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Gospel Star, DUNSIN OYEKAN
Everyone knows Dunsin Oyekan. He is the tall, slim anointed man of God with a unique voice whose worship ministry has continued to confound many. In such a short while, Dunsin has recorded such a phenomenal rise within the gospel community. Without a doubt, if you put together a list of the five biggest Gospel artistes in the land today, Dunsin Oyekan will most definitely be on that list.
The very first thing about Dunsin, apart from the incredible gospel songs he writes and sings, is that he is unbelievably humble. He has attained a celebrity status that many of his contemporaries, both male and female, will give an arm and a leg to own. But Dunsin carries on like he has no idea how hugely popular and successful he has become. His humility shows in the way he relates with people. Dunsin wears no chips on his shoulders, and when he is ministering, he takes the task very seriously. For him, the art of ministering through worship is not showbiz. He never forgets that his principal task is not to entertain people as a singer, but to let the people hear God through him. Pure and simple.
This is one of the reasons he is in high demand. Every big gospel concert is obviously not complete without Dunsin Oyekan on the bill. Anytime he steps out for his performance, the crowd is thrown into a frenzy. He has such a strong stage presence. And when he sings, with his amazing back up singers behind him, it feels like the Angels have come down from the heavens to personally minister to the people.
He is always smiling on stage. He is always happy. And he is often times dressed in white. It has become his signature colour. And it suits him perfectly. But many do not know that beneath that big smile is a man who still grieves inside sometimes during his quiet moments. In 2019, Dunsin lost his beloved wife, Adedoyin, to the cold hands of death. They got married in February, 2013 and enjoyed a truly blissful union together until tragedy struck in 2019 when the Lord called Adedoyin home. They have two beautiful children. And Dunsin has remained unmarried ever since and neither has he been linked to any lady.
Lately, in an interview with Pastor Adeboye’s son, Leke, the ever smiling Dunsin revealed how he has been coping with pressure from women who wish to replace his late wife. He also revealed, in a different video online, how he overcame the trauma of losing his wife.
“It’s only one person that I will marry, and I can marry,” he explains.
“And, I have been having a lot of “the Lord said, the Lord said”, but God is not an author of confusion.”
He was asked:”So, people are sliding into your DM like people who wear sliders? (laughs)
“Of course, that’s normal ,” he responded, smiling.
Leke probed further: “I really wish I could have access to your Instagram handle, so I can go through your inbox (laughs).
The shy looking Dunsin has clearly not been finding the situation the least amusing. “Oh, Lord have mercy (laughs), I really wish you could.
One of the things I try to do to avoid confusion is, number one:
I’m the one to hear from God, nobody can hear for me, even my mother cannot hear for me, I should hear for myself,” he emphasized. It was important to him that the ladies know exactly what be stands for as far getting remarried is concerned.
The interviewer, Pastor Leke, buttresses his point.”I’m into the ministry and I hear a lot of people say, my grandma told me this about this person, so it’s clear now that one should hear for oneself.”
And Dunsin concurred.”Yes, because when push comes to shove, your grandma won’t be there, even if they’ve picked something, they should wait for me to pick it.
I tell people,you listen to our music and watch us?
You will dream.
Someone said to me “I saw you in the dream, we wore white”, I said I always wear white (laughs).
Leke teased. “They should have said I saw you in the dream wearing pink”, he said, laughing.
Dunsin continues: “So, because we listen to the music of the people we like and see them on our screens, there are tendencies that we see them in our dreams.
The anointing we carry attracts everything, because when God turns to you, everything turns to you, even the Devil.
One of the things you want to do to avoid confusion is hear God for yourself, because there can be confusion.
People desire the spotlight, but they don’t know the weight that comes with it.
A lot of people just like the glamour, they don’t know what goes on behind.
I ask some people “Do you think you can marry me, with my schedule?”
The things we do is a cross, a ministry, a calling.
It’s not what you just say “ let’s just put lipstick, hips fingertips, it goes way beyond that,” Dunsin explains.
In truth, he is a man after every single lady’s heart. His passion for God and God’s work and the joy he brings to Christians through his soul lifting songs draw the opposite sex to him like bees to honey. They adore him. He is their knight in shining armour. They love him to no end. They crush on him and wish he was their man. But Dunsin never lets any of these get into his head. He is a well grounded man. He knows how to let these things bounce off him without him going through much hassles.
He revealed that it was tough for him coping with the loss of his wife. It was and remains the darkest moment of his life. But be was able to get through it by singing and praising God.
“Those days, I will cry, I will sing and praise God, cry, sing and praise God and it went on and on like that. That was how I survived it,” he said to the few people gathered around him.
Dunsin was born in Ilorin, Nigeria, to the family of Gbadebo Oyekan, the General Overseer of Evangelical Baptist Church. He began playing the guitar at age 10, encouraged by his father who once led ‘Spiritual Singers’, a music group that focused on experiencing God through worship. Dunsin studied Industrial Chemistry at the University of Ilorin, Kwara, Nigeria and, in 2014, God called him fully into the worship ministry.
Dunsin’s life is dedicated to bringing the God dimension into the world through sounds imparted to him by the Holy Spirit. His passion is worshipping Jesus and leading others closer to Him through music. For over two decades, he has birthed revelationary songs, sang in choirs, and served as a music director. He is a full-time worshipper who has released five albums — ‘Code Red’, ‘Kingdom Now’, ‘The Gospel of the Kingdom’, ‘The Glory Experience – Songs of Zion’, and ‘The Birth of Revival’. His hit songs such as ‘Breathe, Fragrance To Fire, Open Up’ and more recently, Worthy of My Praise featuring Lawrence Oyor, have all become anthems in many Christian homes.
Fondly called “the Eagle”, Dunsin’s desire is to fill the atmosphere with the heart of God, witness God, and stir revival platformed on the power and wisdom of God. He does this through singing, playing the keyboard and guitar, and teaching the word of God. He is the convener of Upper Room, a weekly worship experience, The Outpouring, a revival meeting, and Code Red, an annual worship experience.
Dunsin Oyekan is a devoted family man. He was married to his beloved wife, Adedoyin Oyekan, from February 2, 2013, until the moment the Lord took her home in May, 2019.
- WALE LAWAL (08037209290)
