Nigerian-American gospel artiste and convener of the 1-150 Songs of Psalms, Evangelist John Kola-Idowu, has urged Nigerian youths to embrace positive values and reject attempts by politicians to use them as instruments of violence ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Kola-Idowu, made this warning to the youths against sacrificing their future for pecuniary gains from desperate politicians, stressing the need for peace, unity and peaceful coexistence.
He spoke at the launch of the Psalms 1-150 Global Concert, Global Choir and Global Indigenous Worship Project in Osogbo, where he described spiritual songs as a potential tool for addressing insecurity, social division, hopelessness and moral decline.
According to him, the messages of the Psalms can inspire young people to choose hope over despair, unity over division and positive engagement over destructive behaviour.
‘At a time when our world faces conflicts, insecurity, social division and economic challenges, we need initiatives that encourage love, understanding, hope and peaceful coexistence,’ he said.
The cleric also called on governments and world leaders to prioritise peace-building, youth empowerment, cultural inclusion and moral development in tackling insecurity, noting that the fight against violence should go beyond security operations to address its social and moral causes.
He urged religious leaders to intensify the preaching of peace and discourage their followers from participating in electoral violence.
‘We must pray that the 2027 general election will not divide us, but rather strengthen our commitment to unity, justice and peaceful coexistence,’ he said.
Kola-Idowu said the Psalms 1-150 project was more than a musical initiative, describing it as a movement aimed at preserving indigenous languages, empowering young people, promoting peace, celebrating diversity and uniting people across nations through worship.
He disclosed that the global concert would bring together established and emerging gospel artistes, worship leaders and choirs from Africa, Europe, Asia, the Americas and other parts of the world, beginning with online participation before expanding to physical concerts in different countries.
The project, he added, would feature celebrated gospel ministers and artistes, including Evangelist Bola Are, Yinka Alaseyori, Woli Agba and Mike Abdul, alongside other gospel singers, in a bid to inspire a new generation of worshippers.