The Karis group is a gospel music outfit that has lived through 26 years. Many musicians has passed through the outfit which is still waxing strong. Run by Rev. Ekpeyong Bassey and his wife, Pat. M. Bassey, the group frowns at the modern practice of commercialising the message among other issues, Dayo Emmanuel met Pat Bassey in her Lagos office.
How did you get into music?
I grew up in a Christian home where Christian music was a lifestyle, Jim Reeves woke us up every morning and at night when we were going to bed, it was also music. All my brothers were always in the studio. Sundays after church, everybody would dance and dance, it is a family thing, I grew up in Apapa, Lagos.
How did you come about the music career?
With a family background in music, I always found it easy in school to form a choir group, it doesn’t take me time to start it. At every opportunity I gathered people, teach them songs, I just find out that it was my line and God blessed me well in it, music is a language beyond your explanation and worshiping God through music makes it more meaningful, I got married to a man who makes music, he was a choir master in a military church when I met him, God gave us a vision to make music in church more than the traditional way it used to be, we added a professional touch, if it is for God, it must be the best quality, God deserves the best, we now gave ourselves to it, we became professionals and God blessed us ant it is now 26years. Our purpose is to carry this message of grace, Karis actually means grace in Greek and Hebrew, Karis is the grace of God and what we carry is the message of the grace, believers and non believers should have it, even some Christians don’t understand the grace of God,everything is by grace, our salvation is by grace, Karis music caries the grace of God and we don’t compromise our stand, the message is the gospel of Christ and we must pass the love to others, whatever we are doing, our aim is that God must be glorified, not just anything but excellence.
In advancing your music and going professional, did you attend any music school formally?
Well, I learnt through the process but my husband is a trained musician he was a trained accountant but the music supersedes his training as an account, we now run the academy where we teach music, we started the music effectively in 1992/1993, what we now do is more of consultancy, we train musicians for churches, we run three months training with in churches, we also have those who come to our academy for training, we have old people who want to retire with music also come around for training. We are known for costumes as well, you can see me in a military camouflage in the picture over there, costume is one of the languages we speak, it matters to us a lot because the priests in the Bible had the royal robe, we are priests and ministers of God, we dress to fit occasions.
How do you assess the Christian music industry in Nigeria today?
Basically the word “commercialisation” has been the issue, everybody is looking for money, only God knows, though you can’t judge anybody, may God have mercy on us. In some churches, it is just noise and noise and you ask yourself what is going on, God is still looking for true worshipers who will worship him in spirit and in truth. We went for a concert sometime ago and the organisers brought musicians who led the people to dance and dance, it was our time to minister and it was a 3hours thing, we were given the last 30 minutes and they asked us to continue to lead the people to dance, everybody already expected that , they said it was time to dance but the Lord led us differently. When we came on, it was a mixed feeling, some were rolling on the floor in worship, God just told us “I want worship, you guys have enjoyed yourselves dancing, what about me?” We had to listen to God and obey Him, we rather please God than please men. We made altar call, calling forward those who found it difficult to worship God, almost half of the congregation came out and we prayed with them, it was amazing, of course God doesn’t have problem with you dancing and making yourself happy but you must know what He wants per time, the music minster must be sensitive to the Holy Spirit. Why do you clap? Praise and worship is more than clapping and dancing which are little fragment of it, there is more to it, we should minister to God.
How do you advise upcoming musicians?
We run the academy for young people, to teach them, some of them come for counseling and by the help of God we counsel them. We run seminars, we have the Kingdom Music Foundation, we lecture them , apart from that many of them come for direct counseling, we take time to make them understand what music ministry is all about, you can make money in the industry it is part of it but the ultimate is to glorify God. People don’t believe this and that is why it is being traded all over the place and the reason everybody would copy, bend it and mix up , people don’t spend time with God to hear what He wants them to do at every occasion, there is a message and the music minister must be able to know what God wants at every time. Gospel music is now popular but is the message really being preached? Are believers getting close to God by these music, does it bring out godly sorrow? During worship, God sometimes makes you cry, heal you and inspires you when you worship Him in truth and in Spirit, you get healed in His presence, which was what David did for Saul. We also ask for direction for young people. I just pray we don’t miss the essence of God’s calling.
There is this notion that the devil attacks gospel ministers, is it true in your case?
This is true, I have a personal encounter along this line. We had a program in Kafanchan, we ministered in the stadium, we ministered also at a Redeemed Church, on our way back we had a car crash, the car left the road totally, that we came out of that car was God, all I know was it was God’s mercy, we didn’t deserve to live but God still has a reason for us to live. As a musician if you are doing the will of God, there will be confrontation, but the Lord will always be there for you.
How do you balance your career and your family matters?
It is a family thing , everyone in the family is in it, i was shocked when a neighbour said “I enjoy your fellowship”, all the way from another apartment. We have fellowship in the mornings and evenings and it is like heaven comes down, in fact God honours the worship you give Him in the closet, not just on the stage, your name should bring praise to God, people should thank God for you, not just that you carry Bible all over the place.
When did you get married, and how did you meet your husband?
Well, one day, my mum sent me on an errand to her friend, the woman was not around and as usual, I just gathered the children around and started teaching them songs and a man just appeared asking if he could join us, it was the first time I would notice him, I told him I don’t teach big boys, he said no he wanted to learn and that was how we met.
Today, we no longer look for stages, we run events, and we go for missions as well as campus outreaches.
What do you do apart from Music?
Apart from music I am into garment, I make and design clothes, I am an author, a teacher by calling, an educationist. Amazingly I had my first degree in Chemistry from University of Ibadan 1979/80 set, I got married in Zaria, I was to do my masters in ABU but at that time my husband moved to Lagos and we had to leave, then I did my masters in Lagos, we are blessed with a son and three granddaughters and of course a lot of spiritual children, 13 of who have married from my house, we had a flat for the boys while the girls lived with me, Sammie Okposo was there too, he passed through us and we still relate well.
How is your ministry funded?
God is the one funding us, we have a board of trustees, we have corporate bodies, TREM, MFM, Foursquare, RCCG etc as friends. Whenever RCCG is opening a parish, we set the stage and stay with them for six months, then leave for another church, we also run LES CHARIS LTD, apart from our partners, we do business through the LES KARIS; we import and sell musical equipments.
The message must go on, the main thing is to reach the world with the word of God through music, the vision is still on, and we want to leave a legacy.
How do you assess Christian messages from the pulpits today?
The message is there, we have gifted ministers but the application is what we need. The message is not enough, what about the vessel? I’m just sure if everybody does what God wants, us to do, Nigeria will be better place to live, we are the salt of the earth and the light of the world, if we truly do what God wants us to do, we will see result, there should be love among us, we clap and sing together but is there love?, If there is love, we will know those who are really hurting among us and care for them.
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