Nigerian singer Timi Dakolo has openly criticized Apostle Femi Lazarus, accusing him of hypocrisy after the cleric condemned the high financial demands of gospel artists for performances.
The controversy erupted following a sermon by Apostle Lazarus, in which he displayed an alleged invoice from a gospel singer demanding $10,000 as an honorarium, along with a 50% non-refundable deposit, a first-class flight ticket, and premium accommodation. The cleric argued that such financial expectations were excessive and unbefitting for those in ministry.
However, Dakolo has now strongly refuted the claims, questioning the authenticity of the invoice and urging Nigerians to be cautious of misinformation. He suggested that the accusations against gospel artists were unfair and lacked proper context.
Timi Dakolo challenges Apostle Lazarus’ position
Reacting through an Instagram post on March 24, 2024, Timi Dakolo called out Apostle Lazarus, questioning his stance on gospel singers charging fees while he himself runs a paid school of ministry.
“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 response to the allegations against gospel musicians.
To further support his argument, the singer shared screenshots of two emails he received after attempting to enroll in Apostle Lazarus’ school of ministry. The emails revealed that the school charges students $150 per person for enrollment.
Dakolo then pointed out the apparent contradiction in the preacher’s argument, stating that if charging for ministry disqualifies gospel artists from being true ministers of the gospel, then the same should apply to preachers who charge fees for teaching and preaching.
“All this was said in love and with respect, sir. I am not a gospel artist but a Christian raised in church. Let’s not shift the goalpost. By your definition, if anyone charges to minister, they are not gospel artists; they are performers. And by that definition, if any preacher charges to teach and minister, they are merchants of hope and motivational speakers too,” he wrote.
The singer further accused the cleric of having double standards, arguing that if gospel artists are criticized for charging fees to cover production, marketing, and other expenses, then preachers should also be scrutinized for monetizing their teachings.
“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,” he added.
The debate has since sparked mixed reactions on social media, with some users supporting Timi Dakolo’s argument while others defended Apostle Femi Lazarus, stating that the church operates differently from the entertainment industry.