Seraph Omotola Adeshina was seen teaching some Finnish college students a Cherubim & Seraphim Hymnal in a recent video that went viral on social media. In this interview with Acts Of Seraphs’ Olamide Famuwagun, the music graduate explains what inspired the song among the foreign students.
Can you tell me a bit about yourself and your background? Where are you from originally, and what brought you to Finland?
I am Adeshina Omotola David. I studied music at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria and I was brought up in C&S Irawo Owuro Church, Lagos. I am obviously from Nigeria and as it pleases God, I am in Finland for my Master’s program in Global Music.
What is it about C&S hymns that resonates with you?
My discovery of seraph hymns started when I began to attend my church (C&S Irawo Owuro) as a kid. I fell in love with the music because it was a new experience for me and a sweet one and that’s because I was from a Muslim background. But hearing these sounds just resonated with me and I fell in love with church life.
What inspired you to share these hymns with the college students in Finland?
Well, for me, it’s the spirit of the hymns finding expressions in the vocabulary of the lyrics. I believe that next to the holy scriptures are the hymns!
How did they react to learning C&S hymns? Did you encounter any cultural differences or challenges in teaching them?
My inspiration stems from God’s instructions, when I got to know that we would be having teaching sessions for the college students, I began to set my heart to ask God what I should teach because I don’t just want to teach anything. However, the communication of God came to my spirit that I should teach Ariya songs as a genre of music and the songs in the video serve as my references.
Did this experience spark any conversations about your cultural or religious background?
Yes, it did! Although it was a 30-minute session they couldn’t have an all-comprehensive grasp of it all, but I’m sure that they could relate well to my cultural and religious background. The reaction was a positive and remarkable one, God helped me and it was greatly appreciated and accepted with joy. Also, spurring the students’ curiosity to know more…(I can share the students’ feedback review in pdf)
How did it impact your relationship with your classmates?
I didn’t share the hymns with my coursemates, I only did another song with them and that’s a popular negro spiritual song titled, ‘I want Jesus to walk with me’. However, the inspiration here too is the leading of God’s spirit.
In your opinion, what makes C&S hymns stand out?
Well, in my opinion, C&S hymns are God-breathed! However, except for some core indigenous C&S hymns, we share most hymns with other bodies of Christ (majorly Anglican) maybe because Baba Mose came from that origin. So, hymns generally are ancient landmarks that the inspiration of the Almighty gave to the church by many pure sources to journey with God and journey to God!
Do you plan to continue sharing these hymns with others in Finland? Perhaps even organize a larger event or performance?
Yes! Hymns are scriptures in tune and sound that can easily stick to people’s memory because of the beautiful melodies. As God will have me do, I will keep on sharing it by God’s Grace through different mediums of expression as inspired by the Spirit of God.
In your view, how can music and hymns bridge cultural divides and promote the gospel?
‘…there is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.’ My view remains that a hymn is a container of two strong forces that penetrate every culture and tongue. It’s a lyrical word of God and music (which is universal). When we sing together, we will be edified together. And really, hymns play a vital role in the unity of the church, because it’s what our fathers left as inheritance to the body of Christ worldwide!
Are there any specific C&S hymns that hold a special meaning for you? If so, would you be willing to share them and explain their significance?
Many hymns have deep meanings to me. However, when we streamline it to C&S indigenous hymns, I will talk of ‘ L’Oke odo Jordani…’ (powerful song!) but time will fail, if we begin to dive into the exposition, in summary, it’s a beckon after toiling in this earth to join the cloud of witnesses and what usually strikes my heart in this very song, is the phrase, ‘Ìwé Jésù ló so fún mi pe…’ (the scared book of Jesus tells me now…)it’s a pointer to the fact that our father, St. Moses Orimolade, was a bible-believing Man of God and that the church he founded is a bible believing church! There are a lot more in this song and there are a lot more in our songs.
Finland has a rich musical tradition. Do you see any potential for incorporating elements of Finnish music into C&S hymns, or vice versa?
Yes, the Western world has the tradition of preserving its heritage through adequate documentation. The element that is musically worthy of emulation is to have our hymns musically notated so that there will be a unified method of singing without any alterations of the melodies as time progresses.
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