By Michael Kolawole

Is there anyone like Jesus Christ? With all the miracles ascribed to him in the Bible, there is, of course, no one like him.

In that regard, Abimbola Liz decides to honour him with praise and worship; after all, that’s his meal.

Whether fashioned from old hymns or contemporary choruses, Jesus is not drawn to novelty but to reverence. What matters is not when a song was written, but how truthfully it is offered.

Typical of many Nigerian gospel worship medleys, Abimbola Liz begins solemnly, blending thanksgiving with worship, speaking in tongues with supplications.

Beginning by repeatedly thanking Jesus (Christ) and emphasising that there is no one like him, she soulfully eases us into worship. This approach situates her firmly within the Nigerian Pentecostal worship tradition, where mood-building is gradual and spiritual immersion is prioritised over immediacy or sonic spectacle.

“Who is like unto thee?” She asks, her voice bearing the reverence in her soul. “Oh Lord, who is like unto you… Amongst the gods, who is like unto thee?”

She provides the answer to her question.

“Amongst the gods, there is none like you / You’re glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders, hallelujah,” she proclaims.

Of course, there is none, among all the gods in the world, she sings. “Doing wonders, hallelujah,” she repeatedly shouts, showing how amazing Jesus is to her. The piano rises from gentle to meet her heightened vocal phrasing, as she personalises the worship, screaming “doing wonders in my life, doing wonders in my life / I can not tell it all / Doing wonders, hallelujah!”

After the elevated worship, she takes a breather, slowing down the worship. She sings that Jesus is worthy to be glorified, her gentle voice carries her heartfelt worship. The calm, swooshing piano gives the song a heavenly mood as she continues to chant the chorus, “You’re worthy to be glorified / You’re worthy Jehovah / You’re worthy to be glorified, you’re worthy Lord.”

Abimbola Liz carefully curated the songs so as not to break the flow of the worship. It’s commendable how she carries the word “worthy” from the previous song to the new one, declaring how Jesus, whom she calls “the lamb of God”, is worthy of her praise. The restraint in her vocal delivery allows the lyrics to take the centre stage, reinforcing the medley’s devotional intent rather than drawing attention to vocal delivery.

She sings the song over and over, occasionally garnishing it with speaking in tongues, to show how wonderful Jesus is and worthy of her praise. The repetition here is less about lyrical development and more about dwelling on the important thing: worship. It’s lingering on a single truth until it becomes meditative rather than merely melodic.

After establishing her intentions with the worship, she smoothly proceeds to another song, reflecting on the wonderfulness of Jesus. Continuing to glorify Jesus in her life, she sings that nobody but him deserves the glory. “In my life, be glorified, Jesus,” she croons, her voice laced with honesty of worship. “You get the glory, you get the praise, you take the honour,” she adds.

Given the amazingness of Jesus Christ and the way he has demonstrated his greatness through signs and wonders, Abimbola Liz finds it hard not to worship and thank him.

“Eze, you’re worthy of my praise / Oh, oh, you’re worthy of my praise,” she sings,

proclaiming Jesus a “king” or “ruler” in the Igbo language, signifying leadership and authority. This transition subtly shifts the medley from adoration to thanksgiving, turning worship into a personal declaration of appreciation.

She also calls him Yahweh, Elohim, Yeshua, a few of the Hebrew names for God and Jesus, before garnishing it with speaking in tongues. Speaking in tongues functions as an emotional release, breaking language when words alone can no longer contain the intensity of devotion. She closes the medley by continuously singing the praise of Jesus.

Jesus has captured and consumed her heart with his love, Abimbola Liz declares halfway through the medley. The name is more than enough, more than anything in this world. She is not afraid to call the name of Jesus Christ all her life, because the name heals her heart.

A few minutes before the song ends, she resorts to calling Jesus her lover of her soul, declaring that he is worthy of her praise because she has no other Lord.

Though soulful and soothing, Abimbola Liz’s Soul-lifting Medley overly elaborates on moods through repetitions of words and phrases. The repetition, though meant for emphasis on the song’s themes, becomes tiring, almost leaning into boredom. This style is an integral part of the Nigerian praise and worship medley. In this sense, the repetition becomes both the medley’s strength and weakness: its identity as a familiar trade-off within the genre.

Abimbola Liz’s velvet vocal and the seriousness with which she expresses her moods on each song are irresistible, making the medley more like a worship session where the congregation bow their heads and opens their hearts to Jesus, in thanksgiving and praising worship.

At its best, a gospel medley does not attempt to impress the listener but to usher them into a sustained moment of devotion, where faith, emotion, and sound work in quiet unison.

Soul-lifting Medley 2.0 is not concerned with innovation or dramatic arrangements. It’s concerned with being sincere and simple. Abimbola Liz offers worship as it comes to her, and she wants the listener to consume it with an open heart and come to Jesus with their souls, without any sort of embellishments.