Great Kminor: Strumming Joy into every heart

By Michael Kolawole

Music, for Great Kminor, is a medium to convey heartfelt messages of joy, hope, gratitude, and insights into morals and lifestyle. To ensure his audience grasps his messages, he delivers them in clear, direct, and relatable ways that connect with people across all aspects of life. He exemplifies this in “Igbekele Mi (My Only Hope)”, exhorting the almighty God for being his only hope and support. On “Ẹ̀bẹ (Supplication)”, he begs God to hear his prayers so that people won’t mock him.

Great Kminor believes God has no preferred mode of worship but is satisfied with whatever medium one employs; as long as it comes from one’s inner sanctuary. This belief is obvious in the diverse ways he approaches his music and worship, merging instruments, voices, and settings to honour God in whatever form that feels authentic.

In the video for “Thankful Refix”, he praises God using his guitar while his featured artist, BBO, praises God using his voice. Together, they create a mesmerising song to offer gratitude to God. In a video titled “Hymn Fusion” (a medley of Yoruba praise and worship), he solely appreciates the miraculous workings of God by singing with his guitar. In another video titled “Unusual Praise Medley (Vol 1.0)”, he’s flanked by female choirs on a well-lit church stage. He opens the session with the Nigerian gospel staple song, “This Is the Day”, and the choir gently choruses after him.

Raised in a Christian home in Ogun State, Nigeria, the Nigerian-UK-based guitarist, born Ayokunle Moses Okundare, was inspired by his family’s faith and local church worship, igniting his passion for gospel music at a young age. He began his musical instruments learning with the harmonica. His father noticed his passion for music and enrolled him at the MAC AYLIT (Music Art and Creative As You Like It) Institute, Ago Iwoye, Ogun State.

After completing a year-long introductory course in violin and music theory, he found that his love of music theory simplified learning another instrument. To expand on his skills at playing other musical instruments, he chose the guitar. Within just a year at the music institute, he honed his skills in the instrument to the point where he could effortlessly perform across various music genres.

But why choose the guitar over the harmonica he began with or the violin he learned at the institute? He says he was captivated by the sound emanating from his elder brother’s guitar, who was also learning at the institute. He felt the guitar was more engaging, and he decided to focus on it because it facilitates song composition. “I found it more interesting and decided to make it more with the guitar as it makes composition song easier,” Great Kminor said in a 2024 interview with Vanguard News.

At the early stage of his guitar playing, he looked up to Agboola Shadare and Kunle Ayo, two reputable guitarists who made guitar ministry an addition to the Pentecostal churches. “They made me understand that being a guitarist could make one stand out beyond playing with a band,” Great Kminor explains.

A few years later, Great Kminor became a star, performing at concerts and corporate events across Nigeria. His style, a joyful mix of urban contemporary and gospel with dazzling lead guitar riffs, captivated audiences and led to collaborations with notable Nigerian artists like Haruna Ishola, Emma OhMyGod, Evangelist Bola Are, and Gbenga Akinfenwa.

Great Kminor’s live shows are nothing short of electrifying. At the 2019 International Youth Alive Conference held at Winners Chapel Headquarters in Canaanland, Sango Otta, he delivered a powerful performance that left the audience spellbound. The energy and soulfulness of his guitar playing that night opened doors for him, making him a favourite among bands and corporate event organisers eager to tap into his exceptional talent.

Since then, he has consistently dazzled audiences at gospel concerts, Christian conferences, faith-based festivals, and cultural showcases across Nigeria. His guitar work commands attention, often becoming the spotlight of the event. Sharing stages with veterans like Gbenga Akinfenwa and the iconic Dr Evangelist Bola Arẹ̀, Great Kminor’s joyful riffs and emotive runs uplift every performance, adding a glorious touch to their already captivating vocals.

Besides preaching the gospel, Great Kminor believes music is meant to educate and inspire. Having played the guitar for years, he realised that his talent wasn’t just for him to keep. In 2013, he founded the Kminor Guitar Institute, driven by his desire to share his skills. “I want to help others find their sound,” he says on his website, greatkminor.com. His hands-on teaching mixes technical precision with the soul and spirituality of music, inspiring students to not just play notes but to communicate emotion and meaning through every strum. The institute has since trained over 450 guitarists worldwide.

He moved to the UK in 2023, beginning a new chapter in his life and career. Settling in London, he joined the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) City of David in Walderslade, Chatham, where he now serves as the Resident Lead Guitarist. The church, known for its lively worship, became the perfect stage for his gifts. His performances there, blending Yoruba praise with the modern gospel, have made Sunday services unforgettable. “Every time I see Great Kminor playing, either as part of the band or solely on stage leading songs, I’m always enthralled,” a church member Kubiruo Alozie testifies about the soothing and uplifting melody of Great Kminor’s guitar. “His sound often captivates my soul, encouraging me to continue worshipping God.”

His tour, which began on March 1st and will end on August 31st, is visiting London, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The tour focuses on spreading messages of faith, gratitude, joy, and moral reflection through his heartfelt guitar-led worship, drawing crowds eager to experience his unique blend of Yoruba-rooted praise and contemporary gospel sounds.