Sola Rotimi

Name: Rufus Olusola Ayinde Rotimi

Stage Name: Rev. Sola Rotimi &
The Triple ‘S'.
Birth: July 17, 1950.
Hometown: Odo-owa, Kwara State.
Education: Baptist Primary School, Aboabo, Kumasi, Ghana;
* African Primary School, Ogidiri Ofa,
Kwara State;
St James CAC School, Ilorin, Kwara State;
* Esie-Iludun Grammar School,
Oro, Kwara State.
* Morris Cerullo Schl of Evangelism, Ojoo, Ibadan, Oyo State;
* Christ Apostolic Theological Seminary, Ile Ife Osun State.
Work Experience:
Nigerian Paper Mills Ltd., Jebba 1968-1976.
Favourites:
Food: Rice & Beans, Tea & Fruits.
Colour: White, Blue.
Song: Ao mu okan ao fokan sile.
Local Artiste: Baba Balogun (late) of Takete Voices, Good Women Choir, CAC Yaba, Ayewa, Panam Percy Paul.
Foreign Artiste: Jim Reeves.
Turn off: Anti Christ behaviours.
TV Prog: Tele-vangelism and Soccer.
Bible Verse: Proverb 11:30.
Bible Book: Proverb.
Confessed Christ: April, 1969 at CAC Gariki, Jebba.
Matrimony: Promise Sarah
Church: CAC, Convention Camp Ground, Idimu, Lagos.
Languages spoken: Yoruba, Twi, Hausa and English.
Hobbies: Music evangelism and sports.
Organisations: Gospel Musician Association of Nigeria (GOMAN)
Performing Musician A
Perforssociation of Nigeria (PMAN)ming and Mechanical Rights Society (PMRS)

Contact Address: 129, Idimu Road, Ile Epo Alhaji Bus Stop, Egbeda, Lagos. P.O. Box 1389, Shomolu, Lagos, Nigeria. email:triplesministries@yahoo.com
Phone: 23417738058, 2348023003115 and 2348037210039
web site: www.solarotimi.org
Discography:
26 albums of which 21 is currently available
* Tete wa gba Ijoba re
* Ao mu okan ao fi okan sile
* Jesu o seun
* Ma se yan f'Oluwa /Wa sodo Jesu
* Loni lojo Igbala
* Oluwa yi o pese
* Lusifa nd'ode
* Awon elesin aye
* Eniyan se ara re o laye n seun
* Jesu ye
* Tani oni oju pipon
* Arun o ba colour mi mu
* Good Morning
* Ki lo npese fun won
* No Forgiveness in Heaven
* Father bless my home
* One God/ Odi Jeriko ma wo
* Am so glad
* Leaders of Mankind
* The Narrow Gate
* I will make it
* I will do my best
* My Lord
* On this Solid Rock
* Showers of Blessing
* Observation

Inspirations
"My inspiration came from being a member of my church choir in 1962/63 at Christ Apostolic Church, Ofa in Kwara State. I was what we called a "good Christian” then but certainly not born again but the encouragement to join the choir came from my dad, a policeman who was always being transferred all over Kwara State.

" But in 1969, I gave my life to Christ and my life changed and I had a great desire to work for God. I began to pray to God to use me as He used Peter, Stephen and Apostle Joseph Ayodele Babalola of CAC. Through these prayers I received inspiration to compose songs though I did not take it seriously.

"My love for the accordion music instrument began when our choirmaster left the church for more studies, leaving the accordion behind. I was determined to play it because nobody in the church could. I approached the pastor of the church, Mr Olagunju that I could play it and he told me to go on. Within three weeks, having no teacher, I mastered it.

" With interest, determination and intensive prayers, I was able to combine playing it with singing. By October 1970, I have mastered it perfectly and that was how my music career started unconsciously. The works Jim Reeves that I listened to regularly further strengthened my inspiration.

" Also of note was the ECWA Church music played on Radio ELWA, Igbaja, Kwara State. My gospel ministry began in 1972. I was then a worker in Jebba Paper Mills and at the same time member of the choir.

My love for evangelism became so intense that I was always either on casual leave or annual leave. However, in 1976, when my boss in the office could not stomach this kind of truancy again, I had to resign to become a full-time gospel evangelist.

Food on the Table
"I was not bothered about what to eat because I know that the Lord who calls His people has put what they will eat in the calling. That is the truth. The money may not come in a big way but you will never be hungry or lack any good thing. He promised and did not fail me.

Challenges
"Right now, the greatest challenge is cutting a better album than I have done before. I hope to travel o Jerusalem and make my music popular and identifiable just as it is in Nigeria. I also hope to encourage younger acts that once the Lord has called you, you should be sincere. I equally desire to have a hall where gospel music could be played and listened to and where accordion could be taught.

"I am not happy with what gospel music has become today. As one of the pioneers of gospel music in Nigeria, we laid it foundation on evangelism. We concentrate on reading the bible to get inspired, to get good lyrics and messages.

" Gospel songs are meant to motivate people to serve God, to give comfort, to speak Jesus, to praise and worship, to give salvation. Today, it has become commerce and entertainment; hence, we now have gospel songs in various forms like gospel Fuji, Juju, Senwele, etc. Most people sing because they want money, fame, etc. What we now experience is the danger of the perilous times.

"However, I don't have a hard-line opposition to all these gospel fuji, gospel Waka, gospel reggae, etc. I believe God loves all types of music but it depends on the way you present them. You cannot create a gospel rhythm on its own.

" Some gospel songs have a flavour of reggae, blues, calypso, country music, etc. but the lyrics, the attitude of the singer coupled with music presentation make it a gospel music. My concern with these gospel innovations is that they are more secular than gospel, more worldly than spiritual.

"Gospel music should attract secular audience to Christ not the other way round. The Holy Spirit must be in the song to make it gospel. The idea of adapting secular tunes to create acceptance for gospel songs is wrong and non-apostolic. The motive, I dare say, is to make it more than to preach the word.

"This motive is also responsible for the criminal act of singing other people's songs without giving credits or asking for permission. Some of them pick "old songs” or "choruses”, claiming they are in the public domain or that nobody owns the songs.

"These people are not sincere. They know the songs are not theirs, they are either lazy or and unwilling to spend money to find the composers. Yet they use the songs and put on the sleeves that "all songs written and composed by (them)”.

This is wrong. All they need to do is put their names on the songs they have composed and those they claim to be in public domain, put composers unknown.

In case the composer surfaces, you will explain, apologise and then compensate him/her.Truly, God owns all songs but He used someone to compose them. He who works by the altar must eat by the altar. It is not tenable to say because you are a Christian you should suffer while others are reaping from your creativity.

From left, Pastor Joseph Adelakun (Ayewa), Prophet S.K. Abiara, Pastor A.T Williams and Past Sola Rotimi.
"Those who wish to take such violators to court to get their dues, they have my support. However, some of our members whose copyrights were violated have not gotten justice from the law courts. This has frustrated me in copyrighting my songs because what is the essence of doing so when no justice can be gotten.

" Go to Alaba or Idumota markets in Lagos, nobody is arresting anybody for piracy. So I have allowed things to go the way they are. Nevertheless, for record purposes, I shall endeavour to register my works with the Nigeria copyright Council.

Defining Gospel Music
"The lyrics of what qualifies to be called gospel music must be capable of touching men. It must contain messages of repentance for sinners and assurance of salvation for mankind. It should contain lyrics/messages that counsel against immorality. The bible should be the standard. The message must come from the scripture.

"Gospel beats, rhythm, tempo should also be conducive to contrition. There are beats dished out in some of these songs which immediately you listen to it transport your mind to the dancing steps you see on TV.

People dance Makossa, Fuji, etc right in the church. That is not okay. We are preaching that the secular world should come to Christ but now there is no difference between the two.

"This problem has graduated to a height where some pastors do not see anything wrong with this. They allow their instrumentalists to play such suggestive songs and rhythms, which encourage suggestive and seductive dance steps and body movements.

They forget that people dance according to the instrumentation. Pastors should endeavour to correct such instrumentalists.

International Markets
"It largely has to do with language barrier, the media and the promoters. When a secular artiste releases, he gets a great deal of airtime but same treatment is not accorded his gospel counterpart. We have over 500 languages in Nigeria alone.

"Therefore, when a song is released in Yoruba, it becomes popular among the Yoruba people; the Hausa song amongst the Hausa and same thing for the Igbo. But take such song to America, they can't understand it. No matter how good the song is, the language barrier keeps it down.

Reverend Sola Rotimi with the accordion, an instrument he made popular in Nigeria.

"Some Congolese and South Africans music produced in their local languages are popular abroad because of great promotions, government incentives and policies. The South African promoters ensure that their songs are played always. It does not happen here like that.

Fulfilment in Gospel Music
"Fulfilment for the secular acts includes going abroad to play, cars, money, fashion, etc. What is the fulfilment for the gospel acts?

"The opportunity of the secular acts to play abroad is the work of the promoter in agreement with the artistes. The promoters know that if the artiste is popular, he the promoter will make more money. However, this is not so for the gospel musician.

"Promoters do not spend on gospel music as they do secular music. You hardly hear new gospel songs on radio after 3-4 months of release. The reason is obvious: the devil knows that the more you promote gospel music, the more you reduce sin, immorality, and crime, which the secular music promotes.

"In addition, some of our acts do not really bother to meet up with the international standards in their productions, reputation and management. However, that consciousness is fast catching on with them. Glory be to God that in spite of the indifference of the Nigerian promoters to gospel music and musicians, some of us have been receiving regular invitations to perform abroad, though this is confined to a few of us right now.

" Invitations come mainly from churches and Christian organisations and the reception has been tumultuous. In a church where I played in America recently, I ministered in songs in English language but someone shouted that I should play African songs and I began to sing in Yoruba. Though, they do not understand what I was singing, they enjoyed it and began to dance. They asked for the CDs of the song, which I did not have. I only had the cassettes with me.

Accordion
"The accordion is popular with the Mexicans, Italians and the Germans. Over there, they play it alongside other instruments but I play it to sing. I am a solo performer. When I started this in Jebba, I was one in-town. It was funny to some people to see me play and sing at the same time. It made me peculiar.

" I tell stories with my songs. I do preach also but these days, people tend to like choruses and some beats alongside it. I have now resolved to have a group that sings with me. I have tremendous joy when I see people who play the accordion, a musical instrument I made popular in Nigeria. When I started, I was about the only person playing it. Today, it has become popular with so many people. It makes me happy when they use it in praising God.

Recording Companies
"The problems are in two ways. Essentially, recording companies in Nigeria are exploiters. By asking musicians to be with them for long years, they have less than honest intentions.

" They have perfected the act of ambiguity in their agreement papers, which many musicians do not see because they do not always involve lawyers when they are going into such agreements. Recording companies would stipulate penalties for erring artistes but would sanction themselves when they do not perform their roles.

"When some artistes find out that their records have performed well in the market but are not satisfied with what they get, they jump away to another recording company.

" In GOMAN, we tutor our musicians on many technicalities. We teach them not to sign more that two years contract. When that elapses, they can sign another contract. We urge them to ask for N10 royalty per cassette unlike before when the companies dictate the terms. We let the musicians know that essentially, it is their creativity that is the prime mover of the enterprise. Recording companies should not dictate the terms. If one agreement does not work, another will work.

Morning Cry Evangelism
"Apart from m y albums, I have other avenues of preaching Christ. For so many years now, from 4 to 6am, I pick my accordion and move from one street to the other, singing loudly so that everybody around the vicinity would hear.

"I exhort people to pray and consider what they did yesterday or consider what would happen if they should die that day. This leads many people to ponder their ways and pray.

"I call this Morning Cry Evangelism. Often, I distributed for two hours through out the week. Now, I do it may be once or twice a week because the body is getting weaker. Those days, I would board the train from Lagos to Kano and back, evangelising.

Pioneer Gospel Musician
"It is very difficult for me to say probably because of the environment I was in then. However, one of the earliest gospel songs I remember listening to was the songs of one Obadiah played on Radio ELWA.
   

"There was also Mr. Balogun (now late) of Takete Voices, Isao in Kwara State and a choir from WokoWomu, a town close to Omu Aran. They sang a popular song, Furungbin Igbagbo, Jeki o tan kale. (Spread the Gospel)

"These songs were not on records but were played on radio. There was also Rev Moses Ariye, Henry Jackson and others on radio. However, I reckon with S. O. Akinpelu as the first person to put gospel music on vinyl in Nigeria.”
(C) Bola Adewara


"I am not happy with what gospel music has become today. As one of the
pioneers of gospel music in Nigeria, we laid it foundation on
evangelism. We concentrate on reading the bible to get inspired, to get
good lyrics and messages.

"Gospel songs are meant to motivate people to serve God, to give
comfort, to speak Jesus, to praise and worship, to give salvation.
Today, it has become commerce and entertainment; hence, we now have
gospel songs in various forms like gospel Fuji, Juju, Senwele, etc. Most
 people sing because they want money, fame, etc. What we now experience
is the danger of the perilous times.

"However, I don't have a hard-line opposition to all these gospel fuji,
gospel Waka, gospel reggae, etc. I believe God loves all types of music
but it depends on the way you present them. You cannot create a gospel
rhythm on its own.

"Some gospel songs have a flavour of reggae, blues, calypso, country
music, etc. but the lyrics, the attitude of the singer coupled with
music presentation make it a gospel music. My concern with these gospel
innovations is that they are more secular than gospel, more worldly than
 spiritual.

"Gospel music should attract secular audience to Christ not the other
way round. The Holy Spirit must be in the song to make it gospel. The
idea of adapting secular tunes to create acceptance for gospel songs is
wrong and non-apostolic. The motive, I dare say, is to make it more than
 to preach the word.

"This motive is also responsible for the criminal act of singing other
people's songs without giving credits or asking for permission. Some of
them pick "old songs” or "choruses”, claiming they are in the public
domain or that nobody owns the songs.

"These people are not sincere. They know the songs are not theirs, they
are either lazy or and unwilling to spend money to find the composers.
Yet they use the songs and put on the sleeves that "all songs written
and composed by (them)”.

This is wrong. All they need to do is put their names on the songs they
have composed and those they claim to be in public domain, put composers
 unknown.

In case the composer surfaces, you will explain, apologise and then
compensate him/her.Truly, God owns all songs but He used someone to
compose them. He who works by the altar must eat by the altar. It is not
 tenable to say because you are a Christian you should suffer while
others are reaping from your creativity.

"Those who wish to take such violators to court to get their dues, they
have my support. However, some of our members whose copyrights were
violated have not gotten justice from the law courts. This has
frustrated me in copyrighting my songs because what is the essence of
doing so when no justice can be gotten .

" Go to Alaba or Idumota markets in Lagos, nobody is arresting anybody
for piracy. So I have allowed things to go the way they are.
Nevertheless, for record purposes, I shall endeavour to register my
works with the Nigeria copyright Council.

"The lyrics of what qualifies to be called gospel music must be capable
of touching men. It must contain messages of repentance for sinners and
assurance of salvation for mankind. It should contain lyrics/messages
that counsel against immorality. The bible should be the standard. The
message must come from the scripture.

"Gospel beats, rhythm, tempo should also be conducive to contrition.
There are beats dished out in some of these songs which immediately you
listen to it transport your mind to the dancing steps you see on TV.

People dance Makossa, Fuji, etc right in the church. That is not okay.
We are preaching that the secular world should come to Christ but now
there is no difference between the two.

"This problem has graduated to a height where some pastors do not see
anything wrong with this. They allow their instrumentalists to play such
 suggestive songs and rhythms, which encourage suggestive and seductive
dance steps and body movements. They forget that people dance according
to the instrumentation. Pastors should endeavour to correct such
instrumentalists.