After more than three decades of listening to the evergreen songs of the renowned accordion maestro, Rev. Sola Rotimi, it was a delight to finally speak with him on the telephone on July 29, 2026.
My primary intention was to wish him a belated 76th birthday and, more importantly, to express my appreciation for his immense contribution to Nigeria’s music heritage and the Gospel music tradition over the decades.
Rev. Sola Rotimi, a native of Odo-Owa in Kwara State, was born on July 17, 1950. He is a highly revered gospel musician and minister who has devoted his life to using music as an instrument for evangelism, touching lives and winning souls for Christ.
According to Rev. Sola Rotimi, his journey as a servant of God began in earnest after he gave his life to Christ in 1969. Looking back, he described the journey as deeply fulfilling. Since 1980, he has traveled extensively around the world on various ministerial assignments. In 2004, he eventually relocated to the United States following an invitation to serve as a superintendent at the District Coordinating Council of the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) in Winston, USA.
From my formative years, I have always had a special affection for the music of Rev. Sola Rotimi. Some of his records were part of my father’s extensive music library, and my fascination with his music grew largely from the depth, spirituality, and enduring messages contained in his compositions.
Music, as we all know, can have both positive and negative influences on society and on the individual. For me, however, the music of many of our legendary musicians has always offered a positive outlook on life. Their songs were not merely entertainment; they were lessons, prayers, admonitions, and reflections on the human condition.
Among Rev. Sola Rotimi’s evergreen songs that my father frequently played at home, three became particular favorites of mine: “Bami Wo Lowoye,” “Father Bless My Home,” and “Opolopo Lo N Tan Ara Re.”
My father, the late Gentleman Femi Esho, had a unique way of using his vast musical collection to communicate with us, his children, and with friends. Whenever he wanted to pass across a message, make an observation, or draw attention to an issue, he could simply put on a particular record.
The message would often be delivered without him having to say much.
For my father, music was one of his most powerful instruments of communication. He was, without doubt, a true connoisseur and custodian of music, and he understood how to deploy his vast collection to educate, inspire, admonish, and sometimes even “harass” us playfully whenever he wanted to make a point.
One of Rev. Sola Rotimi’s most memorable songs, “Bami Wo Lawoye,” was a familiar sound on Nigerian radio, particularly during the 1990s. It is essentially a prayerful appeal to God for children blessed with good character, integrity, and the fear of God.
In the song, Rev. Sola Rotimi draws inspiration from the Bible, mentioning individuals whose lives and characters exemplify the virtues he desires for children. Through the composition, he transforms a simple parental desire into a profound spiritual prayer.
Listening to the song today brings back memories of my childhood and of my father’s unique relationship with music. It is a reminder that *some songs do much more than entertain: they become part of our memories and, in time, become historical documents of the values and aspirations of a generation.
During my brief conversation with Rev. Sola Rotimi, I took the opportunity to ask him a question that has always intrigued me: Who is a gospel musician?
His response was simple but profound. According to him, a gospel musician is a minister of the gospel through songs who must be born again.
That response perhaps explains the enduring quality of his music. For Rev. Sola Rotimi, music is not simply a profession or a means of entertainment. It is a ministry, and the musician is first and foremost a servant entrusted with the responsibility of using songs to communicate the message of God.
Our conversation also touched on the instrument that has become almost synonymous with his identity: the accordion.
Rev. Sola Rotimi recounted how he became familiar with the accordion and eventually incorporated it into his music ministry. Over the years, the instrument became his trademark and an important part of his musical identity.
His place in the early development of accordion-led gospel music in Nigeria is particularly noteworthy*. He was among the early Nigerian gospel musicians who embraced the accordion and helped establish its distinctive sound within the country’s gospel music tradition.
He was not alone in this musical journey. Other contemporaries, including Evangelist Ojo Ade and Evangelist Niyi Adedokun, were also among the early practitioners associated with the accordion tradition.
As we celebrate Rev. Sola Rotimi at 76, we should be reminded once again of the importance of preserving the stories behind the music.
For those of us who grew up listening to these records, the songs are much more than sounds from the past. They are memories of childhood, family, faith, culture, and a Nigeria where music played an important role in shaping values and documenting everyday life.
Rev. Sola Rotimi belongs to a generation of musicians whose works deserve to be properly documented and preserved for generations yet unborn. His music represents an important chapter in the history of Nigerian gospel music, particularly in the *development and popularisation of the accordion as an instrument of gospel expression.
Today, I celebrate the man, the minister, the musician, and the maestro whose accordion and voice have travelled across generations.
Happy 76th Birthday, Rev. Sola Rotimi.
May your evergreen songs continue to inspire generations, and may the musical legacy you have built over the decades remain a lasting testament to a life dedicated to faith, ministry, and music.
Your music lives on.
Credit: ooduanews.com
