How I Work As A Legal Practitoner, Public Health Expert And Gospel Artiste - Atobatele

Alright, Alayinka is in the studio with me. Of course, she will be talking about her new music. Yes, and she is a philanthropist, a veteran, professional entrepreneur, public health expert, and of course, a legal expert. Alayinka joins us in the studio this morning. Thank you very much for coming. Thank you. Alright, so I'm finding it hard to pronounce the title of that video. Can you pronounce it for us? Okay, what does it mean? He says that I fall down at God's feet to worship him. So, simply put, you can just say I bow at his feet. So, he's talking about falling down at God's feet in reverence and to worship him. Why did you decide to go into gospel music? Okay, so I've never been into another type of music ever anyway. So, all my days of singing or music has only been gospel. So, it has always been what I've been doing. I have been doing it for over two decades. So, at this time, it was just like, eventually, people need to hear this music that I have been able to come to write, to develop. So, it has only been at my own local end. Just within my choir, I sing, I write my songs, but it has never been published. It just occurred to me that this talent, why are you keeping it under? God says that the talent should be put on the table for people to see the light, not under the bushes. So, that's what happened. And so, you decided to come forth with what you have for the world to see. To be blessed with it, yeah. And so far, how has it been over the years doing this? Well, like you said, I've been a professional doing other things. So, it was just more like a passing thing. I do it consistently in the choir and probably when I'm called to sing somewhere and that's all I've been doing. I know that I could do more, but I'd be focusing on my profession and other things. So, it's not that difficult. It's just that it's time-consuming. So, it's something that you need to concentrate on. So, I had the opportunity recently to do that and I was able to publish this song. Talking about time-consuming, you are a public health expert, you're a legal practitioner as well, and a gospel musician. How do you combine all of this? You're also a mother, you're a wife. How do you combine all of this? Well, there is always someone that is your helper in life. So, apart from God being your foremost helper, there's someone there to support you. So, I think that the blessing I have is that I have my husband supporting me and that has helped me eventually to be able to publish this song. Over the years, truthfully, I had to concentrate on family, work, profession, but now I have the luxury of the time and the support from my immediate environment to be able to do this also. So far, what informs your lyrics? Yes. So, thank you very much for that question. So, when I was ready to develop this song, I was not like, okay, what's going to be the lyrics eventually? Because I have my director, when I met him and told him I'm about to make this music, what do you think? He now says that I need to go back and develop these lyrics more. So, when I went back, I was privileged to have a timeout earlier in the year. So, when I went back to develop the lyrics, I was just praying that God give me entire lyrics for this song because I had something already, but I needed to build more content for the song. So, God gave me Revelation 1 and that's why the word Mowole came actually from Revelation 1.11, when John said that he fell down at his feet as though he was dead. So, the word is actually Yoruba. If you read the Yoruba version, it says, So, he was pathless when he saw what God revealed to him, like the appearance of God that he saw in Revelation 1, he was pathless. He fell down at his feet as if he was dead, like no energy. He was and he started worshipping God and God told him who he was and that's why you have all the other side of the lyrics that says, it's the I am that I am, and he is the beginning and the end, the Alpha and Omega because God introduced himself to him that don't be afraid, I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end and those are the things that's in Revelation 1 is what informed the lyrics. Revelation 1? Yes, in its entirety. Okay, so looking at the gospel music industry and genre in general, do you think we're actually doing well? I think that we're actually doing well for our time. So, everything is time and season and opportunity. So, the way gospel is because we know that it's a Christian-based music. It's based on traditions around it and the social context around it. So, in Nigeria, the Nigerian gospel music is actually doing well for itself because we are getting the song that needs to be sung right now at this time. So, it's about the time and I think for now, it's okay. We thank God. In terms of production, in terms of general content production and all of that, are we also doing better than our counterpart? Wow! So, I'm not going to be a good judge of that because when you say our counterpart, are you comparing us to foreign countries like America? So, because gospel music is about the social context. So, but if I'm to compare, I think we are doing very well in Nigeria. Very, very well because a lot of these foreigners that are singing this gospel music also, they come and collaborate with some of us. They sing these songs in their country. You can see some of them are doing remixes with us and everything. I think we are doing well. Maybe we are not exactly there yet but the product that I'm seeing, in my opinion, is good. Well, yesterday at the Experience Press Conference, I think it was Israel Hilton who was saying, look, Travis Green says he wants to be on the remake or the remake of Give Me Chance. I want to praise my God. You see, like you have said, they always sing our songs and they enjoy the content we are giving from Nigeria. So, what's your take on collaborations with international acts? Is it enough to collaborate with them to boost our craft or to pass a message? What do you think about all of that? So, what you ask yourself is that what is actually the essence of the gospel music itself? So, it's supposed to be inspirational. Just like we have Psalms in the Bible, they were actually songs sung in those days for their time. So, the gospel music in our generation now, they are inspirations from God. So, those wordings that have been sung, they can be sung anywhere in the world, anywhere. You can sing them in America. So, the collaboration is a welcome idea and I think it's good. It's actually promoting the content and the content eventually is good. So, at the end of the day, the purpose is to be fulfilled. That's all that matters. For you, any plans for collaboration? Well, for now, not yet but I don't know. Maybe when the time comes, I will be open to it. When will the time come? When is the time for collaboration? I believe that it will be soon. So, if you have one, what artist on the top of your head, what artist do you have in mind to collaborate with when it's time? Well, the song Jane is actually traditional. Yeah. So, it might be more traditional. I can't think of anyone of them now but even if they are foreign ones, anyone that the meaning of the song actually inspires, I'm open to collaborate with. Alright, what about concerts? Are there plans for concerts as well? Yeah, not exactly now but we are looking forward to such opportunities next year. So, when do we expect an album from you? By God's grace, next year. Next year, 2025, an album coming from Olaika. Alright, so in all of this now, we have some, there might be some young gospel artists watching and all of that and some might be pressured because they are seeing their counterparts doing in the secular music industry, doing quite well than seemingly them in the gospel industry. Do you have, what do you have to say to them? Okay, so what I have to say to them is that time and chance happen to us all. The most important thing is that make sure you are adding value and you are there. When the opportunity comes, you will be there to be picked on. So, if you don't render anything, if you just keep on staying within your environment, if you don't launch into the deep, you will not get noticed. So, just continue to make more effort, be diligent. There is no one that is diligent in what they are doing that will not eventually come on top. So, that's the truth. The Bible says it all. It says that see a man diligent in his own ways, he will stand before kings. So, they should not be in a hurry to say, oh the contemporary people, they are doing better than gospel music. Not necessarily, not necessarily. We are all called to do our own thing and to shine in our own space. So, just do your thing and be consistent, be diligent. You will eventually get there. What's your take on gospel musicians charging a fee to perform? Well, that topic is everywhere. It's there every time. So, actually, you know that music itself is a profession and then when you say gospel, like we all know it's supposed to be an inspirational thing. So, if you are inspired by God to produce the music and you do it and that is your calling and you decide that because it is a calling, you are seeing yourself as a minister. You don't want to collect money. It's fair and if you decide that, oh it's also my profession. Some people actually went to school to study music. You say it's my profession and I want to be an entertainer even though I'm inspired. I have the gospel music and I want to charge for it. I don't think it's also bad. So, it depends on what exactly is your calling. What are you fulfilling? So, for some people, they feel that I am being called like a pastor to minister and I am not collecting money. My God will provide for me. Meanwhile, we have pastors also who minister in churches and they have their private businesses and they have. So, it's just the same way as far as I'm concerned. You can be there and have your private business. You can be there and be ministering to God but if it is gospel music and you are inspired to do it and you decide not to be charging, it's you and your God. It will show that it's God that made you do it and called you not to charge. It is basically about what God has called you to do, your decision, the decision you've had with God and all of that and ensuring that the music goes further. Yeah. Alright, but as gospel musicians also, are we also doing well in preaching the gospel of our music? Because there are people who say that some of the songs that we sing are not in quotes according to scriptures. Okay. So, I believe that if it is a calling and a ministry, God does not change. It remains the same. So, if he's saying something to you, you should be able to find it in the scriptures. So, if your song is not scriptural and is not in accordance with the scripture, then you are not singing the scripture. So, you might not be classified as someone that has inspiration to sing the song because gospel music is talking about getting an inspiration and we have said So, if you have another inspiration for your song, it cannot be a gospel music. So, you can decide to call it that your own name by yourself but doesn't necessarily make it a gospel music. So, there might be entertainers in this space. Like I said, there is entertainment. Originally, music is an entertainment and it could be a ministry. So, it all depends on what you are doing. Even if you're a Christian and you think you're an entertainer, you don't have to call If that is your profession or your gift and you want to use it to entertain, fine, do it. You don't have to ascribe gospel to it. But if it's an inspiration from God or his word and you are pushing it out there in music, we can call it gospel music. I think that's the delineation we need to make before we can say when people are saying gospel music are now just entertainment. But there's nothing wrong in being an entertainer. So, is the church helping in pushing gospel artists all around the world? Are they helping in pushing? Are they doing well in terms of promoting gospel music? Okay. So, how do you mean are they well doing it? Because for instance, yesterday was just experience and that is the church behind it. And I know some other concerts that many churches also promote. So, and I know that there are many opportunities given to gospel music to minister during church programs. So, if you ask me, I think the church is supporting it. So, finally now, what's next for you? What should we expect from you? You say you're expecting an album next year. What more can we expect from you? So, there will be singles before the eventual album coming out and then so you should expect some other songs next year by the end of first quarter. Okay, all right. All right, Olayinka Atabatele, thank you so much for talking to us and giving us your insight on all of the issues in the gospel music industry. Thank you so much. Thank you for your time this morning. Thank you so much.