A new movement is emerging from Nigeria called AfroGospel, and it’s fresh, energetic, and captivating our senses. Gaise Baba’s remix of “No Turning Back Pt. 2” with Lawrence Oyor has gone viral, garnered millions of YouTube views, a breathtaking spate of interviews, and a massive spike in searches for the Christian music veteran Gaise and Minister Lawrence (who also pastors the Davidic Generation Church in Ibadan) If you haven’t heard the song, and you listen to any Afrocentric music, you must be living under a rock!
What is AfroGospel? According to Gaise Baba's definition and understanding, this is not an alternative to Afrobeat but a movement by which God is raising African creatives to share the gospel, the message, and the culture of the Kingdom through art and all forms of creative expression which includes music, film, modeling, fashion, and theater and more. Therefore, AfroGospel is a vehicle, not a genre.
I must admit, I was curious about these young men who are evidently on fire for Jesus. And the more I watched interviews and learned about their commitment to consecration, family, selfless service, and God’s agenda, it’s clear a new era is about to sweep through Nigeria and the world. Over the last five years, Afrobeat and Amapiano have dominated the music scene, making artists like Wizkid, Rema, David, Burna Boy, and Tyla known internationally. Gaise predicts that this new sound and movement, AfroGospel, will eclipse the impact of Afrobeat. I believe him. People are hungry for wholesome entertainment, substance, and authenticity. To compound the issues, AI has distorted our perception of reality, and we must sometimes verify images and content on social media to ensure they are not generated or manipulated by artificial intelligence. Gaise, who began his music career in 2010, predicted this movement several times on his Podcast, Black Flame, and in his song “Elijah Level,” and calls the collaboration with Lawrence Oyor unplanned, organic, and powered by “unforced rhythms of grace.” That banger of a song had Lawrence’s trademark chants weaving in and out in sonorous depth. The lyrics and verses are forceful and decisive, declaring unapologetic resolution and dominion.
Followers of Jesus, who have taken a stand to be aligned with God’s plan and purpose, understand that God’s timing often seems like a delay to the natural mind. The Bible warns against envy and resentment, especially when we see the wicked prosper quickly. For one, many compromise and take shortcuts, unwilling or lacking the resolve to wait for God’s perfect timing. In John 15, Jesus refers to himself as the Vine, and God the Father as the Vine Dresser, who prunes the branches so that they bear fruit. The branches have to endure a measure of pain, then regrowth as they abide in the Vine. We, God’s people, are the branches. My friends, pruning shears are sharp.
I believe God has found a vessel in Gaise Baba, who has experienced delay and obvious pain in waiting for God’s timing for his career to “blow.” He encourages everyone to find themselves in the Word as he has, because his manifesto is based on Isaiah 42:6 and Isaiah 49:6. And I pray for Gaise, Pastor Lawrence, and all those called to this movement to remain and excel as architects of a cultural shift, discipling youths and nations. This viral musical moment is proof that God still makes all things beautiful in His time. Be encouraged to stay the course, knowing that pain and delay are the birthplaces of new sounds, higher levels in God, and greater revelations of your part in God’s agenda. I am excited about the culture shift sweeping over the youth in Africa and Nigeria in particular. This is a generation that will lead the way in consecration, communion, and firm resolve, never turning back to the mundane, but committed to seeing God’s kingdom expressed on earth. To that end, I chorus – Amen! No turning back..Never ever! From Africa to the World.
Onward, Ama
Image Credits: Genius Lab, Pixabay.
Ama Danesi 