As far as gospel music goes, Testimony Jaga, one of that genre’s contemporary torchbearers, is a non-conformist. All over the world, gospel music is about the pure and the holy, sublime, soothing, spiritual, and soul-stirring. But away from the old, predictable style of gospel music, Jaga has taken the road never travelled to be the purveyor of feel-good and spirit-filled gospel music while imprinting his name in the sands of time.
A multiple-awards winning singer, instrumentalist, and producer, Jaga’s infusion of Fuji, otherwise considered backstreet music, to his craft caught on like wildfire and has turned him into a bona fide music star with a rich repertoire including the very popular ‘Biggie Biggie,’ ‘Not Normal ft Akpororo,’ ‘My Style,’ ‘My Evidence ft Frank Edwards,’ and ‘Power in my praise’ among many others.
The Ogun State native whose real name is Salau Aliu describes his style of music as Fuji-pop. His debut Extended Play record titled ‘Jesus is Here, Jaga is Here,’ is a seven-tracker that underscores his versatility as he seamlessly blended Fuji, afro beats, R n B, highlife, and dancehall to give Christendom an invaluable musical gift. The EP, a reflection of his life’s journey delivered via uplifting lyrics, features collaborations with other gospel singers like Adeyinka Alaseyori, Henrisoul, and Neon Adejo.
Finding Christ at a most vulnerable time in his life, Jaga, a street-savvy boxing buff, has now gone back to the streets but this time as the founder of Street Gospel Movement, an evangelical outreach that employs the twin forces of music and social welfare to win souls for God. According to him, so much is hidden in poverty and that for any man to even want to listen to the gospel; he must have quenched raging hunger.
Also, the convener of the One Jesus, One Church, One Hallelujah, Jaga, a protégé of Pastor Chris Oyakhilome of Christ Embassy, had been stomping Lagos streets under the auspices of what he terms Radical Prayer through which he reaches out to the unemployed, youths, and widows. Jaga added, “I am passionate about impacting the lives of as many people as possible. The essence of Christianity is actually to spread love, which are the principles I live by. Spreading the gospel to the streets and the ‘unchurched’ (people who don’t attend churches) through my Street Gospel Movement.”
Jaga said he is motivated to do all that he does because he is a product of the streets and had experienced bare-faced poverty growing up. “When people come to our program, we feed them with soul-lifting music, the word of God, and empower them. I believe in making an impact in people’s lives. So far, we have reached out to over 20,000 people since we started. Apart from giving out interest-free cash grants ranging from N100,000 to N250,000, we have given out cars, tricycles, and mini-buses among others,” he said.
Last Christmas, with support from Pastor Oyakhilome, Jaga gifted food items including rice, eggs, and chickens to hundreds of Lagos residents. On January 12, 2024, he will hold his annual mega outreach in the Alagbado area of Lagos, and he said there would be so much more to empower people with while encouraging them to accept Jesus as their Lord and saviour.
