Timi Dakolo and Pastor Femi Lazarus have reconciled after their highly publicized disagreement over the commercialization of gospel music
The dispute, which sparked widespread debate, centered on whether gospel artists should charge high fees for church performances.
Pastor Lazarus had previously criticized the trend of gospel musicians demanding large sums for ministrations, citing an instance where an artist requested ₦5 million to perform at a church event. He expressed concerns that worship was becoming a mere performance rather than a sacred act of service.
Timi Dakolo, in response, defended gospel musicians, arguing that their craft requires financial investment in production, studio time, and promotions. He emphasized that, like other professionals, gospel artists deserve fair compensation and should not be expected to perform for free. Dakolo also pointed out the hypocrisy of some churches that willingly pay international artists large sums while underpaying local gospel musicians.
Following the heated exchange, the two men publicly reconciled. Pastor Lazarus shared a photo on Instagram featuring himself, Timi Dakolo, and Pastor Emmanuel Iren. In the caption, he praised Dakolo as a music legend who truly cares about the struggles of musicians.
“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,” he wrote.
Follow Us on Facebook – @LadunLiadi; Instagram – @LadunLiadi; Twitter – @LadunLiadi; Youtube – @LadunLiadiTV for updates
