Jacob Micheal Osijaye known with the stage name JACO is a Gospel Musician, Songwriter, Music Producer, Recording artist, and is one of the gospel music ministers, who has continued to be a blessing to the body of Christ. His music brings electrifying energy to the stage.
An energetic praise and worship leader full of the Holy Ghost, Jaco is also a songwriter. His love for God and passion for the gospel is evident in the lyrics of his songs and the energy in his ministrations on stage. Jaco is a committed member of his local Church and ministers as choir leader in the church-The Redeemed Christian Church of God, Power and Praise Chapel, UAE.
Jaco was gracious to answer some of our questions about his life, his faith, and his music…
How were you first introduced to Jesus? To what/whom do you attribute your faith?
Jaco: I am born into a Christian home; my mum is a deaconess in church, I grew up in church where I started my music career. I had a Christian background but not a personal relationship with God. I had my first encounter with God in my secondary school where I became born again. Prophet Isaiah Orji (my friend but now a pastor in Anglican church) led me to Christ when we were in secondary school. He told me that before I could be his friend that I must be born again. I still give him that respect as my father.
You are a musician, songwriter, businessman, father and husband. How do you find time to balance everything? What is your most important role and why?
J: All these roles are tasking and demanding and with the help of God, I have been able to balance all so far. The most important role for me is being a husband and a father because my family comes first after God because I believe that if I fail in my family, I have failed in others. They are my first priority, my bedrock and I don’t joke with them.
Tell us about your music. What can listeners expect when they listen to Jacob Michel Osijaye?
J: My music is all about God; it comes with the zeal for God, the energy and force to go all out for the Kingdom of God. My music stares up the hunger to worship God and give Him your all. It encourages, motivates, inspires and all preaches the Gospel. Jacob Michel Osijaye is simply a preacher of the gospel through music and the listeners should be ready to worship God.
You were born in Nigeria, but now live in Dubai. How did that move come about? How are the places different, and/or the same?
J: This is one of the most interesting questions I have been asked. My moving to Dubai is all God’s plan. I never thought of coming to Dubai. As a music minister, Dubai isn’t the best place to be because first it’s an Arabic nation; you don’t have that level of freedom to worship. When I came here, the worship day was usually Fridays but they moved it to Sunday this year. Why I said it’s all in God’s plan is because there are certain things that I had struggled to achieve in Nigeria as a musician and I’m achieving them here. I got my first music award here in Dubai and at the same time I’m seeing more opportunities. I’ve got to learn more on music ministry and business; I’ve really grown in my music ministry and I can boldly say it has been God.
What is next for you? Any performances planned? More recordings? A video?
J: The releasing of my new single on the 25th of March and that’s the big thing right now for me. I will be having a live concert with a selected audience of 200 persons with about 20 back up singers and it will be streamed on major platforms online. This is one of my top projects and before the year runs out, I will be releasing an album but right now, I’m after the ‘FOLLOW JESUS’ single.
Besides music, what are your other interests?
J: I want to run a vocational school where we groom the young ones in any area or vocation they are good at or they want to do better at. It is more of a creativity school where we enhance them to do better at any vocation of their choice.
Thank you so much for taking the time. Blessings to you and your family!