Tunde Oyesina 
A gospel singer, Kayode Solomon Eludiwura, aka Kaywonder, has said that there is a need for “social re-awakening and spiritual re-engineering” in Nigeria which will allow the people to reconnect to God.
Eludiwura, who already has several hit tunes to himself including, “His Excellency” “Flood Gates of Heaven” “Oni Kokoro Orun, Gbani Gbani, Ore t’ẹṣe” among others, stated this in an interview.
The gospel minister added that though he was into secular and gospel music initially, a divine call came that made him abandon the former.
“I began my music career long before I got into the ministry. I was into both secular and gospel music. It was only a divine calling that got me into full gospel music. And I have never had to regret my decision.
“The first album was released in 2012 titled ‘His Excellency’. But my first hit was the ‘Flood Gates of Heaven’ featuring Oni Kokoro Orun, Gbani gbani, Ore t’ẹṣe and lots of other tracts.
“The journey has not been easy but when God is your compass, He makes it easy for you to weather your storm. He roundly has been awesome and faithful.
“One critical challenge faced in gospel music has been the issue of sponsorship. Only a few sponsors are willing to support the course of the gospel, unlike secular music where sponsorship is more frequent and regular. Companies, corporate establishments and individuals usually tend to support and sponsor secular music because of its appeal to the public,” he explained.
Speaking on the songs for Nigerian society at this time, he said: “Music and songs in general are meant to entertain, communicate, inform and influence the society in a certain direction. But in a state of moral depravity and spiritual decadence that we witness today, there is a need for social re-awakening and spiritual re-engineering to reconstruct our society with standardized values and reconnect us back to God.
“This is what our songs and music seek to do. The church through gospel music must be at the vanguard of this movement by becoming a beacon of light amid darkness. The church needs revival to be attuned to God – we need to turn to Jesus – the foundation and bedrock of this desired change we crave in our society and our nation.”
On his achievements and progress in the ministry, Kaywonder said: “Whatever achievements we have made, none could have been possible without God. He is our source and strength. Sticking to this call wouldn’t have been possible if He had not given us the grace to do so. But more importantly, is knowing who has called.
“My conviction is grounded in the fact that the faithful are the ones who also will do it. He never has failed us. He has always shown Himself strong. We as well believe in His promises just like Abraham did.
“It is the absolute truth that no man is perfect. We all strive towards it. However, there are certain pitfalls we gospel ministers must be conscious to avoid. The scriptures admonish us to look unto Jesus, the Author and the Finisher of our faith. He is our source and provider. This is why our goal should be to promote the kingdom of God and not in the quest for just material possessions and fame.
“All these other things are what the Bible says will be additional if we follow His lead. Gone are the days when the world came to the church to learn new ideas. These days, the church goes to the world to learn new ideals to be infused into the Gospel. We must strive to reverse this trend.”
