Between Primate Ayodele and Yinka Alaseyori, by Olaniyi Olayinka

The Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has a good relationship with most gospel musicians, but if he is to choose his favourites at the moment, popular musician, Yinka Alaseyori, will be among them. Little wonder the prophet eulogised the musician who he was meeting for the second time on February 14, 2023 during his birthday celebration where she performed.

The man of God was carried away in worship during her ministration and spoke very well about her afterwards.

The prophet told the teeming crowd that Alaseyori is different from most gospel artistes he knows. He explained that she is among the few that don’t sing circular songs, use heavy make up during her ministrations and at a point, he asked his church choir members to hug her so they can “tap” her anointing.

Further diggings have however revealed the reason for the rare love Primate Ayodele has for the ministry of Yinka Alaseyori, who was also very respectful and polite during her visit to the prophet’s church on Tuesday.

In my investigations, I was told Alaseyori, who charges nothing less than N2.5 million for ministrations, declined to collect any dime from Primate Ayodele out of respect. The prophet’s Personal Assistant begged her several times even on stage to send her account details, but she didn’t just answer. On stage, she asked one of her band members to give the prophet’s PA his number just to dismiss them.

Before she arrived, the Primate’s PA has been calling her for days to send her details but she was really reluctant. In fact, one would have thought she didn’t want to come with her actions. As Primate Ayodele is someone who loves to reward people, his PA went to meet her again after her performance, begged her to send her details, but she kept on using delay tactics till she left.

I even learnt she had been booked for a programme since November and was to perform at the programme on February 14, but she had to cancel it to attend Primate Ayodele’s birthday celebration. That’s such a huge sacrifice.

This hit a very strong spot in Primate Ayodele and he has been silent since then. I don’t know his plans yet, but he mentioned something about October to the musician while on stage. Apparently, his church’s new building will be dedicated in October and some top musicians like Evangelist Ebenezer Obey and King Sunny Ade, who have been church life patrons and spiritual sons to Primate Ayodele, are billed to perform. Yinka Alaseyori is also billed to perform and I really don’t know what will happen that day. I can only assure that Primate Ayodele is not someone who forgets the good things someone does for him. He rewards every good deed.

There is no doubt that not all gospel artists can do this. Most of them are money conscious. Although two other musicians have done something like this for Primate Ayodele. One of them is King Sunny Ade, who was at his church last year. KSA, who charges N20 million for shows outside Ondo State, rejected Primate Ayodele’s offer. He even went as far as renting musical instruments himself. That’s very rare to see. The second is Fuji maestro, King Wasiu Ayinde, in 2021. He even promised widows in the church the sum of N4 million though I don’t know if he has redeemed his pledge or not. But Yinka Alaseyori’s own is too special to Primate Ayodele because they barely know each other. They have only met twice and there is no other relationship between them unlike the two other musicians who have known the Primate for decades.

I remember legendary gospel musician, Tope Alabi, was also billed to perform at his birthday celebration some years back, but she wasn’t allowed to mount the stage because she came late. Primate Ayodele is very strict with his time and would not bend it for any person no matter how important they are.

As strict as he is, Primate Ayodele is easily moved when people make some sacrifices he doesn’t expect. October is in a few months time and I know the man of God is planning something for Yinka Alaseyori. I don’t know what it is, but let’s keep our fingers crossed till then.

Olaniyi Olayinka writes from Lagos.