My Journey of 60 Years – GOMAN President, Phillip Olayiwola, Says, “The Grace of God has brought me to where I am today.”

Evangelist Dr. Phillip Olayiwola aka Pholat is the National President of Gospel Musicians Association of Nigeria. He will be 60 years on February 19, 2025. He has been seriously preparing for this. In this special interview with PTL News, he shares the stories of his diamond experience in the land of the living, summarily saying, “The grace of God has brought me to where I am today.”

I am a kind of human being that have seen a lot in life, both physically, emotionally and spiritually, in terms of sickness, they almost confirmed me dead on January 9, 1981 in my final year in Modern 3 at Anglican/Methodist Secondary Modern School, Ajagba, Oyo. It was a day of resumption to the second term. The thing just came on me like cold and before I knew it I had passed on.

Even as child, I have always been a shy person but that day I was very bold to make three profound statements that saved my life. The first was that I was bold enough to tell my teacher that I was sick, I told him I was sick and I wanted to go home. When I got home, I also told my father that I was sick and he should take me to hospital, when we got to the hospital, my father was told to take me back home and I made the third statement by insisting that they should not take me home but treat me in the hospital. They were not mere bold statements but of signs and wonders from God.

I thank God that I am a living soul today, living to celebrate my 60 years on the land of the living.

Physically God has saved me from many turbulence of this world. I have survived many road crashes and vehicular accidents and God has saved me from many spiritual attacks. The attacks are uncountable, it is only God that has been shielding me till now. His grace brought me to where I am now, and I give him thanks.

The celebration

As the number one gospel musician in Nigeria we will be expecting musicians, gospel and non-gospel to be there. All gospel musicians are expected to be there, whether they are members and non-members of Gospel Musicians Association of Nigeria. We will be expecting our friends, young and old, ministers and non-ministers of God to join us. I am waiting for what God will do.

On that day I must glorify God, that Wednesday February 19, 2025, I want to lift the name of the Lord up with my sacrifice of praise unto God, with my colleagues.

The programme holds at Chapel of Christ The Light, Alausa, Ikeja in Lagos State at 1.00pm. On that day, because I am into entertainment industry, I expect to draw well-wishers from the entertainment industry as well.

We will also look into the health lifestyle of our fellow musicians and entertainers. Because I belong to this group of professionals, I have seen efforts made by artistes to make it in life, unknowingly to the people when they make it later they may not stay long to enjoy their wealth, some to sickness and others to death. That is why we are placing premium on serious health talks and the lifestyle of our fellow musicians. Those affected include Musicians, Pastors, theatre artistes and all hustlers. Others are transporters, and even traders. Mostly Lagosians.

I want people to know how health matters in their lifestyles. So we are hosting a health seminar with Lagos State Ministry of Health, and the ministry of Pastor Tony Akinyemi, the Senior Pastor of Shepherd Flock Ministries, Ikeja a health and wellness therapist to teach the people on Health is Wealth, and Your Food is Your Medicine, on the same day. Thereafter musical concerts follow.

Profile

I was born on Friday February 19, 1965 because my father was a Prophet I attended three primary Schools, all in Oyo town before I headed to Anglican/Methodist Secondary Modern School, Oyo from 1978 to 1981.

I came to Lagos to continue my education at Saka Tinubu Memorial High School, Orile Agege by Adult Education, from 1983 to 1985.

I also had other trainings and certificates. I have Diploma in Computer of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife. I also attended Word of Life Bible Institute of Winners Chapel, LIFE Theology Seminary owned by Foursquare Gospel Church, Ikorodu, and Rapha Health with Pastor Akinyemi. I also added others like Diploma in Education of the University of Buckingham, and a doctorate award in the School of Ministry, with several awards.

From my teenage years I have realized the call of God upon my life, which has helped me lead several choir groups in Oyo. I was born into CGAC Amupopo, Oyo, where I had been hearing the call of God in music. In Lagos, I continued with CAC Oke Alaafia, Oniwaya, Agege. Towards the end of 1982, my brother took me to Foursquare where I trained myself in the use of musical instruments. It was there I started composing songs as a member of the High Crusaders in Foursquare. I led the group as one of the composers and one of them was in my maiden album in 1989 when I started. We titled it Asako Wale.

As a struggling young artiste, I started my album in 1989. I inaugurated Pholat Band in 1988 and produced my first album in 1989.For lack of fund I was in the studio for two years from 1989 to 1991. I had to wait for another two years until I released my work on May 1, 1993 when a man called Evangelist Olaosebikan came around to assist me and the journey has continued.

It has been a tedious experience but we can see the hand of God in all things. I am what I am today by the grace of God.

Asako Wale

It is the grace of God that moves everybody. It is by the grace of God for a poor person to come to limelight. When you don’t know the way you are bound to stumble. I believe I can use my experience of past years to teach others how not to fall. When I got money to produce my album I was not told the truth about how to market the album. I was then given three options by Gospel Choral Records; the first being that if I had my money they would do it for me and I would pay them. Two, if I didn’t have the money I would wait until they were ready, and the third was about partnership, meaning we had to jointly sponsor and share the returns.

That made me wait for two years. It was like a standstill when I got the cash. They promised to distribute the albums. All the little I had was used to sponsor me on radio and television for adverts and publicity. That was the extent I could go as an individual.

We are ready

I had to start all over again. I have got four other albums after Asako Wale. Many people are still expecting me and my works. Let me use this advantage to tell our reading public that we are still very much available. We are available for Church programmes, for revivals, Church Conventions and for anniversaries. Yes, we still need help and patronage.

Me and Rev. Tony Akinyemi

Rev. Tony Akinyemi is my Pastor. I was with him since his days at Foursquare Oregun Church. He did not tell me when he left Oregun, but when I heard about his leaving Oregun Church, I chose to follow him. Somebody told me from outside. I still follow him to Shepherd Flock Church. I am now a minister under him. Pastor Tony Akinyemi will be ministering to us about our health life as part of the celebration.

Life beyond 60

I need to project more of myself, the status I carry and the mission God has sent me to do in life. If I get plays outside I will still meet up, mostly Church ministrations, when it has to do with evangelism and Church activities. Occasionally when we go for parties, anything they want we give them, but to glorify the name of God.    

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