- Timi Dakolo has reacted to a trending video of Pastor Femi Lazarus' comment about gospel singers who charge to sing at church events
- In the viral video, Pastor Femi Lazarus recalled how a gospel artiste was paid N5 million to minister
- Timi Dakolo, in a response to the video, called on Pastor Femi Lazarus to stop gaslighting gospel artistes while sharing what he should do instead
The issue of gospel artistes in Nigeria charging fees to sing at church and Christian events has returned to social media following a comment by Pastor Femi Lazarus.
In a viral video, Lazarus, the lead pastor of Light Nation Church spoke against gospel singers who are focused on making money with their talent.
According to the clergyman, gospel artistes have forgotten they are also ministers and need to turn to God to meet their needs.
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"It has become performance, some body has come here to charge N5 million to sing," he said in a clip.
Timi Dakolo reacts to Femi Lazarus' video
The R&B singer, in a reaction, knocked clerics who attempt to gaslight gospel singers.
According to Dakolo, gospel singers also deserved to live a good life as he listed some of the things they achieved with the money they charged.
"You should be paid what you deserve. Studio session, production and promotion cost a lot. You have a family to feed, you have rent to pay, you have more songs to put out. We should stop all these attack on people's work, As much as it is spiritual, music is art," he wrote.
Dakolo advised Lazarus to focus on building his church choir and using them for events if he knew he couldn't afford to pay popular gospel singers.
“This gaslighting has to stop. If you can’t pay people, use your choir members and pay them what you would have given the guest artist,” Timi Dakolo said.
.See a screenshot of Timi Dakolo's response and Pastor Femi Lazarus' video below:
In related news, Legit.ng reported that Pastor Femi Lazarus ordered a drummer to leave the altar for hitting the drums during his ministration, interrupting him in the process.
Netizens react to Timi Dakolo's response
While several netizens took sides with the singer, others shared gospel singers who allegedly do not charge fees and are doing fine.
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Legit.ng compiled some of the comments, read them below:
mucluxury said:
"Body of Christ took me to court to cut me up oh."
dera.cocy reacted:
"Learn to monetize your talent n know your worth aswell."
procaremultimedia reacted:
"Timi the businessman, The Pastor is so factual abeg."
prettee_dimples said:
"If they don’t collect money how would they foot their bills?"
ladeola_ reacted:
"Nathaniel bassey and some other ministers don’t charge they are after the work of God so most churches and Christian organizations gift them awesomely …but if you are after your own business you can charge."
howo_ambassador said:
"Pastor is your church not business?"
talktoyossy said:
"I can't see any difference. Moreover, let your church choirs minister if you can't pay them."
petebor reacted:
"For the sake of the body Christ, we suppose they find them something after performance."
Lara George replies Pastor Chris
Meanwhile, Legit.ng also reported that gospel singer Lara George replied Pastor Chris Oyakhilomeh's comment about her colleagues.
She compared Nigerian gospel singers to secular artistes who charged in millions, and stressed that would people find the latter less spiritual if they led praise and worship.
"If you found out that your favorite non-Naija Gospel artiste charges $100k USD to sing songs of praise and worship, would they appear less spiritual to you because they do so? Or did you all think that they sing for free?"
Proofreading by Nkem Ikeke, copy editor at Legit.ng.
