DO WE NEED MUSIC CONFERENCE!
In continuation of the debate to the kangoroo Music Conference held last week by some element led by one of the children of M/S/E Oshin (The Second in Command) in person of Venerable Superior Evangelist Oshin. The Music Conference received high commendation from concerned members who felt the negativity played from staff’s in the Pastor Office to tactically influence the Pastor to act against the collective interest of the Church. V/S/E Oshin led the campaign to destroy a structure laid by late Rev AA Bada. Like the general saying “ Let show has event unfold”.
I shared some of my perspective of the stage of our MUSIC with the view to implement a systemic circulation for readjustment & repositioning. However I will only engage discussion with the recognized members of the Central Choir led by the AUTHENTIC MUSIC DIRECTOR of the Church.& patriotic members in the Church, not a Group led by John Oshin a rebel on the march to collapse what his father met when he joined the Church.
MY PERSONAL OPINION HAS AN ETHNO MUSICOLOGIST.
THE EFFECTIVENESS OF MUSIC IN CELESTIAL CHURCH OF CHRIST.
Many part of Africa where the phenomenon and practice of gospel music have assumed the status of main stream music (Emielu 2014). There are essential qualities that make a good music composition for church such as : Meaning text, singable melody and danceable rhythm.
The major objectives of this paper are to study the standardization of Celestial Church of Christ music to the contemporary standard of music in the modern world. Celestial church music fall under gospel music, which has been a subject of some debates as regards to interpretation in African and Afro- American person, history has it that the term gospel music in the west world was popularized as essentially black American music genres in the 1920s, having defined the term ‘Gospel music’ in the context of this paper, a gospel musicians hence, defined as someone who minister music by preaching gospel of God (Adedeji 2015)
Another controversial and ethical issue is the use of secular styles such as Highlife, Juju, Waka, Fuji musical styles in gospel music. These styles of music belong to a wider side of musical category’s known as popular music, Christian and Gospel musicians refers to them as secular on the basis of textual contents, free dance accompaniment and other practices associated with their performance, its common today to hear ‘Highlife Gospel’ Fuji Gospel’ Juju Gospel’ in Celestial Church.
Gospel music has one of the Christian musical genres under popular music in Nigeria, has content’s of traditionally and theologically evangelistic, I.e aimed at preaching the goodness of Jesus Christ to other for the purpose of saving their souls (Abiodun 2010)
CELESTIAL MUSIC HAS AN IDENTITY
On the platform of God spirit, Pastor SBJ Oshoffa got moved by the holy spirit to establish the Celestial Church of Christ in September 1947,the church drew for herself, independent hymns and mode of worship, which were quite distinct from those in other churches. (Faseun 2010)
Music in the Church are not performed for the sake of entertainment, but some could be for extra musical activities including enchanting the transformation of the prophets and prophetesses into the spiritual realm, praising and worshiping with western and traditional musical instruments, the church music also set the mood to put the seers into trance when necessary, great musicians that has perform this in Celestial Church of Christ has also performed important role to inject the spiritual mind-set to the music of the church, musicians such has Steve Pelemo, Remi Olabanji, Wole Adetiran, Akin Adebayo, late
Late Roland Olubukola Olomola popularly known has Baba ara, apart from the spiritual song book, which we call hymns book, during the time of Papa Oshoffa and after his demise, various parishes has released different inspirational musical albums, parishes like Makako and Tejusoho both in Lagos, Yemetu and Army barracks both in Ibadan, BUT DO WE STILL HAVE THE STANDARD OF THESE MUSIC CELESTIAL CHURCH TODAY?
PRESENT STAGE OF MUSIC IN CELESTIAL CHURCH
The spirit of the Church made it clear that the decision, plan and purpose of the sovereign universal council for Celestial Church is to focus on things of heaven (Siwoniku 2007)
The present stage of music in our church is questionable the two major aspects that the church focus on is the Instrumentation/Percussion and Economic value, the originally of music and the spiritual aspect seem to have lost her glory, the present musicians in the church are not concern about the standard of musical pattern in the church, the seriousness of Cantata is fading out in our churches, Celestial music is wearing different robes in term of styles and beats, our present musicians don’t look at the consequence of bridge out in the spiritual instinct of our music, but only focus on popularity of individual has an artist, a lot of attention needs to pay to the musical aspect of our church because the inspirational aspect of music is the back-bone in Celestial Church.
FROM AN ETHNO-MUSICOLOGY POINT OF VIEW.
The fieldwork showed that a large part of the music of the Celestial Church of Christ is rooted in Highlife music (Adetiran 1987).
The entire worship of the C&S embraces the tradition of the mission churches combined with those which are peculiar to the traditional culture, similarly in the Celestial Church of Christ, in addition to the characteristics manner of singing and clapping, hymns are appropriately selected for various services to match the purpose of the service being held (Olaosebikan 2016).
Its necessary to state that singing a gospel song does not necessary make someone a gospel musicians, there are unbelievers that sing gospel song, just has there are Christian that sing secular songs, those who are in the affairs of music in various parishes mightn’t be a trained musicians, like the Orthodox churches, but the central body of the church should established a MUSIC SCHOOL to train individual on the importance of Celestial music, in order to develop the Church both locally and internationally in term of music. The self-concept is very important because it will give deep understanding on the way people define themselves has musicians within and outside Celestial fold.
Celestial Church of Christ has constantly been bedeviled with various administrative challenges in term of human management for a modernized and effective church of God; This negative stereotype attitude has drive to every sector of our Church to the point where the secularism music has find step within our Church;
THE SECOND PERSPECTIVE WITH THEORY OF ETHNOMUSICOLOGY
Music can express social attitude and cognitive process; but it is useful and effective only when it is heard by the prepared and receptive ear of people who have shared or can share in some ways the cultural and individual experience of it’s creator. (Blacking 1973)
Celestial Church is a Christian rooted Church that preachs the teaching of God; the Church also used all available means to propagate the salvation of God to mankind, which music has continuously played a significant role to project the salvation of God.
ETHNOMUSICOLOGIST’S VIEW ON GOSPEL MUSIC
Baba Adetiran agreed that the elements of Yourba music employed in the Celestial Church of Christ include pentatonic melody (five-note scale), the call and response style of musical performance, the parallel 3rd and 5th harmonic scale, that showed that a large part of music of the Celestial Church of Christ is rooted in Highlife musical style, which is a common musical style in present Celestial Church of Christ today.
Prof Adedeji explained that Gospel musicians are ministers of God ministering through music, at the same time they are not scientifically disproved. A Gospel musicians use music to preach the good news in Christianity to both believer’s and unbeliever’s.
DO WE HAVE GOSPEL MUSICIANS IN CELESTIAL CHURCH OF CHIRST ?
The constant use of secular musical style in Celestial Church belong to the spectrum of musical category known as Popular Music under the theory of Africa Musicology. This refers to secular music styles basis on the textual contents, free dance accompaniment and other practices associated with the musical style, while majority of musicians in Celestial use the secularism method in singing during services in Celestial Church, it’s a negative stereotype of style to the music expert’s who believes that the use of secular musical theory being injected into Gospel music in Celestial Church don’t meet the standardization of Gospel Music in term of Musicology belief.
ARE ABEL DOSUNMU (MEGA 99), SEGUN ”DOWU’(NABI), SAMSON ADEKANBI (SAMMY P), ESTHER IGBEKELE, MICKY ABEL, TUNDE APATA, LANRE TERIBA, DARE MELODY, JANET OMOTOYOSI AJILORE ETC, GOSPEL MUSICIANS
There is no song composed that would not have a beat, Gospel music which Celestial Church sing definitely fit into a particular musical style. Celestial Church authority are yet to give measures to manage the musical pattern that parishes should sing. Celestial Church is a free market of musical beats; be it Juju beat, Highlife beat, Fuji beat, Country Music beat, Rock beat, Calypso beat, Cha-Cha beat, Rumba beat etc; the rendition approach is the Acapella in the Church music style which are important; the style in Church music setting is referred to as the unaccompanied vocal music, especially the choral work and many of Celestial Church music are not familiar with this style. Celestial Church of Christ dose not have a born-style of music expect for our hymns book, while the Church allowed secular style of music in Celestial Church.
With the above artistes mentioned; through the live performance on stage outside the jurisdiction of Celestial Church; can we categorize them as Gospel Musicians or Secular Musicians?
There are some selected individual in the fold that base the style of their music on the theory of Gospel music; artistes such as veterans Steve Pelemoh (Bro-Bro), Remi Olabanji, and Akin Adebayo, while Femi Opalemo, Oluseyi Solagbade, Sola Allyson also base their performance on Gospel Music style.
THE USE OF SECULAR MUSIC STYLE IN CELESTIAL CHURCH BY CELESTIAL ARTISTES.
The use of secular styles in Gospel as secularism in nature, the sudden turn of musicians to freely express their music in the Church not conform with the standardization of style in Celestial Church.
The ethnomusicology has classification of music in the religious circle; such classifications are Church Music, Gospel Music, Contemporary Music.
CHURCH MUSIC
Church Music dose not accompany the use of secular styles in any ramification; base on the orthodox advocacy because professor Emeritus Nkeita once said that the indigenous churches and their musical tradition which are at variance with the doctrine of the orthodox church; singing in their native dialect, making use of traditional Instruments, vigorous drumming, exotic and energetic dance steps, spiritualism among other.
Church Music have (4) part harmony the common (SATB), the soprano, alto, tenor and bass voice; but the present part-voice is (MS, S, A, T, BA, B) Six-part harmony- Mezzo soprano, soprano, alto, tenor, baritone and bass voice.
GOSPEL MUSIC
A Gospel music is a brand of Christian religious music that dwells on telling others, especially outsiders, the good news in Christianity; it seeks to win other people’s conviction.
The Gospel Music under African Music highlighted Gospel Music on some factor-
THE LOGOGENIC MUSICAL STYLE- This is a style that makes use of scriptural text, hymns, poem.
THE MELOGENIC MUSICAL STYLE- This is a style that injects the melody line in a text of superimposed form, the lead voice takes a long part of the composition.
THE PATHOGENIC MUSICAL STYLE- This is a common style in all compositional style in popular music; it is a call and response style.
Some artistes in Celestial Church have all the standard mentioned above; Professor Faseun;(an ethnomusicologist & a Celestian) in one of his paper “Yoruba Music in Christian Liturgy: The Celestial Church of Christ as a case study” explained the view of Celestial Church Music which doesn’t accommodate secular style of music.
Doctor Rotimi Olaosebikan (an ethnomusicologist & a Celestian) in one of his paper “Philosophical nexus between Orthodox and Indigenized Church Musical traditions; Wole Adetiran example of the Celestial Church Central Choir, Lagos” also highlighted the originalty of Celestial Music without basing his argument on the constant use of secular musical style in Celestial Church.
OFFSHOT OF CELESTIAL PERFORMING ARTISTES ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (CPAAN); THE ADVANTAGEOUSNESS & THE UNPROFITABLENESS.
Celestial Church of Christ has constantly been bedeviled with various administrative challenges in term of human management for a modernized and effective church of God. Recently a group of musicians in Celestial Church formed an association called “ Celestial Performing Artistes Association of Nigeria” (CPAAN). The selected Celestians musicians who established the association may have formed the association in order to check the misnormal and negative behavioral attitude of musicians in the fold.
The Ordinances of Celestial Church of Christ are instituted based on pre-determined purpose to serve specific importance; there is no ordinance without a pre-determined purpose and importance (Siwoniku 2019).
The Ordinances of Celestial Church is not a control based factor through individualism in the world but through the total control of God himself. Celestial Church is well-designed, a planned place of worship through the calling of Pa SBJ Oshoffa. The Church has her own tenent’s and doctrines in term of mode of worship; with a framework of constitutional provisions to guide the administrative setting of the Church.
WHAT DOES CELESTIAL CHURCH CONSTITUTION SAY ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN ASSOCIATION IN THE CHURCH.
The style of managing human resources and capital management are purely an administrative system; which Celestial Constitution has made provision in term of check and balance; however from section (1) to section (200) of the Church Constitution dose not make provision whatsoever to create an association. With the above explanation of the provision of the Church Constitution; the establishment of Celestial Performing Artistes Association of Nigeria (CPAAN) is against the laws that guide the management of the Church.
VARIOUS PASTORAL FACTION IN THE CHURCH; UNDER WHICH FACTION DOES CPAAN STAND?
After the demise of the founding Pastor in 1985; the Church is yet to the leadership tussle from various quarters, while the negative development has affected the evolution of the church in many ways. The executive of CPAAN can’t turn blind eyes to the fact that some questions seriously need urgent attention; under which pastoral directive will CPAAN operate? Maybe CPAAN will operate without any pastoral directive; whether from Ketu or from diocese or from Ajase. There must be a pastoral directive to the association since the Church Constitution dose not support the establishment of any association in the fold.
IS EVERY CHIOR MASTER IN CELESTIAL AN AUTOMATIC MEMBER OF CPAAN.
The provision of establishing a parish in Celestial Church requires a choir department, and a member among the choir will be chosen to oversee the activities of the Choir. The Choir Master might not be a musician but such Individual must have basic knowledge in of music. However, the establishment of CPAAN using the symbolization of Celestial Church of Christ name guarantee automatic membership of any Choir Master in Celestial in respective of parish or faction in the Church?
WHO IS TO REGISTER CPAAN UNDER THE CAC LAW?
Nigeria is a sovereign state that operates under the federal law; it is one of the responsibilities of the corporate affair commission to register any organization in the country. Celestial Church of Christ was first register on the 24th of November 1958. It is a well-known fact that the Ketu faction re-registered the Church with provision of the amendment law of the corporate affair commission act (as amended 2014).
With the provision of the law that exist on the proper running of an effective association in Nigeria; who will register CPAAN with the corporate affair commission; Dose the CAC Act empower any individual to create an association for registration under a registered organization that has originally registered with the corporate affair commission.
All the above explanation is not to condemn the Celestial Performing Artistes Association of Nigeria (CPAAN) nor to rubbish their effort; but to have a proper sustainability in the Church in order not to create a future misconception like the leadership tussle rocking the Church.
CONSEQUENCES OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON CELESTIAL CHURCH OF CHIRST MUSIC.
In the 21st century, social media is one of the wonders of the world. This innovation undoubtedly is source of genuine and ungenuine information shared, as well as a pool of knowledge ready for harvest depending on one’s need globally connecting people in real time. It’s a modern technology that has influenced the world with the view of passing information in all ramification to all race at a click.
Social media has advantages and disadvantages. It is a tool for positive productive pursuit and can as well be a tool for degradation and controversial information to the public.
The advantages of social media is to communicate, advertise, connect, bridge gap, inform, friendship and market things on a global level; while these things need to be done with a sense of moral, descipline, control or censourship before they are shared on public space. The Effect could either be positivity or negativity, but the negative part showcase the negative effects of patronage by members of our Church, who in turn launder the image of our Church consciously or unconsciously to the public.
In a Church like Celestial Church of Christ which happens to be a place of sacredness with over 1000 Parishes in Nigeria alone. We have found ourselves creating a farce bringing to the public our inheritance which ought to guarded jealousy.
We find ourselves posting rediculous issues, dancing steps in some of our Parishes, most especially during Cantata, Musical Night, Adult Harvest and New Moon Services. We bring to public, issues that ought to be handled internally to social media to score cheap points. Enemies have been made on social media rather than friendship when people don’t agree on a view( for a church who’s canon is love)
The questions that comes to mind is, has the Church no verifiable media handles, how responsive is the Church authority to matters raised by members via it’s media platforms, how accessible are the media platforms, is there any sanction for abuse of the social media by members of the church, etc
Sincerely, you can’t find herbalists posting on social media a recording of themselves practicing rituals in their spiritual rooms rather they tend to educate, enlighten as they know such things are sacred. Introduction of secular worldly songs, worldly dancing styles and awful musical composition are rendered in most of our parishes and shared on various platforms of social media.
When you do these things and display them, have it at the back of your mind that you have created the mind for immorality and indecent acts, while the consequences of your actions will create an avenue for those who will emulate your behavior according to your display in Church.
This affect the embodiment of the holy spirit in Celestial Church and it also paint Celestial Church of Christ in a bad light. It also affect some set of people on social media who are non members to wonder what the church represent base on what is seen, read or heard.
Imagine a Choir Master, Choir member or members of the congregation recording themselves dancing to worldly music during church service, and those individual will still have the mind to post it on social media, without thinking of the aftermath of their action; forgetting that social media will still repost it after many years rather than teach about the doctrines of the church linking it to the Bible to further demistify the notion that the church is an ocult society.
We need to respect God, we need to respect our Church, we need to respect the calling of Pa SBJ Oshoffa, we need to respect the tents and doctrine of Celestial Church.
Leader Akinleye Emmanuel
A Concerned Celestian
Sound Engineer, B.A (Music) Ife, M.A (Music) Ife, PhD (Music) Ife (In view)
