The Biography of Ezra Jinang
Who is Ezra Jinang
Ezra Yohana Jinang popularly known as Ezra Jinang is a singer, song writer, Artist, a gospel minister, lawyer and a mentor.
Ezra Jinang who hails from Kombun District of Mangu LGA, Plateau State, Nigeria, was born in the late 70s to the family of Mr. and Mrs. Yohana Jinang in kafi-abu Dawong, Barkin-Ladi Local Government of Plateau State, Nigeria. His father and mother were peasant farmers and business men.
His background can be described as a very humble but discipline one. His father raised him and 6 other siblings in the way of the Lord, thought him farming and also sent him to school. As a child, he followed his father to the farm, church and other vocations of his father which include Mesin work. While doing those, his father exposed him to the advantages of Education and why they all need to become graduates hence his passion for Education.
Ezra Jinang: His Education
The Education journey of Ezra Jinang started when he was 6 years old. On a faithful morning in 1983, he cried before his mother that he will want to follow his senior siblings to school (primary), while his older sister, Mary, who was in primary 3 then, complained of the distance which was about 5 kilometers away from home, his mother Jikoliya (Nakol) saw the need to give him a trial and to the glory of God, he trekked to and from school without any challenge.
He finished his primary school in 1989, he emerged one of the best pupil in his first School Leaving Certificate Exams and was posted to Government College Zawan, now Mary Emaculate College, in Jos south L.G.A. of Plateau State, Nigeria.
He completed his secondary education in 1995. After his secondary education, he went back home to his father and continued with the business of farming for 2 years, and then in 1998 he started working at Infant Jesus Private School Jos as class Teacher.
Ezra Jinang in the year 2000, secured admission to study Diploma in law at the University of Jos. He graduated in the year 2002.
Busy building his music career, he did not go back to obtain his degree immediately until 2011 when he got an admission to study for his degree LL,B. in Law at the Federal University, Jos, Nigeria. He completed his degree in the year 2015 and obtained his LL,B.
In 2016, Ezra Jinang proceeded to the Nigerian Law School, (Kano Campus), where he studied and obtained his BL, a one year compulsory programme which qualified him to be called to the largest Bar in Africa, the Nigerian Bar. He was called to the Bar in November, 2017.
In his quest to get a higher knowledge, he enrolled for his master’s degree in the same university of Jos in 2018, studied and obtained his LL,M, masters degree in Law. He is currently pursuing his Ph.D in Law. Ezra Jinang is also a student of the purple Blue music Business Academy Lagos.
The Music Career of Ezra Jinang
Ezra Jinang started singing at the church choir in Assemblies of God Church, in Nigeria his home country at the tender age of 14. He was enrolled in the choir where he learnt the art of singing and grow up doing so in the conventional choir until he was 18 years. Before he turned 18, he had always admired the contemporary music and musicians. He is always attracted to musical instruments right from when he was a child. One of his major inspirations for music came from his uncle Jerry Jinang who was a very popular music Icon in the Nothern Nigeria. Each time/his uncle visits his father in the village, Ezra Jinang will always be drawn closer to his acoustic guitar and will be happy to just touch it with his bear hands even thou he may not have known how to play it. He goes to the river and fetch roofing grasses to construct local Harp, called Ndeng-Ndeng in his dialect. His first song was written at the age of 12 with that local Harp. The name of the song was Zo Zo Zo Zo meaning come, come, come, come.
At the age of 18, Ezra Jinang learnt how to play the acoustic guitar. His late uncle, Anthony Jinang one night thought him how to play the box guitar, about 3 major chords and from that night, he became a passionate student of the guitar and later a player and he immediately started writing songs.
As a new comer in the contemporary Music industry/ministry, Ezra was seen ministering in his Local church on Sundays, songs he wrote using the guitar. Later he started attending concerts where he will sit at the back and watch his seniors and mentors performed and got more inspired.
In that period, Ezra Jinang had encounters with Baba Peter Gobir, Bulus Datiri, Ernest Dades, Kefas Digal, PeeJay and others who were his seniors and occasionally converged in Barkin-Ladi town for concerts.
His First Album
Ezra Jinang produced his first Album Titled Rayayan Bege (Living Hope) in the year 2000 at the age of 22 at Manas Music Studio in Mangu, Plateau State, Nigeria and recorded in Green Wood Studio in Jos. His first producer was Manas Wadan while the recording engineer was Uncle Bitrus Bature.
After the first Album, Ezra Jinang has recorded and released at least 20 more successful Musical Albums Sold in Hundreds of thousands of copies circulating across Nigeria and beyond.
The names, History and success stories of these Albums will be available on this website soon.
Ezra Jinang: The beginning of his Fame
From unset Ezra Jinang in just the first three years of his music career, became one of the most famous musicians in his Local Government and among his tribes men.
He earned this admiration by Grace and for his Artistic use of the mwagavul language to craft his songs. Passing the messages of hope, unity and salvation with his lyrics, sounds and style, he soon became a celebrity among his people even in diaspora. He came up with a series called Mwagavul Reformation Music and has about 5 Albums in his dialect in that series. The titles are as follows:
1. Munki Long
2. Mu Mbar
3. Pemak Shuar
4. Ret-yit
5. Mwagavul mu yashal
When the first full mwagavul Album was released in the year 2001 people were queuing up in the village market squares to buy the tapes.
Ezra Jinang was always moving from village to village on invitations and performances on invitation due to his Popularity among his people.
Where ever he enters, the village venue will always experience a packed full programme.
The markerter of his first tribal Album is Mr. pandes (Blitz) He testified of how good that Album sold.
Journey to Fame in Plateau State and Northern Nigeria
His Album, Ganuwan Jericho, marketed by Equity Christian Ventures was his first National Hit.
The Album was a best seller in the year 2004, and earned him so many invitations outside his home state.
There after he released the Album Al’ajibi which include the Hit track sweet Plateau.
The Story and Impact of the Song Sweet Plateau on Ezra Jinang’s Career.
Ezra Jinang grew up loving his home state Plateau. As a result, he sang a song eulogizing his home land Plateau. The Sweet Plateau song came 2 years after the first Jos crises which took place in the year 2001. In that song, Ezra Jinag was heard saying he will live in the land of Plateau, the Land of Plateau is sweet. It was a trying moment for his state and people were running away, his song sweet plateau was one of the greatest instruments used by the Government and Media houses to calm the nerves of citizens and to restore the lost glory of the state.
The song was produced by Edwin Ladan and became a hit in the year it was released marketed by equity Christian ventures, the biggest gospel music marketer that ever existed in the Northern part of Nigeria. The Sweet Plateau song has earned Ezra Jinag an age long recognition from his state government so much so that he is being featured in almost every Government public function and also the Government house chapel to perform his music up till date.
After sweet Plateau, Ezra Jinang has sang some other songs for his dear state which include Rawan Plateau, One Plateau, and Plateau Mulkin Sama.In 2011, he was selected to tour with the then Governor of Plateau State. His Excellency, Jonah David Jang, as a music guest Artist and same happened in 2019 with the Successor of Jang, His Excellency, Dr. Simon Bako Lalong during his re-electioneering campaign. Ezra Jinang enjoyed very serious love from his state Plateau because of his songs for the state. Currently, he is the musician of the present Governor of the state. Ezra sang the popular gida-gida song that published the Governor Caleb Mutfwang’s campaign that led to victory.
His National Impact
Shortly after 2004, his music went across the length and breadth of Nigeria. He has ministered/performed his music in virtually every state of the federation on invitation, this include major cities like Lagos, Portharcourt, Kano, Jos, and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. He has severally ministered at the famous National Church in Abuja, the federal capital. We refer you to his facebook page Barr. Ezra Jinang to view some of his performances. Until date, Ezra Jinang is one of the frontline musicians of the Northern Nigerian extraction.
Inter-nationally, He has traveled to Tuckey, Israel, Benin Republic, and look forward to many other international trips for musical performances and ministrations.
Ezra Jinang; His legal Career
Right from childhood, his father impacted in him, the passion for education and becoming a professional in Relevant fields.
Despite his fame in music, he still pushes to achieve his dream of becoming a lawyer. After his call to the prestigious Nigerian Barr in the year 2017, Ezra Jinang started practicing law with Seven Seals Attorneys, Jos, Nigeria with Barr. Longpiya Emmanuel his principal and mentor.
Aside advocacy, he is also an intellectual property lecturer at the Panam college of music, where he teaches the music students music business and intellectual property, consultancy services in the area of IP and E-Commerce Law. Ezra Jinang holds an LL,B, BL, and LL,M in Law. Currently, a student of Purple Blue music Business Academy, Lagos.
Musical Awards
Ezra Jinang to the glory of God is a recipient of many awards for his contribution to humanity through his music.
Some of these awards include:
1. Song writer of the year 2021, for promoting unity through song writing by the future entertainment foundation.
2. The Royal Gospel Ambassadoria Award, for supporting Gospel music and making an impact in the Northern Region of Nigeria with his music. By AREWA GOSPEL MUSICE PALACE.
3. Service Award by Dunamis church Mangu, for his passion for gospel music and unrelenting service as a youth motivator, awarded on the 27th December 2020.
4. Everlasting melody music group (EMMG) awarded him with a merit Award in acknowledgement of his magnificent dedication and altruistic contributions towards the progress of Gospel music.
5. Male Artiste of the year 2011, Jos Gospel Music Award, now Joint Gospel Music Award.
6. La dakyil, award presented to him by the national association of mwagavul students (NAMS) Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria
7. A merit award as voice of peace 2010 presented to him by the national association of mwagavul students N.V.R.I Vom chapter
8. Outstanding Gospel Musician of the year 2009/2010 by mobilization for the youth empowerment foundation. Now Plateau Man of the year Award organizers.
These and many others he has received for his contributions through music.
Ezra Jinang’s Family and Love Life.
Ezra Jinang is a man and husband of one wife.
He met Rahila Luka Daniel about 2 decades ago, went into relationship and later married her after a long courtship.
They got married in 2010, December and have since then been enjoying their union. The marriage is blessed with 3 wonderful kids, Munaan, Sehn and Diret.
In 2023, the same marriage was joined at the Federal Marriage Registry in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria. His wife, Rahila Ezra Jinang (Rahila) as he fondly calls her, is a senior Nursing officer (RN) and a mid-wife working with the Plateau Specialist Hospital Jos.
Ezra Jinang with his wife and 3 children lives in Jos Plateau state, Nigeria.
Ezra jinang’s Political Story
Thou not a politician, but has passion for patriotism and love for his state and nation has led him to participate in political campaigns to candidate of his choice using his music.
He has been participation since 1999. In 2023, he sang the famous Gida-Gida song for the current governor of Plateau state, Nigeria. As a result of his impact on the creative industry, he has been appointed as Senior Special Assistant to the current Governor of Plateau State with effect from January 2024. A position where he uses as a platform to empower young creatives and also shapes policy making positively.