Music and Sin are Close Friends --- Otunba Jesu

In this heart rendering interview; Oludele Ayomikun Kunle (popularly known and referred to as Otunba Jesu) narrated his journey into music world, his ordeal and uniqueness in music – and his love for gospel music and Christ the Owner of his life.

WHY GOSPEL MUSIC?

In actual sense, I started music from my mom’s kitchen; I played rhythms and rhymes with cutleries. Over time, I matured from playing jargons to making meaning and waves but from inception, I have always loved to sing in honour of God.

PASSION FOR MUSIC

I was born a musician. My father was a musician and a pastor. I grew up in Mission House but playing music is a natural ability … a talent from God … and just as music is a brand with varieties of genres, styles and features, I chose Contemporary Gospel Music. It’s my second wife.

FIRST PUBLIC PERFORMANCE

I was about 12 years old at the time and it was a Harvest and Thanksgiving Service in a small town called Atan-Ota. There were about 200 dwellers in the community as at the time and that Harvest Festival was the 7^th to be celebrated in that church, St. Emmanuel Anglican church. I was invited as a guest artiste by my dad’s friend, one Pastor Talabi. That day, I performed during and after the church service;

FIGHTING AND OVERCOMING TEMPTATIONS

It is not easy overcoming temptations. I have had many denials, much struggles but I have been able to overcome all through the help of God. Without mincing my words, I can tell you that music and sin are close pals; they walk hand-in-hand. It is immaterial whether you play secular or gospel; if you are a musician, your number one enemy is sin – most especially sexual sin. It floods around you; you only need to be so careful not to fall for its baits.
I remember an issue that happened to me years ago; my marriage was in shambles and I thought the only solution was to quit – and so I did. Everything turned upside down for me; my work suffered, my spiritual life had a setback. I applied for a USA visa and failed … I faced hell spiritually and psychologically.

WHAT IS SO SPECIAL ABOUT MARRIAGE?

Marriage is an ordained union between man and wife. God instituted marriage. He is interested in marriage – and I believe, it is one of the reasons I enjoy playing at marriage functions than any other engagements. I keep telling people, if your marriage isn’t working, go to God who orders marriage and ask. He will shed light on whatever darkness that is overshadowing the relationship. Divorce or separation is never an option. For one thing that refuses to work well, nine others are working perfectly; it’s just that most spouses don’t realize what they have until they lose it.

RELATIONSHIP WITH GOSPEL ARTISTES

One set of gospel artistes I have avoided majorly are the ones that play regularly in beer parlours – they are dangerous species.
The church is the best rehearsal ground for a gospel artiste. Any gospel artiste who doesn’t worship in a church is worshipping mammon. He is only taking the grace of God for granted and He may wither.

MONEY Vs. SOULS

Truly speaking, music is my business and gospel music is my passion. Everybody goes into business to make profit but we do gospel to win souls. It is a known fact that money is the wheel of the gospel – without money, gospel propagation can be hindered.
I have been able to draw line between business and gospel. A gospel-artiste must be a soul-winner. For any church programme or outreach event, I don’t charge a farthing. Instead, I tend my ministration towards the church theme.

SOUL WINNING & EXPERIENCING MIRACLES

I have had miraculous encounters with the Spirit of God during ministration several times. The one I remember vividly was on Easter Monday Praise Service at CAC Champions Parish in Ikorodu. I had sung praises and many guests that graced the occasion had considered it to be an entertainment and they had danced but at a point, I switched the mode of my performance to worship. I fell flat on the ground, singing God’s praises, worshipping His majesty. My eyes were closed. I was preaching that we cannot live in sin and expect His grace to save us from harms and I was ministering on the importance of making heaven. I made a clarion call that the Kingdom of God is at hand … and by the time I opened my eyes, I saw a throng of people lying flat on the ground, crying.

IS IT POSSIBLE TO MINISTER AT SOCIAL FUNCTIONS WITHOUT COMPROMISING?

When I am invited to a function, I meet people with beer or cigarettes in one hand and crisp naira bills in the other hand. They don’t care about what I believe in. I want their monies, they want the entertainment. I sing their praises and inject God’s praises. I bring them closer and stylishly introduce Christ to them.
I have also been at events where people had lavished monies on me because of the way I praise God.
My life had been shaped by a book I read sometimes ago on the topic’ The Power to be with them and not among them.’ That book helped me to insulate myself against the world instead of isolating myself from the world.

UNIQUE SALES PROPOSITION

My USP lies in my dynamism – my ability to satisfy many tribes, age groups and interest groups at various functions has paved the way for me over and over. I sing in Igbo and Yoruba and I dabble into Fuji, Hip-hop, Rock, Juju and any other styles – just to satisfy my audiences and bring many to the knowledge of Christ.

STYLES

I am a fashion freak. I love good wears, trendy styles, smart and savvy. I can say I inherited that from my dad. I love being presentable – spick clean, not necessarily gorgeous and expensive.
I wish to start my own clothing line someday.

FAMILY AND CAREER

With the help of God, I have been able to balance my life and career by distinguishing between the two at every point in time. When I am working; it is work but when I am at home, my family takes priority.

WORK EXPERIENCE

After the compulsory youth service year, I searched for a way to feed myself. White collar jobs weren’t knocking at my door, so I settled for a printing job at Westayo Prints at Ogba. There I learnt the rudiments of printing and the knowledge has been helping me gather monies to sustain my family and augment my bills.
Apart from music, I am a printer. I am also into music production; I work in a studio, S-Blare. I also record jingles and soundtracks for movies. The one I just finished was for a movie Ipinle, produced by Pastor Wole Oladiyun of CLAM. I have also featured in some flicks; it’s just that I can be selective when it comes to starring in a movie, if it has no undertone of preaching the gospel, I am not featuring.

ROAD-BLOCKS AND WHAT KEEPS YOU ON TRACK

Just as it applies to other jobs, I also feel the heat, the challenges that tempt me to throw in the towel sometimes but I have learnt to stay on course, come what may be. The economic situation is the worst enemy of a self-employed in Naija. The threat is so glaring. If one lacks money to feed his family, you might be threatened to quit – but winners don’t quit and quitters don’t win. I am sure there is a better day ahead of me and I couldn’t have lived my best days yet.