Popular Nigerian gospel singer, Timi Dakolo and Apostle Femi Lazarus have now settled their differences after a public exchange over the issue of gospel singers charging for ministrations.
The controversy began when Apostle Lazarus, in a sermon, displayed an alleged invoice from a gospel artist requesting a $10,000 honorarium, along with a mandatory 50% non-refundable deposit.
Dakolo, however, dismissed the authenticity of the document, urging people not to be easily misled.
He challenged the pastor to disclose the name of the artist involved, stating, “Nigerians, you should not believe everything you see. Nobody has a 40-man crew in Nigeria. Name the artist in order to justify capping 😂.”
Taking the debate further, Dakolo posted additional evidence questioning Apostle Lazarus’ position.
He shared screenshots of emails he received when applying to the cleric’s School of Ministry, which charged students $150 per person.
In his caption, he highlighted the apparent contradiction, “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. You even have premium and standard for God’s house? Are you not selling the gift and revelation freely given to you? Again, let’s not keep shifting the goalpost.”
Following the heated discussion, Apostle Lazarus has now extended an olive branch.
In a fresh Instagram post, he shared a photo of himself with Dakolo and Apostle Iren, signaling a resolution.
His caption acknowledged Dakolo’s contributions to the music industry and the validity of his concerns:
“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.
“This generation will not have a carryover of pain. Hosts will do better. Guests will do better. We will have a better nation together. I don’t know how to edit my brother @pst_iren out of the picture.”
While Dakolo had previously engaged in similar discussions regarding gospel artists charging for ministrations, this marks the first time Apostle Lazarus has directly responded to him.
Their newfound understanding suggests a step towards addressing the broader concerns within the gospel music and ministry landscape.
