Bidemi Olaoba Under Fire Over ‘GADUS’ Slang In Worship Song

February 26, 2025 EMMANUEL ADEBAYO AJIBOLA

Gospel artist Bidemi Olaoba is currently being criticised for his stage performance at RCCG Parish Champion’s Cathedral. The vibrant gospel minister delivered an energetic performance like he always does but used the viral Nigerian slang “GADUS” in his song on stage. After a video of the performance surfaced on social media, many gospel music fans called him out for the use of the particular slang and several others he has used in the past.

Also in the trending video, Bidemi could be seen merging his hands in a gesture that seemed to imitate the crushing of Indian hemp (weed). Many of his fans defended his actions, saying the gesture wasn’t to portray crushing Indian hemp; some also defended his use of the viral slang, calling it innovative and Gen Z-like.

The performance, which was shared widely on social media, has sparked a debate among gospel music fans regarding the appropriateness of incorporating contemporary slang and gestures into worship settings.

A large section of the gospel music audience has criticised the performance; some of their comments include “Bidemi is a talented entertainer that goes to church and there’s nothing spiritually edifying about his songs.” Another comment said, “Sounds like a money-making trend-following artist with a touch of Jesus.”.

Some fans have cautioned him to differentiate between worshipping God and entertaining the crowd and not confuse both things. Many fans criticised the performance, including Christian influencer Solomon Buchi. Bidemi Olaoba is somewhat of a controversial figure in the gospel music industry, with many of his performances often scrutinised by gospel music lovers.

As of now, Bidemi Olaoba has not publicly responded to the recent criticisms regarding his performance at RCCG Parish Champion’s Cathedral.