Evangelist Bola Are Biography

Foremost
singer and clergy, Evangelist Bola Are has said that her mission in
life is to praise God, using the Yoruba culture and language as carrier
of message. The music diva who was among the few artistes who pioneered
the gospel genre in Nigeria told Daily Sun recently that she only
praises her Creator and not human

beings.
She disclosed why she has always rejected jobs which were meant mainly
to praise individuals and not God. “In my own music, I do not sing
praises about people, but I only praise God.

There
are many things people can do to praise God and we can see this in the
Bible.So when people call me for performances to praise them, I always
tell them, I have not praised God enough, so why should evangelists be
praising human beings?”
explained

Are who served as President of Gospel Musicians Association of Nigeria (GOMAN) for over five years.
Asked
about some of the erring members of the association, Are said the real
gospel musicians would always do well and obey the laws of the
associations as well as doctrines of the gospel, while those who are not
real would not. Her words: “Those who are not called know themselves
and have refused to join GOMAN. But not all gospel musicians are doing
the wrong things.

There
are some who sing or protect the image of God through their music” On
her latest works, Are hinted that she has produced 62 albums to date and
that she is set to release four in the video format through Remdel
Optimum Communications soon. These include Adura Owuro(Morning Prayers),
Gbongbo Idile Jesu(Root of Jesus’ doctines),Oluwa Ni Oluso Aguntan
Mi(The Lord is my Shepherd) and Oore Ofe(Grace).

Are
also reminisced on her tenure as president of GOMAN, noting that she
rallied many gospel musicians from different parts of the country to
become members of the association. However, part of her challenges was
how to integrate musicians from a particular segment of the North, East
and South to bring gospel artistes together for unity. But some of our
colleagues from the East were not cooperating. In my five and a half
years of leadership, I tried as much as possible to involve the entire
nation but some people felt that since I am Yoruba, I can only work for
the interest of Yoruba singers and I found this rather dissappointing
and upsetting.’’

As
president, evangelist recalled how she got the association popular,
secured a bank account and how she registered the association. Her
words: “But after sometime, I decided to step aside based on God’s
instruction. I discovered that rivalry and disunity were setting in and
that would not help the association. After I left, Rotimi Odukoya
(Telemi) took over and I believe he is doing his best to address the
problems of the association.”

The
veteran gospel singer who hails from Ondo State also recalled how she
started her career “ I was born with music and everyone in my family
knew I was going to be a singer and evangelist. In fact, my birth and
career had been prophesied by Apostle Babalola, so no one was surprised
that I started singing as early as when I was a child. This is because
God created me mainly to speak to the people through music.”