Meet “THE JEHOSHAPHATS” United Spiritual Church Cathedral

The choir of the United Spiritual Church (Cathedral) Òkè-Ẹri, Abẹ́òkúta was formally inaugurated in 1960, even though some choristers had been there before. The initiative came from Prophet Omodeli, an Edo man who got to the Church through Venerable J.S. Ọ̀ṣọbà. The first set of choristers include Sister Grace Ọláyínká Ọ̀ṣọbà, Mrs E.O. Ṣópẹ́ìn (Màma Ẹlẹ́ẹ̀kọ), Mrs F.F. Ṣópẹ́ìn (Màma Túndé), Mrs A. Akínṣílé, Mrs E.A. Akíṣọlá (Màmá Onífùfú), Mrs E.A. Èsúrúoṣó and Sister Roseline Adéọ̀sun among others.

Apostle (Dr) S.O. Bámgbóṣé donated the first organ, a bellow organ, to the Church in 1963. The second organ, an acoustic, was donated by Apostle S.O. Adébẹ̀ṣin in 1977. The Church itself purchased an electronic organ in 1983. Keyboards had been donated to the Church at different times by the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) of the Church and the children of a former Lay President of USC, Elder M.A. Adéògún. The present keyboard was presented by the family of Sister Ìyábọ̀ Ṣófẹlá.

Revd Sunday Ṣóbándé was the first organist of the Church. Others at various times were Pa Gabriel Olumuyiwa Ògúndípẹ̀, Pa Ajíṣafẹ̀ Moore, Pa Rẹ̀mí Shyllon, Revd Apostle J.E.O. Akínbámi (the Senior Superintendent of USC), Venerable J.S. Ọ̀ṣọbà, Revd Apostle S.O. Ọdúnlámì, C/B Yẹmí Ọdẹ́dìran (now the Diocesan Organist of Ẹ̀gbá Diocese of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion)), Revd Apostle Túndé Sànyàólú and Revd Káyọ̀dé Ṣópẹ́ìn.

With Revd Káyọ̀dé Ṣópẹ́ìn as the Chief Organist, others had acted and some are still acting as organists in the Church. Here we have Revd Prophet Fẹ́mi Ọláyọrí, Pastor Ṣeun Ṣópẹ́ìn, C/B Dàpọ̀ Adébẹ́ṣin, Revd Káyọ̀dé Ọláyọrí, Brother Lékan Oyedele, Revd Ṣeun Okuboye, Brother Dáre Ọ̀rẹ́nẹ́yẹ and Brother Dèjì Ṣópẹ́ìn.

Revd Apostle J.E.O. Akínbámi, Prophet Adéẹ̀kọ́, Revd Apostle S.O. Adébẹ̀ṣin and C/B Yẹmí Ọdẹ̀dìran were past choirmasters. Ọdẹ̀dìran’s era was of a great transformation for the choir. Revd Káyọ̀dé Ṣópẹ́ìn who is the current choirmaster has continued to build fine structures on the foundation.

Past Assistant Choirmasters (ACMs) were Revd Prophet Fẹ́mi Ọláyọrí, Pastor Túndé Akíṣọlá, Revd Ṣeun Okuboye, Revd Káyọ̀dé Ọláyọrí and Deacon Ṣeun Ọmọ́lànà. The present ACM is Deaconess Adetonike Okuboye, who is the first female ACM. The longest serving members of the choir as of today are Revd Káyọ̀dé Ṣópẹ́ìn, Revd Káyọ̀dé Ọláyọrí and Revd Káyọ̀dé Ọbadimu.

The incumbent Primate, Revd Ap. J.O. Ògúnṣẹ̀yẹ, is the first and current Drum Mayor of the choir. Rev Mother A. Akínṣílé was the first Golden Mother of the Choir while Revd Mother E.O. Bayewu is the second and present Golden Mother. Revd Mother Florence Olúrẹ̀mí Ṣósànyà who was the former Ọ̀tún Ìyá Ẹgbẹ́ is the present Ìyá Ẹgbẹ́. Lady Evangelist Bọ́sẹ̀ Adélíyì is the Golden Sister. Brigadier General Tóbi Adéjìmí is the Ambassador Plenipotentiary. C/B Ṣeun Adéyínká is the Golden Brother of the choir. Patrons of the choir are Revd Ap. Adélékè Ṣótúndé, Dr Ọnàọlápọ̀ Ṣólẹ́yẹ and and Prince Gòkè Ṣíjúadé. The late Venerable Jesse S. Ọ̀ṣọbà and the late Chief (Dr) M.A. Olumide Kútì were Patrons while the late Deaconess Christiana Adédìran was a Patroness. The ambassadors of the choir include the following: Revd Ap. Lékè Ṣópẹ́ìn, Revd Ap. Túndé Sànyàólú (whom the choir awarded The Spirit of David to in 2007), Revd Túndé Ṣópẹ́ìn, Revd Lékan Ṣópẹ́ìn and Lady Evangelist Ọlábísí Àdìgún.

The choir produced its first record, Jésù Ṣeun, in 1989. Revd Lékan Ṣópẹ́ìn played a prominent role here. The second record was Ìròyìn Ayọ̀, produced in 2003. Unlimited Praise which was the third was produced in 2013.The fourth and latest, Àmín Àṣẹ, was produced in 2017 in honour of Pastor Babátúndé Akíṣọlá.

One prominent peculiarity of this choir is its high degree of ecumenism. This was watered and nurtured by the choir’s steady aptitude to choir with the choirs of other Christian denominations. The solid foundation of this ecumenical faculty of the choir was laid by C/B Yẹmí Ọdẹ́dìran, as earlier said. He taught the choir its first three English anthems which were O be joyful, Blessed be Thou and O come let us worship.

Suffice it to specifically recall the following, among many others:

1. The choir was one of the four choirs at the Ogun State Service of Carols at the Government House in 1995. The other three choirs were those of Ìbarà Baptist Church, Ìbarà; St James’ African Church, Ìdí Àpẹ́ and Emmanuel Anglican Church, Kéesì.

2. At the 25th Anniversary of Chief (Dr) M.A.O. Kútì on the Organ, the choir was on duty together with choirs from the Cathedral of St Peter, Aké; Òwu Baptist Church, Tótoró; St John’s Anglican Church, Ìgbèìn and St Anne’s Catholic Church, Ìbarà. This was held on Easter Sunday, 11th April, 2004 at St Paul’s (Anglican) Church, Ìgbórè.

3. This devoted choir was at the Programme of Carols for the Ọbásanjọ́ Family, with the choirs of Òwu Baptist Church, Tótoró and St Paul’s Cathedral, Ìgbórè. That was on Sunday, 23rd December, 2007.

4. In 2001, the choir was specially invited to the concert organised to mark the Siver Jubilee of the Ẹ̀gbá Diocese of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion). The choir rendered Jesu Ye, a composition of Pastor Túndé Akíṣọlá. Kí l’ohun t’ó ń bà ẹ́ l’ẹ́rù, sọ f’Ólúwa and Jesu l’olùṣọ́ àgùntàn mi l’áyé o, both composed by Revd Kàyọ̀dé Ṣópẹ́ìn, were also on the list. The venue was St John’s Church, Ìgbèìn on Thursday, 15th November, 2001.

On Page 14 of the programme publication, this was said about the choir: “One of (if not) the most exciting choir in Ẹgbaland today is the choir of the United Spiritual Church (Cathedral), Òkè-Ẹri… It is a joy to watch this white garment robed choir sing. The totality of the body and soul of every chorister is put into singing and it is little wonder that the listener is often transported into a heavenly sphere.” That page also carried a photograph of the choir.

On Page 9 of the same publication, this was stated: “Messrs Ṣẹ́gun Oyedeji and Káyọ̀dé Ṣópẹ́ìn are two Ẹ̀gbá sons whom Ẹ̀gbas can be proud of. They are such prolific writers of everlasting choral pieces and their songs combine spiritualism, modern beats and Ẹ̀gbá intonation.”

The Apostolic Church Nigeria, Ìgbórè gave Revd Kàyọ̀dé Ṣópẹ́ìn an award in 2019, and they had this to say: “… It is not a surprise, therefore, that his vast spiritual and music knowledge positively impacted his home church choir, from which other denominations have tapped. However, it is not a fallacy that the choirs of The Apostolic Church Nigeria, Ìgbórè Area and Assembly have been profiting from the wealth of his music artistry.”

He had been asked, at various times, by Our Saviour’s African Church, Agége and Ìkòyí Baptist Church, Lagos to be their organist. His dexterity on the organ and the ecumenical nature of the choir had seen him play in churches that include the following: St Peters Anglican Church, Faji, Lagos; All Souls Anglican Church, Ìkòyí, Lagos; All Saints Church, Yaba; St Jude’s Church, Èbúté Mẹ́ta; St Paul’s Anglican Church, Agége and Muṣin; Christ Church Cathedral, Ilaro; First Baptist Church, Ilu-Ata, Ilaro; Our Saviour African Church, Ode Rẹmọ; St Paul’s Church, Ode Rẹmọ;Church of the Epiphany, Èrúwọ́n Ìjẹ̀bú; Adéọlá Odutọla (Anglican) Church, Ìjẹ̀bú Òde and St John’s Anglican Church, Oke Sopen, Ìjẹ̀bú Igbó. He is a familiar face in almost all the churches in Abẹ́òkúta. For three years, he was a judge at the annual music competition organised by Revd Mellor Methodist Cathedral, Ṣagamu. This year, 2022, is his fourteenth year as one of the music directors at the yearly music workshop organised by the Conference of Ogun State Baptist. He is the present Music Director of Ẹ̀gbá Musical Society.

Brother Lékan Oyedele is gradually climbing the ladder. He played prominent leading roles in the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) choir that was constituted for the Abẹ́òkúta Crusade organised by the Deeper Christian Life Ministry and anchored by Pastor W.F. Kúmúyì. That was in April, this year 2022.

It is pertinent to this submission to affirm that the choir is in remarkably cordial kinship with other white garment churches in and outside Abẹ́òkúta.

The choir can conveniently boast of a good number of past and present composers. First generation composers include Bàbá Akínbámi, Bàbá Ṣópẹ́ìn and Bàbá Akíṣọlá. Other past composers include Prophet Adéẹ̀kọ́, Brother Dípọ̀ Olútáyọ̀, Revd Túndé Șópẹ́ìn, Revd Lékan Ṣópẹ́ìn, Revd Apostle Túndé Sànyàólú, MIC Lékan Ọbádìímú, Pastor Túndé Akíṣọlá and C/B Dàpọ̀ Adébẹ́ṣin.

Today, the choir still enjoys the voluntary services of good and vibrant composers like Revd Ṣeun Okuboye, Revd Káyọ̀dé Ọláyọrí, Revd Prophet Fẹ́mi Ọláyọrí, Deacon Ṣeun Ọmọ́lànà, Brother Diméjì Ọmọ́lànà, Brother Ṣeun Àdìsá Ọdúnlámì and Deaconess Adenikẹ Okuboye. The foundation of the choir was laid on dedication, discipline, commitment, unity, love, humility, responsiveness, neatness, obedience, and selfless services. This is the legacy being enjoyed by the present generation of the choir. Their beautiful compositions and renditions continue to add inestimable value to the image of the Church.

WHY THE NAME JEHOSHAPHATS?

About ten years ago, the choir decided to take on the appellation The Jehoshaphats for the following reasons:

1. King Jehoshaphat of Judah was identified in the Bible as a descendant of King David of the United Israel. King David was a great musician and a man of God. The choir is figuratively tagged in the name The Jehoshaphats as comprising spiritual descendants of King David. (II Chronicles 17:3&4).

2. King Jehoshaphat suppressed the worship of idols in the high places. He sent princes, Levites and priests all over Judah to teach the people of Judah the law of the Lord. The ministrations of the choir also centre on declaring, spreading and sustaining the Gospel of Jesus Christ to draw people to the spiritual temple of God. (II Chronicles 17:7-9).

3. King Jehoshaphat led the people of Judah to defeat their enemies in battle by ordering the people to be singing, and praising God for his holiness. There is no doubt that battles are still being won through the spiritual weapons of singing, and praising the Lord. (II Chronicles 17:21-24).

Hallelujah!

holiness. There is no doubt that battles are still being won through the spiritual weapons of singing, and praising the Lord. (II Chronicles 17:21-24).

Hallelujah!