Evangelist Bola Are: The Only Yoruba Gospel Singer with 87 Albums
Today, I want to celebrate a rare gem, a woman who is consistent, a cerebral singer and great representative of God. She is no other person but Evangelist Bola Are. She is a gospel artiste who has distinguished herself in the industry.
Mama Bola Are has been singing for decades and she’s still relevant to date. This is evidence of how close she has been to her Source, God.
Born on October 1, 1954, she found herself in the ministry very early in life. Before her birth, there had been a prophecy from the revered Apostle Ayodele Babalola to her parents that their daughter was commissioned by God for kingdom growth. So, she stayed in the mission house with Apostle Babalola until the latter passed on in 1959.
Bola Are had to move to Baba Samson Akande popularly referred to as ‘Baba Abiye’ and Baba Obadare.
She had her primary education at Christ Apostolic Church Primary School located at Erio in Ekiti State. Against wide-spread rumor that she attended the Polytechnic, Ibadan, Bola Are revealed that she indeed gained admission to study accounting but after several visions from God, she had to reject the offer. According to her, Baba Akande told her that God had greater plans for her than the admission.
Not too long from, she later earned her PhD in Music from St. John University, United States of America (USA) in 1985.
Mama explained that she got the inspiration for her first album, “Baba Ku Ise” on June 26, 1973 on her way to work. However before evening, she forgot the lyrics of the song because she didn’t write it down. God asked her to go on 3 months fasting before she could recall it.
It would also be noted that she formed her music group, “Bola and Her Spiritual Singers” on the evening of June 26 1973 with two of her friends, Grace and Moji.
Mama Bola Are is loved by people from all denominations. Apart from her home Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), she is a regular performer in other churches such as Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) of Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, Bishop Oyedepo’s Winners Chapel, and recently, Biodun Fatoyinbo’s Commonwealth of Zion Assembly (COZA) which was in February, 2018.
As of December 2019, Mama Bola Are has had 87 albums under her name. She has influenced thousands of people through her songs.
She was one-time the President of Gospel Musicians Association of Nigeria where she had great achievements. She is the mother of Yetunde Are who has also taken after her mother in music.
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