LAGOS, Nigeria — Nigerian R&B singer Timi Dakolo and Femi Lazarus, the founder of Abuja-based Light Nation Church, have reached an amicable resolution following a public disagreement over whether gospel artists should charge for church performances.
The controversy began after Apostle Lazarus delivered a sermon in which he displayed an alleged invoice from a gospel singer, showing a $10,000 honorarium with a 50% non-refundable deposit.
The statement ignited a debate over monetising ministry work, with Lazarus questioning the commercialisation of gospel music.
Dakolo responded swiftly, challenging the authenticity of the invoice and calling on the cleric to name the artist in question.
“Nigerians, you should not believe everything you see. Nobody has a 40-man crew in Nigeria. Name the artist in order to justify capping 😂,” Dakolo wrote in a social media comment.
Dakolo Counters with Evidence of Church Charges
In a follow-up post, Dakolo pointed out that Apostle Lazarus himself charges fees for his School of Ministry.
He shared screenshots of emails showing that Lazarus’ ministry charges $150 per student, with premium and standard tiers for enrollment.
“Sir, you are charging as low as $150 per person for your school of ministry, teaching and preaching Jesus. Probably having as much as 1,000 students. Let’s do the maths,” Dakolo wrote.
“Are you not selling the gift and revelation freely given to you? Again, let’s not keep shifting the goalpost.”
Resolution and Mutual Understanding
Following the exchange, Apostle Lazarus shared a new post featuring a photo of himself, Dakolo, and Apostle Emmanuel Iren, suggesting that both parties had reconciled.
“My brother @timidakolo is a music legend. Give him his flowers. What a man! He genuinely carries the burdens of musicians. His concerns are real. I love you. Better structures will be built. Pain is real. From pulpit to the pew, the pain is real, but we will be fine,” Apostle Lazarus wrote.
“This generation will not have a carryover of pain. Hosts will do better. Guests will do better. We will have a better nation together.”
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Dakolo Defends Gospel Artists’ Right to Be Paid
Dakolo had previously criticised church leaders for expecting gospel musicians to perform for free while spending large sums on architecture, event promotions, and pastoral engagements.
“My dear Christians, a quote/conversation can sound intelligent and deep yet untrue. Just like everyone else, you deserve the very best things life has to offer. You should be paid what you deserve,” Dakolo wrote.
“Studio sessions, 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 these attacks on people’s work.”
He further challenged the notion that gospel musicians should serve without financial compensation, arguing that music is both a spiritual gift and a professional craft.
“If you can’t pay people, use your choir members and pay them the amount you could have given the guest artist. This gaslighting has to stop. Gospel ministers want good things too, they are not beggars.”
With Dakolo and Lazarus finding common ground, the debate continues within Nigeria’s gospel and faith communities, with increasing calls for structured policies on artist compensation in church programmes.
