A South Africa-based gospel music group, Wellspring Music, has released a new multilingual album aimed at promoting unity and gratitude across cultural and national lines, at a time when concerns over xenophobic tensions continue to surface in parts of the country.
The group, coordinated by Prince Adeniyi Patrick Adegboyega Ogunsola and based in Pretoria, Gauteng Province, described the project as a combination of spiritual and social intervention, with the aim of utilising music as a vehicle to foster peaceful coexistence among diverse African communities.
Speaking on the inspiration behind the collaboration with Parrot reporters, Ogunsola explained that the vision was rooted in a long-standing belief in cultural harmony. “I strongly believe that God made diverse language and culture to exist so that all tribes and all nations can be united in showing forth the beauty of God’s creation… without any form of segregation,” he said.
Ogunsola revealed that the partnership itself started in Johannesburg, where he met fellow minister Jules at church. According to him, their shared values and openness to cultural diversity laid the foundation for their musical journey. “I noticed that she is someone that is accommodating of other people with different cultural background… I discussed with her about the possibility of doing some songs together and the rest is history,” he added.
He described the newly released album is a message of gratitude, which the group believes is often overlooked. Ogunsola noted that many people measure thanksgiving based only on visible outcomes. “Humans have a way of measuring the level of thanksgiving that God deserves based on the evidence of what they can see… forgetting that all things… had already been done for us in the spiritual realm,” he said.
He stressed that the album goes beyond its spiritual message, but also reflects a deliberate blending of languages, including Yoruba, Zulu and English, which the group says is designed to resonate across ethnic divides. Ogunsola emphasized the symbolic power of such fusion, stating, “Can you imagine a Zulu-speaking person singing around a Yoruba-speaking person… hearts will be united as one; and heaven will rejoice.”
In the course of the interview it was gathered that the group believes that music can play a significant role in addressing social tensions and reinforcing shared history among African nations. Ogunsola said, “Music can play a very powerful tool in uniting cultures… the more people learn about each other’s languages and culture… the more the peace we will have in our communities.”
In terms of managing production and promotion independently, the coordinator disclosed that Wellspring Music is focused on expanding its reach and building a broader network. “We are currently handling everything on our own as God is helping us, but I believe that appointed people will soon start coming onboard… to help us push this work across borders,” Ogunsola said.
He also expressed hope that the album will inspire a culture of gratitude and purposeful living across Africa. “The major inspiration is to see that God is ceaselessly glorified in the way we individually live our life… our appreciation and gratitude… has a way of imparting our lives… to do exploits,” he stated.
