Lagos-based juju-gospel singer, Abel Dosunmu, crowns the season with a new style, AKEEM LASISI writes
Gospel-juju artiste, Abel Dosunmu, has chosen to redefine his style of music with a new album titled ‘Fear Not’. The five-track album is the first in the new trend that the musician, popularly called Mega 99, has tagged the ‘Yearly Supplication Series’.
Up until now, he combined juju and gospel songs in his albums. But the new series to be released at the end of every year, is dedicated to praising God, with little or no juju tradition accommodated in it.
Mega 99, who is elated at the birth of ‘Fear Not’, notes, “My own style of music is juju-gospel. This is what our fans worldwide know us for. But what we will be doing now is that if, during the year, we concentrate more on the juju aspect, especially in our albums, the Supplication Series will be solely worship songs to celebrate God and inspire our fans to be happier in the spirit.
“You know, after one has survived all the challenges and turbulence of the year, it is a good time to praise God. It is a time to say ‘Thank you’ in way that will inspire God to do more in the coming years.
“But another reason we launched the Supplication Series is to create more praise songs for posterity. It is good to continue to sing the evergreen ones. But we can also help in renewing them and adding more so that we can all be richer in the presence of God.”
But Dosunmu stresses that the primary reason he produced ‘Fear Not’ is to enliven and boost the spirits and minds of the people this Yuletide/New Year season.
The title track Ma Beru – Fear Not – comes in a relaxed mood, taking the listener to different situations of life when God is, according to the musician, ever ready to spring surprises in favour of the people involved.
Also in Tete Bamidasi, Mega 99 leads the musical congregation in craving for good or higher things, creating a picture of spiritual and material hunger that many people often have. He identifies with such popular yearnings in the other three tracks as well – ‘If not God’, ‘I have a Father’ and ‘Yo won Lenu (Trouble them)”.
‘Fear Not’ was produced by Bengo 2, who was assisted by Bolu Fadairo and Gbemi Davies (engineer). Followers of Dosunmu’s music are likely to discover that the supplication mode also affords him an opportunity to renew his baritone-like voice in some parts of the songs.
On a general note, the musician, who was also one of the star singers at the Celestial Church of Christ’s convention held at Imeko, Ogun State and who is also due to perform today at Abidap Hotel, Mosan, Iyana Ipaja, Lagos, says 2013 has been a great year for his career.
He recalls that he acquired what he tags a sate-of-the-art equipment at about N5m; while his works and performances thrived in a way that boosted his fortune and that of his band members.
On the challenges he encountered during the year, he cites the example of an armed robber attack in February when he was returning from a musical tour outside Lagos.
“I was in our big van alongside my band members. I just chose not to ride in my car. The robbers waylaid us and asked everyone to submit all we had. I had to hide my face to avoid a situation the robbers would see me, or a situation that I would recognise any of the faces. You know that would be a more terrible problem.
“Although they collected all our money and everything, we were not physically hurt and we returned to Lagos thanking God. But beyond such an incident, it has been a glorious year for us,” Mega 99 adds.
Source: PUNCH
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