By Prisca Sam-Duru

With the increasing acceptance of music as a vital tool to reaching out to heterogeneous audience across the globe, with the view to imparting positively on the people, the religious appears unrelenting in its efforts to employ this medium for rendering praises to God, making a change in the society as well as during celebrations.

It was music all the way as the Mount of Ease Choir, Christ Apostolic Church, Ebute Metta Lagos, announced their forthcoming mega concert that marks her 70th anniversary.

The ambience of the hall was as alluring as the choristers themselves who gathered at the church hall for the pre-event song ministrations heralding the concert tagged”Array of Choirs”.

Clad in beautifully designed robes, the choristers who came from churches from different parts of the country, took the centre stage and doled out soul inspiring melodies in celebration of the 70th anniversary of the Mount of Ease Choir and St. David’s Band.

As a way to strengten plans for a memorable celebration, another interesting activity coming up is a major concert in July, to be held at the MUSON Centre, Lagos. It will feature classical works of masters like Beethoven, Handel, as well as great Nigerian composers like Ayo Bankole as well as some musicians who are members of the band.

Founded in August 1945, the choir which is described as one of the best when it comes to outstanding rendition and composition of church music, has continued to grow from strength to strength even to the extent of becoming affiliated to the prestigious Royal School of Music  England.

The event which according to the Choirmaster and Director of Music of the church, Elder Adekunle Abidemi Oyesanya (SAN), will be featuring 11 choirs which will render any number of their choice for about ten minutes. At the end, there will be a rendition of the popular anthem, the Alleluia Chorus. “It’s going to be a service where we will thank God for this journey; it is an epochal anniversary, a major milestone,” Elder Oyesanya said.

The celebration will also feature a session during which members who have made tremendous contributions to the growth of the choir, will be appreciated. Members who have passed on will receive theirs posthumously.

Describing the choir as a school to so many other choirs in Christ Apostolic Church in terms of singing to notation and classical music, Elder Oyesanya  explained that, the event in July is “Going to be a fund raising concert essentially but we will be singing to the world. And then on the last Sunday of August, we are going to have a grand finale when we will have a major anniversary service here in the church,”

Other activities lined up for the celebration include a “Re-union Service for most of the choir members who have left the parish. This includes both those still living in Lagos and those outside.

There was also a Remembrance Service for the members who have passed on in the last seventy years. Together with their families, the church  came around to remember them. Later there was a dinner and award night where members of the choir  received different awards for their good deeds.”

Also speaking, Pastor of the church, Dr M. K. Ehinmode explained that “Seventy is a major milestone indeed and for a choir that has done so well, rolling out her drums to celebrate all year long is appropriate. I’m happy that I am the minister in charge of this church today. One major charge of the church is to preach the gospel, make disciples of all nations and one of the ways to preach the gospel is through singing. To the glory of God, that is what we are known for. All over Christ Apostolic Church, this church is respected when it comes to church music, singing of hymns and so on.

Regarding the essence of the celebration, Pastor Ehinmode stated that, “We want to proclaim Christ through the gift that God has given us. And this festival of the seventieth anniversary of this choir is going to be a great one. We want to proclaim Christ; we also want to let unbelievers know the power in praising the Lord through singing and the miracle one can experience through praising the Lord. That is the essence of what we are doing now.”