Just from the way he pronounces Yoruba words whenever he is ministering in hymns, one can quickly tell that he is more American than African. With an obvious but fluent American accent, he introduced himself as Tolu Akande during an audio interview with Acts of Seraphs’ Oluwasogo Ariyibi.
Before we go into full gist, permit me to narrate my encounter with this profound worshipper with fantastic sound dexterity.
I still remember vividly the first time I came across a short WhatsApp video status online. It was of a man I perceived to be an African–American who has been only privileged to speak the Yoruba language fluently. He sang the famous Seraph Hymn, Eyin Araye Gbo (K&S 808), in a very different way. Since that day, that song sound differently, and its meanings were more inherent every time I sing it after that time.
[https://youtu.be/HJ5lQlTJuGk] link to the video
All efforts to get the complete video of that song proved abortive until one pleasant afternoon. I was just scrolling Instagram seeing pictures and videos from random people, and then I saw this video again, this time he was singing another hymn Kii se Lai Ní Ireti (K&S269). I was swift to follow his page on Instagram so that I could get more of his songs.
[https://www.instagram.com/tv/B9PA0w7FxD4/?igshid=1elcdu5iyi1vp] Link to the IG video
In a chat with actsofseraphs, Seraph Tolu Akande narrated how he grew an undying passion for music and why he chose the hymns particularly.
Excerpts
Please can I meet you?
My name is Tolu Akande. I currently reside in the US, Atlanta, Georgia. I’m married, and the Lord has blessed us with two children. My profession is a career and executive coach, and by the grace of God, I’m a worship leader and musician in the house of God.
I understand that you are based in the United States. What’s your relationship like with Africa? Nigeria, to be precise.
Although I was born in the States, my family is from Ibadan, and that’s why I’m based when I return home with my family. But Nigeria is my home. By the grace of God, I embrace my culture to the fullest, and I embrace being a Nigerian to the fullest.
What is that important thing that made you remain a Seraph despite having a wealth of choices when picking a denomination?
What made me remain a Seraph is simply what I believe to be God’s calling into the fold. I was born a Seraph, and when I began to get older and I went to University. When I was at University, there was no C&S church. So I grew there as a believer, but I also knew that all of my growing was unto coming back to the C&S fold and continue the growth and share what I have learned about Christ. In addition to that, I was also encouraged by other youths who were active in the C&S fold, and that also serves as a motivation for me to continue.
Talking about the hymns, the silver lining suggests that you learn more of the Yoruba dialect through the hymnals. How true is that, sir?
Well, you can say that’s true, half and half. My grandmother lived with us when we were growing up. Awọn kéde rẹ wón gbó eyinbo (and she doesn’t understand English). So the only way to communicate with her is Yoruba. I will say a combination of my grandmother then church. They will preach in English and translate to Yoruba and vice versa. Then along the line, the hymns as well. When I was growing, we sing songs to young children, teaching them hymns. So it was a combination of all of that that made me understand the Yoruba dialect.
Videos on your IG page and YouTube channel suggest that you know the hymns even better than some of us back home here in Nigeria. What brought about your passion for the hymnals?
My passion for hymn developed when I was very young. I don’t know why, but I discover when we sing the hymns, whether Acapella or with instruments, there was just a movement of my soul. There are so many things I know in the Bible that I don’t know because I read it in the Bible, but I sing it in the hymn book. God spoke to me one year that hymns are sound doctrines, sound theology placed to anoint melodies that have stood the test of time.
So for me, singing hymns is like a mode of worship and a mode of bible study. And the combination of those two for me just really ignites my heart. I just love music and lover of poetry, and the hymns are that for me. There is Yoruba, and there is biblical Yoruba. The biblical Yoruba expresses deeper than our everyday tongue. So it is also a way for me to learn the Yoruba dialect and scriptures via the hymn book.
Not only that. The hymn is universal. Both the seven-year-old and 75 years old can sing the hymn. Our grandmothers may say this music you Children of nowadays are listening to are awkward. But when they hear hymns, we can all understand the language of hymns no matter your age.
Why do you still choose to do Yoruba hymns despite having English?
The vision the Lord gave me was to preserve those hymns in the Yoruba language creatively. There are some hymns that, when you sing them in the English language, it doesn’t carry the same deep meanings for Yoruba speakers. There are not many hymns, not that people don’t do hymns, but to say I want to do an album of hymns, both choruses, ariya and all. I want to collate it all in one place so that people can experience what they only get to experience during church service.
You once stated, “I don’t know how to do shows. I just know how to worship” can you please explain this, sir. And does it mean Tolu Akande music doesn’t honour invite when called to perform in a program?
The reason why I say I don’t know how to do a show is that, by nature, I’m an introverted person. How to perform to make myself the center of attraction is not really in my natural nature. But I know how just to lift my eyes upward, and by the grace of God, I have been given the gift to help others lift their eyes upward. When I begin to sing I’m not thinking of how well I can sing or how well I can play, it is more about how I can exalt Christ so that others will exalt him with me.
What’s that spectacular/unique or different thing that the public doesn’t know about Tolu Akande Music?
Something that many people don’t know about me is that even though I love hymns, they don’t know that I collect hymn books from different denominations. Whether white garment Baptist, Anglican, Catholic, I have so many hymn books from other denominations. Everywhere I go always try to get hymns.
Your response suggests that you have a good relationship with other denominations. Can you tell briefly how your relationship is like with other denomination, especially as a Seraph?
I think it has been a wonderful experience and a challenging experience at the same time. Although different denominations, however, we are one in Christ. When we get to heaven, God will not ask us did you go to a white garment, Redeemed, CAC, or Celestial. He will ask us did we learn to love Jesus and love his bride. I think the biggest thing is that I have learned from a different denomination, and they too have learned so much from the C&S fold. And the more and more that we can be unified under the body of Christ, the better. The things that separate us are still less the things that unite us.
You mentioned a wonderful and challenging experience at the same time. Speaking about the challenging experience, have you ever been discriminated against for being a Seraph?
Yes. I have been discriminated against many times as a seraph. Things like why are you wearing the white garment, are you doing something in alignment with the doctrine of Christ, are you even saved? So many things. But I think the foundation has been laid in our fold from a biblical perspective, and it is up to us as seraphs to understand the foundations of our Christian faith and how we and our practices and our doctrines do genuinely align with the word of God.
Despite the discrimination, what made you remain a Seraph?
The worship in C&S, most especially our hymn. It was something so dear to my heart. I didn’t want to compromise or lose that worship.
Seraph Ariyibi Oluwasogo is a Journalist/Freelance writer. He loves reading.
Favourite Hymn: C&S 89 – Eyin Egbe Igbala
