4th February, 2011
Top gospel act, Evangelist Funmi Aragbaye, whose husband was the former editor of the rested Sunday Sketch, a weekly publication owned by Oodua Group of Companies, released her first album Sioni Ilu Ayo, on Evangelist Ebenezer Obey-owned Decross Music in 1989.
The album highly impressed the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okuade Sijuade, who then single handedly sponsored its video complement. The most expensive video then cost N5,000.
Three months later, she was signed on the defunct Sony Music where she released the award winning Divine Call (Mo Gbo Ipe Olorun) under the supervision of Laolu Akins, thereby raising the standard of gospel music in Nigeria.
Aragbaye, who once said that she appreciates the works of Miriam Makeba and Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, later released her second album on Sony Music, Heavenly Dew (Iri Orun Se).
—Kayode Aponmade.
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