By our Reporter
Timi Dakolo, Nigerian Singer, has questioned Pastor Femi Lazarus for charging fees for his school of ministry while criticising a gospel singer’s financial demands for a performance.
This development comes after Pastor Lazarus projected an alleged invoice from the unnamed gospel artist for a performance, during a sermon on Sunday.
Lazarus said, “I want the media to project an invoice for a music minister in Nigeria. It says that the minister would be accompanied by a minimum of forty persons. They will all return the day after the event. Four male members. Flight will be booked for both the outbound and return journeys. The artist will fly First class. (Compulsory). Team will fly economy.”
The invoice also specified a minimum of forty accompanying persons, with their travel and accommodations covered by the hosting church. Additionally, the document required executive hotel rooms and three-square meals for the minister and the entourage.
The invoice added the hotel reservations will be covered by the church: an executive room for the minister and two executive room for the four males. Three-square meal for the minister and accompanying persons .
An honorarium of $10,000, a non-refundable 50% upfront payment and a compulsory payment of balance two days before the event were also listed.
“When they pay you this kind of money you have to act drama to justify the amount paid. You will roll on the floor, scream but those who know God, know he’s not there. Many charlatans like this don’t bill big pastors because they use them for endorsement,” Lazarus said.
Responding to people who say that gospel artists like Nathaniel Bassey don’t charge because people already know their worth, Lazarus said, “There is honour that growth brings, there’s honour that God puts on you. You can’t demand such without growing.
“Nathaniel Bassey already knows what he’s worth because he did not demand for it. God put that honour. If you grow God puts that honour. Demanding is you trying to attain what God confers on men with your own mouth.”
Reacting to Lazarus’ claims, Dakolo took to Instagram on Monday to question the validity of Lazarus’ assertions, challenging him to disclose the identity of the singer in question.
In a now-deleted post, Dakolo urged Nigerians to be discerning about the information they consume, asserting, “Nobody has a 40-man crew in Nigeria. Name the artist. In order to justify capping.”
He also shared screenshots of emails from Lazarus’ International School of Ministry, which reportedly charges students $150 per person.
Dakolo criticized the pastor for charging fees to teach ministry, stating, “By your definition, if anyone charges to minister, they are not gospel artists but performers. And by that definition, if any preacher charges to teach and minister, they are merchants of hope and motivational speakers too.”
“Sir, you are charging as low as 150 dollars per person for your school of ministry. Teaching and preaching Jesus. Probably having as much as 1000 students . Let’s do the maths. You even have premium and standard for God house?
“Are you not selling the Gift and revelation freely given to you? Again let’s not keep shifting the goal post.”
This is not the first time Dakolo has challenged Lazarus’ stance on gospel musicians charging fees for performances.
Earlier in March, he expressed frustration over the discourse, defending gospel artists’ rights to be compensated for their work.
“This gaslighting has to stop, Gospel ministers want good things too, they are not beggars. The best architects are called upon to build big churches, large sums of money disbursed for promoting big programs and all.
No one should diminish another person’s ministry. Ministry needs music and music needs ministry,” he reportedly stated at the time.
