiences in the past few months.
Speaking on how the infectious disease has affected her plans for 2020, Alabi explained to Channels TV Metrofile, that she had spent a lot of money on publicity and advertisements on events that never held.
“I had my Praise The Almighty concert scheduled to be held in London, and America. That was why I travelled to the UK in February. After the Praise The Almighty in Nigeria, the next stop was about seven places in the UK, but when I got there, I couldn’t do anything.”
“I only had the opportunity to stage the concert in one location. The second place was like nobody wanted to touch anybody; like everyone was afraid. I had spent a whole lot of money on adverts, and all. People have paid for the tickets, but they couldn’t come.”
“It’s not easy at all, and the same thing is happening to a lot of people. There are so many things for 2020, which is when I will turn 50. I have an album to launch, amongst other things,” she said.
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Speaking to eelive.ng, Abdul, pretty much like Alabi said his ministry was also hit by the pandemic. Abdul said, “I have been really affected just like my peers in the music industry. It came as a rude shock, and with no option, we all had to face it the way it came. For over 100 days, churches have been locked down, and I must confess to you, it has been tough as a result of that.”
Similarly, Ajayi who is a revered saxophonist in the country, admitted that the COVID-19 pandemic has financially impacted performing artistes who are into gospel. According to him, gospel musicians are now being forced to seek other means of livelihood, as the virus has suspended the art that gives them financial freedom.
Speaking to Channels TV Metrofile, Ajayi stated; “I know it has affected a lot of people because they depend on it. Their livelihoods have been affected; some people play in the church to be paid. Now, they are not paying them, because there are no services. And some people have been booked for programmes, they were supposed to be in London, and they can’t travel due to the ongoing lockdown and ban on social gatherings.”
Also lamenting the impact of the pandemic on his art, Gabriel Johnson, otherwise known as Gabination, a performing percussionist, told eelive.ng that the world currently needs the explosive expression of humanity, which music provides.
According to him: amidst a fragile economy and needed safety precautions, gospel musicians and inspirational artistes like us are the ones hurting the most. Without shows, and churches opening, we are missing out on valuable income, as well as the chance to provide healing and beauty at the time it’s more needed,” he added.
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Another artiste who was also affected by the pandemic is Lanre Teriba. Revealing the complications that the pandemic brought with it to eelive.ng, Teriba who is also known as Atorise, said: “It hurt me financially. Because of this virus, I had so many shows, events and seminars cancelled, some of which were postponed. I even had to cancel my annual Radical Praise Concert. So, it has really not been easy since Nigeria confirmed her index case of COVID-19.”
The opportunities in the pandemic
While lamenting the hardship that came with COVID-19, Alabi disclosed that it has presented her more time with her family, made her engage more in charity, and at the same time drawn her closer to God.
Her words; “It has been a time to get back to God. It has been a time to sit, pray a lot, and hear from the holy spirit more, then get so many ideas that we didn’t have time to get from God prior to the pandemic. When there was nothing like lockdown, we had to be up and down, ministrations here and there. So, we didn’t have the time to stay with the Holy Spirit.”
“We didn’t have time to spend in the presence of God. I have also been able to feed people in my area. I have been able to do so many things, and what I haven’t been doing before, like going on Instagram live for 21 days, praise. That has never happened in my ministry, and I am happy about it. More so, I have been able to stay with my family, my children especially.”
For Gabination, COVID-19 has given him the opportunity to reflect on his art and be more serious with his spiritual life. “I can’t say I am not part of those bearing the brunt of this deadly virus, because money is at the moment not coming in.”
“But I can say I have had enough time to redefine my art and what the brand represents. I’m keenly looking forward to post-pandemic.”
“This is because I have put in a lot of work during this period that I can’t wait to share with people. Also, talking about spirituality, I have spent more time in the presence of God than ever before,” he stated.
Abdul on his part, stated that COVID-19 presented an opportunity for him to explore the digital aspect of his music business.”Initially, it really got to me, but I must say the COVID-19 experience presented me with an opportunity to also focus on my digital aspects. Digital is another avenue musicians can make earnings.”
“I have not been paying attention to this aspect of my art prior to the COVID-19 lockdown. But it later dawned on me that I have been missing a lot from snubbing this part. It will surprise you that I made what I made the whole of 2019 on digital, in less than six months on digital during this period. So, it’s also a blessing in disguise; and I’m grateful for it,” Abdul said.
On his part, Atorise revealed that the pandemic has provided the opportunity for him to engage his fans in ways he had never thought of. He said, “Due to the ban on social gatherings, I started hosting my gigs online and live-streaming it from my studio. Surprisingly, my fans were able to connect with this initiative globally. If not for COVID-19, it wouldn’t have come to my attention that I can host all my fans at a go, no matter their locations.”
Unlike most musicians who have suspended their arts due to the pandemic, Godfrey told Channels TV, that the challenges that came with the pandemic are an opportunity and blessing.
Godfrey revealed that he had a revelation, where God instructed him not to hope for normalcy. He expressed his conviction that God is using the pandemic to shift people’s mind into something entirely new.
His words; “For me as a Christian and a child of God, I already had a revelation about this whole thing. And from the beginning, God has already told me that don’t ever think about going to normal like other people are thinking… so I feel like God is trying to shift our minds into something new, to a new place and we haven’t paid attention, that’s how I am seeing it. God has really been trying to use some of these things to get us back.”
Godfrey explained that in the midst of the pandemic, God has made many billionaires; a reason for which he said he is focussing on the positive side. He explained further: “Within this period, I started a lot. I mean I have been so busy that I almost fell ill due to stress.”
“While a lot of people are saying that they are bored and not doing anything, I hosted an online competition; which happens to be the first of its kind on Instagram. It garnered thousands of viewership every time we finished each day.”
“It lasted for six weeks, and we eventually got the winner. People participated from different parts of the world, almost from 50 countries. It was something we normally do in Lagos, and was just for Lagosians, and because we couldn’t do it here again due to the COVID-19 lockdown.”
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“We thought of doing it virtually, and it was so engaging. So, I feel in every pain, there is always something. The truth is, there is a blessing in it, that is beyond you coming out of trouble and saying oh… See, God is not in the business of taking you through trouble. No!”
“I mean we have spent time talking about the doom, the problem, the challenges, the hunger, and people losing their jobs. Too much negativity! I literally just focus on the positive thing in every storm.”
However, the Nara singer said he looks forward to this year’s Fearless, his annual concert. “I am looking forward to this year’s Fearless. We’ve done four editions consecutively, and this year’s edition won’t be missed.”
“We did in 2016, we brought Marvin Sapp. In 2017, we brought Kirk Franklin. Also, in 2018, we brought Travis Greene; and in 2019, we brought three artistes –Phil Thompson, J.J Hairston, and Israel Houghton. This year, I am not announcing yet who we are bringing. But it’s surely going to happen this year,” he disclosed.
What we learnt and message to fans
The artistes also spoke about personal and life lessons that the pandemic has taught them just as they advise their fans.
Alabi who is famous for singing the mighty powers of God and the benevolent grace of Jesus Christ; said on the television programme, that the COVID-19 pandemic has taught her to be more hygienic.
She stated: “The good thing I learnt from it is we should always be hygienic. We didn’t know all these prior to COVID-19. We didn’t know we had to wash our hands every minute.”
“I didn’t know we can buy hand sanitizers and be using it like we now do. I didn’t know we have to use facemasks, especially where people are many. But now, that’s what I am going to be doing, even after COVID-19 is gone. I will still carry my facemask everywhere, and make sure wherever people are many, I wear it.”
Alabi also charged members of the public to be cautious of their environments and stay more hygienic. Her words; “Please make sure you wash your hands every 10 minutes. It doesn’t matter if you’ve put your hands in anything. Just always remember that as you are touching your clothes, you don’t know what has touched it.”
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“So, make sure you wash your hands and carry hand sanitisers wherever you go. Facemasks make sure you don’t joke with it. Whatever the authorities are telling you about it, make sure you listen and don’t say it’s a lie. The truth is there is COVID-19 out there. But I pray it won’t touch any of us. And those people that have it, the Lord will give them healing.”
On the lessons learnt from the COVID-19 pandemic, Gabination said he has learnt not to place too much expectation on the future. At the same time, he says he learnt to cultivate the habit of saving.
“I learnt a lot during this period. One of the lessons I have learnt is not to expect too much for tomorrow. Since today is what you have decided over, make good use of it and don’t take it for granted. We are all unsure about future events, and we shouldn’t bother much about planning for it.”
“I have also learnt to save more, no matter the expectation of tomorrow. Since today is all you know, saving for the rainy day can mean a lot,” he said.
Abdul maintained that COVID-19 is real and should be taken seriously. His words; “There is COVID-19, and I want to enjoin people not to joke about it. The figures are there. This thing is disturbing them in the US, UK, and all over the world. Sadly, the figures are rising everyday… so I want to enjoin everyone to still take preventive measures, even as churches are opening. This doesn’t translate to no more COVID-19 please.”
Learning from COVID-19 how precious life is, Atorise advised members of the public to stay safe. He also advised them not to go overboard with the church reopening. eelive also says that all our readers should please stay safe.