Dakom Joshua popularly known as JohnDee, born in Plateau State, Jos-Nigeria, is a Christian musician, a recording artist. In an interview with Peoplereporters, Dakom speaks on the Gospel music industry, its challenges and solutions as well as his forthcoming Album launch titled “Victory”. Excerpts.
Can we meet you?
My name is Dakom Joshua, popularly known as “JohnDee”, an indigene of Plateau State, from a family of Five (5), am the last born in my family.
What do you do for a living?
I am a Gospel singer and a song writer.
What genre of music do you do?
I do basically Gospel music and nothing else
For how long have you been in the Gospel circle?
Officially, I have been in the Gospel music industry for about ten years now, I started singing as far back as 2003 in my Church Choir.
So many young fast-rising artistes are doing great in the circular music industry, why your choice for Gospel Music?
Am fulfilled doing Gospel music, although I was once tried circular music for two (2) years, back then in Anambra State, I discovered I wasn’t fulfilled in it and wasn’t my area of specialization. So, I had to bounce back to Gospel music. Whenever I get an opportunity to minister my songs in an event, I notice am fulfilled, I believe singing Gospel music is a calling to me.
Music Artistes nowadays get inspired through various methods, so how do you get your own inspiration?
Well, I get inspired by the people I find around me, my church. Basically my inspiration comes from my own personal experience, my family background. I had a terrible experience while growing up as a teenager, it was God who brought me out of it, if not for God, I don’t think I would have been alive by now.
In the Gospel music industry, who do you see as a role model to you?
First and foremost, Solomon Lange, I love him, I love his type of music, I visit him often times, his background also inspires me a lot; Nathaniel Bassey and Chris Morgan. Whenever these people sing, am moved in the spirit.
How do you intend to impact lives especially youths via your songs?
This is not about me, God has given me this gift freely, the bible says “Freely I give, and freely you shall give so its not all about me. I tell myself most times that lives must be impacted through me before I depart this world. My prayer always is for God to give me the strength, more grace and anointing to impact lives.
What are your plans?
Apart from music, I also look forward to owning an NGO, (a Non-Governmental Organisation) that will be solely responsible in giving succour to the needy, orphans etc. Part of my dream is to establish a music record label to assist upcoming artistes.
What do you see as a challenge(s)? can you talk about them?
My first challenge is the Church, money is also not left out, Funding is also very important in terms of pushing your songs online and whole lot. If only there are Pastors of various Churches that can stand by us, sponsor and give us support. Sometimes, we don’t need money from these people, what we need is just words of encouragement that will spur us to do more.
Churches no longer invest in the Gospel Music Industry, they believe gospel artistes are wasting their time that is where the challenge is coming from. Take a look at the circular music, they do a lot of investments into their music that is why they are making it, if only the church will invest in us, we will do better than those in the circular industry. For example, if we have about Fifty (50) Men of God in Nigeria, talking about the likes of Pastor Chris Oyakhilome of Christ Embassy Church that can give support to the Gospel music industry, I strongly believe it will grow fast, those in the circular world, will have no choice other than joining the Gospel industry.
Where do you see yourself, two (2) years from now?
I don’t see myself only in Nigeria but all over Africa and all over the world doing nothing but music.
Any word for other fast-rising Gospel Artistes like you?
Just a word for them: “Let’s just stay pure”, is very important because the Bible says that “Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and every other thing and not “one thing”, will be added unto you. So firstly, we must stay pure. Secondly we must believe in ourselves as a Gospel Minister, no matter the situation. Thirdly, we must work hard to be where you want to be.
By your own assessment over the years, how has the Gospel music industry been like?
Well, it has never been that easy, there are times when people invite you for programmes especially Pastors at the end of the programme, they will tell you to drop your Bank Account number, they will end up disappointing you. But God has been faithful, despite all these, I have never given up on myself, I keep doing it till the day God says it is my time. I believe it’s a process, we all have to pass through, God is preparing me ahead for the greater level ahead.
If God should bless me with Ten Million Naira (N10,000,000) now, I will definitely misbehave first and secondly I will forget God, so I am confident that God is still preparing me.
Now lets talk about your song titled: “Victory” What brought about the word “Victory”?
Like I said earlier, it has not been easy, talking about my personal experience, when a man falls, he rises up and humanly speaking, what your fellow man can do for you is just temporary but when God is interested in your situation, he can do beyond your imaginations. What really brought about the song title: “Victory”, something happened to me last year, I was suppose to be operated upon, it happened just before my birthday, on that same day, I was struggling to sing in an event just to make sure that everything went well. Immediately after the birthday, I proceeded to the hospital and I was asked to go and come back on the 23rd of September, 2018 for an appendices operation, when I got back there on the given date, the doctor cross-examined me and he said “young man you are ok”, he asked me if I was the same person that came before, I replied: “Yes sir”. He said so God can heal and I said he can even raise the dead and even beyond that? He smiled and said young man you are ok.
Sometimes last year, we had a concert in Waru, Apo-Abuja, inside the church while trying to get connected to what was happening and the song just dropped “Victory” and I began to see the battles God fought for me and I began to sing Halleluyah, God has given me Victory.
What should your fans expect from your song?
Everyone has his or her own type of music, as for me, I am a worshipper and not everyone will like your type of song, but “Victory” is an inspirational song, an encouragement song, that is all about Victory. I solicit their support and prayers as I launch my album “Victory”, I believe the song will be a blessing to them.
When is the album expected to drop?
March 3rd, 2019, I will be launching the album, I will announce the venue online soon.