Timi Dakolo Defends Gospel Artists’ Right To Charge Money
Timi Dakolo has countered criticism of Gospel artist that charge money for perfomances in church or christian events. The Nigerian gospel music industry has found itself at the centre of heated debate after Apostle Femi Lazarus, lead pastor of Light Nation Church, made a bold statement that sent shockwaves through the Christian community. In one of his viral sermons, he lamented that many worship meetings in Nigeria had become mere performances, revealing that a gospel artist once charged N5 million to minister. He went further, stating, “He will come, act drama, and cry, but he is only doing his business. You’d be amazed at how ruthless they are when they charge.”
This statement did not sit well with many, including renowned Nigerian singer and songwriter Timi Dakolo. Widely recognised as the “Nigerian King of Soul,” Dakolo wasted no time in responding via Instagram, calling out what he described as an unfair attack on gospel musicians.
“My dear Christians,” Dakolo wrote, “A quote can sound intelligent and deep yet be untrue. You deserve the very best things life has to offer. You should be paid what you deserve. Studio sessions, production, and promotion cost a lot. You have a family to feed, rent to pay, and more songs to put out. We should stop these attacks on people’s work.”
Dakolo didn’t stop there. He pointed out what he saw as hypocrisy within the church, noting that churches spend large sums on architects to build grand cathedrals and invest heavily in promoting big programmes. Yet, when it comes to gospel artists, many expect them to perform for free or accept significantly lower pay.
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“Music is both spiritual and an art,” he continued. “If you can’t pay guest artists, use your church choir and pay them what you would have paid the invited minister. Gospel musicians are not beggars. The best musicians take years—sometimes a decade or more—to refine their craft. Churches should develop and fairly compensate their singers instead of belittling them.”
Comedian “I go save” also countered Apostle Femi Lazarus’s comments in an Instagram post. He said, “Only Pastor Chris or pastors that have promoted gospel musicians to the limelight should rant about them charging churches.”
Content Credit| Oyedepo Oluwafifedoyinsola
Image Credit| https://dailypost.ng/
