Yoruba language. These songs gained him fame as he was said to have won more converts through singing, and therefore was described as “The singing minister”; whereas in other quarters, he has been described as “The revolutionary music minister”. In the year 1925 Revd. Ransome-Kuti recorded and released a 43 songs under Zonophone Records (now Warner Music Group), making him the first Nigerian to have recorded gospel songs. Ikoli Harcourt Whyte Another landmark in the birth of Nigeria gospel songs was in the person of the late Ikoli Harcourt Whyte. He was a leprosy patient. For 45 years (until his death in 1977 at the age of 72), he lived in a leprosy colony in Uzuakoli, Abia State, Nigeria. The colony was owned by the Methodist Church. Harcourt Whyte was a member of his school choir, where he played flute and side drum but in 1919 at age 14, he was diagnosed with leprosy and sent out of school. At the leprosy colony, he devoted most of his time to studying the Bible and the Methodist hymn book, from where he drew inspiration for his songs. A huge source of encouragement for him was Rev. Dr. Frank Davey C.B.E. (Director of Methodist Leprosy Settlement at Uzuakoli from 1936 to 1959). Dr. Davey who himself was an ardent lover of music guided and supported Harcourt Whyte’s musical flair. Though a kalabari man from Abonema, Rivers State, his stay in Uzuakoli influenced him to write songs in Ibo language. He is referred to as “The father of Igbo church music”. Between 1921 and 1977, he wrote over 200 songs. He raised a choir, which traveled and ministered around Nigeria. He performed for British dignitaries who visited Nigeria during the colonial era. He got invited to schools to teach music. He was the music teacher at Methodist Boys' High School in Uzuakoli. References Gospel music genres Nigerian music