“Mike Abdul, Esther Igbekele Fire Back at Pastor Oyakhilome: ‘Gospel Musicians Shouldn’t Be Wretched’”
Gospel singers Mike Abdul and Esther Igbekele from Nigeria have commented on the statement made by Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, the founder of LoveWorld, also known as Christ Embassy, that many gospel musicians are more concerned with their own notoriety and financial gain than with serving God.
According to reports, Pastor Oyakhilome claimed that gospel artists who charge for their performances are not singing for God and that the church has become more of a party place than a place of worship.
All gospel singers who charge for their songs will soon retire, according to the founder of Christ Embassy.
He claimed that before God instructed him to stop, he used to congratulate clergy. He emphasized that once a church become a true church of God, all churches will no longer invite ministers.
According to Mike Abdul, the continuous discussion will assist gospel singers in doing the right thing.
“I think it’s just human behavior,” he remarked. Extremes where people are more drawn to the money than the labor will always exist. The church has, in my opinion, been kind enough to extend a hand of respect and camaraderie to gospel music.
Therefore, I believe that it is up to us to deal with such extremes when they arise. I won’t lie to you; it’s a wise decision for us to watch it and follow the proper course of action. Conversations are taking place, and it serves as a reminder to us to pay attention and act morally. We must be capable of creating frameworks that address the financial issue and ensure the long-term viability of our operations.
However, well-known Yoruba gospel singer Esther Igbekele said that just because they picked the genre, gospel singers shouldn’t stay in poverty because they have families to support and financial obligations to fulfill.
Because there are other enterprises, she explained, “well, they both align together because choosing gospel music is somehow giving out to the Lord a mandate.” It does not, then, imply that you should be miserable. The Lord himself will bless you if you are worshiping him. I’m now traveling from Lagos to Akure (Ondo State) for a program. I am working with adults, and you are aware of what it takes to get from point A to point B. They have families to support, expenses to cover, and issues to resolve. They won’t follow you if you don’t pay them. Therefore, you won’t claim that you want to serve God and stay in poverty since you are committing your life to him.
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“I don’t participate in debates like that. But people think differently because, you know, there are two sides to a coin. However, I believe that you should be blessed if God is truly providing you the strength to carry out his task.
“I wouldn’t say that worship has become a party in some churches. The fact is that depression affects a large number of people worldwide. They need something to cheer them up because they’re depressed. Some people attend church for this reason—not necessarily for intense worship, but simply to experience joy and temporarily forget their troubles.
