Category: Sunday magazine

Many instrumentalists and singers are on collision path with churches based on compensation package, triggering a controversy with great repercussions, reports Sunday Oguntola

It was supposed to be the most exciting moment of the service. Worshippers, ever eager and exultant, stood up prepared to dance. The regular praise leader took to the podium. For the next 10 minutes, he sang like always. But the congregation’s response was rather uncharacteristically dull.

Something was missing in the praise worship session. The drummer and keyboardist were nowhere to be found. Their absence stalled what normally would have been an enjoyable praise session. Even the praise leader knew he could not move the congregation like before. The general overseer, a vivacious, observant preacher, realised the session marred the entire service.

The congregation could not wait for him to end his sermon. Many of the worshippers headed home thoroughly disappointed, with what they described as the dullest Sunday service in the history of the Lagos-based Pentecostal church.

The drummer and keyboardists stayed away in protest against the church’s failure to “appreciate their gifts”. The church, they argued, was always lively because of their talented performances. “We give our best but get nothing in return. Everyone returns home blessed while we are yet drained and broke,” the keyboardist explained.

The drummer, on his part, said he was moving to a nearby Pentecostal church that has agreed to place him on a fat monthly salary. The appreciation, he said, will not only make up for his troubles but also motivate him to perform better. Sad as his exit was from his former church, he said he was left with no option.

This scenario reopens the debate on whether or not it is proper for churches to pay singers and instrumentalists. Observations revealed that many Pentecostal churches have imbibed the culture of paying instrumentalists and musicians. This, it was gathered, is to prevent them from being poached and to secure good worship experiences.

The general overseer of Jesus Liberation Squad, New Oko Oba Lagos, Apostle Dele Johnson, said instrumentalists and musicians should ordinarily not be drawing pay from churches. Johnson, a former instrumentalist with Foursquare Gospel Church and The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM), however, stated present-day instrumentalists are not mature to the point of playing for free in churches.

According to him: “It depends on how mature they are but I realised many of them are not. The Bible says God gives us gifts to profit, so they want money. And you really have no choice if you want to retain their services.”

Johnson admits his church pays, stating that it is not totally wrong because “we must also learn to appreciate the gift of God in their lives.” Many pastors, he said, “do not value instrumentalists and treat them shabbily.”

If the general overseer of House Favour Church Egbeda Lagos, Rev. Bayode Olubo, has his way, he would not pay. In fact, he said he was not paying until recently when he came across a full-time, professional drummer. “My grouse with them is that they equate themselves with men of God. They feel they also make things happen in churches and should be treated as kings,” he began.

He said many instrumentalists were hopping in and out when he was not paying, a situation that bore negatively on services. Though he now pays, he warned instrumentalists and musicians to humble themselves and depend on God for sustenance.

The senior pastor of The Stone Church Ibadan, Pastor Alex Adegboye, said churches really have no choice but to pay instrumentalists to get the best out of them. “We pay because we want the best. If you don’t, they just leave for another church and that will be it,” he stated.

Admitting that the development amounts to monetisation of talents, Adegboye said instrumentalists should be left to their consciences to deal with the issue. “If they are really mature, they should do it free but since they prefer money, you just leave them to sort it out with God.”

He, however, said instrumentalists have personal needs and rehearsals to attend, which he said makes paying them a necessity.

The associate pastor of Sure Word Assembly Okota, Lagos, Pastor Aity Dennis-Inyang, gave a yes -and- no answer to the question. According to her, “If they(musicians and instrumentalists) are working full time, they should be paid since that is the only thing they do.

“But if they work elsewhere, they should not be paid. That should be their contribution to the church and the ministry.” The award-winning singer said choosing not to pay exposes the musical talents to secular enticements. “If we don’t take care of them, the secular world is waiting for their talents and gifts.”

Bishop Taiwo Akinola is the General Overseer of Rhema Christian Church & Tower International in Otta, Ogun State. He spoke with Sunday Oguntola on national issues. Excerpts:

14 years after democracy, are we there yet?

Of course, we all know we are far from being there. You know becoming a man is not a day’s job. So the task of nationhood is not a child’s play. We have come a lot way, no doubt, in the sense that we have been able to have uninterrupted democracy, but I also know there is still a lot to be done. We are a growing democratic culture but we still need to cover a lot of grounds.

Some people have said preachers like you only tell people to pray while the nation is slipping away. Is prayer enough to save Nigeria?

Yes, I believe developed nations did more than praying. I believe that prayer is effective in talking with God but you also have to talk to leaders. I am of the opinion church leaders must speak out and call political office holders to caution. Yes, we must pray, but we must always engage our leaders. I don’t believe we should fold our arms but we must speak out and take a stand.

A prominent church leader joined the call for convocation of National Sovereign Conference recently. Will you support such move?

No, I don’t. I believe those making these calls are ethnic champions with different agendas. If such conference holds, they will tear this country apart. Besides, we have elected officers representing various corners of this country. They should be able to discuss whatever challenges we have in Nigeria. Why should we duplicate that body again? All the ethnic lords will have their ways pursuing agendas that will not favour us. So, we don’t need national conference; let our lawmakers discuss all that should be discussed.

There are fears and projections that Nigeria will not survive beyond 2015. Going by the tension in the political atmosphere don’t you see this coming to pass?

I do not believe in that prediction or suggestion at all. That country has said its own. I don’t believe any nation can determine the fate of others. I know the country can begin to orchestrate events that will prove that prediction right. So, it is up to Nigeria to work against it. The glory of Nigeria is in our size. Everyone wants to come here to do business because of our population. So, it is in everyone’s interest that we remain one.

Besides, the Bible says the boundary of nations is determined by God. God is the one that carved out Nigeria and we must not allow that suggestion to come to pass. We must work against it. Let us speak with one voice and our leaders should shun ethnic agenda. Nigeria is a solid nation and we will not disintegrate in Jesus name.

How do you want to react to the monumental corruption in this nation?

Corruption is a fallout of our moral decadence and cultural disorientation. When someone comes from the village and returns in six months with money, we celebrate him. We don’t bother how he came about the money. We then taunt his contemporaries who return with nothing. So, we are all involved in this. Traditional rulers, church leaders and religious institutions must work to change this. Let’s allow people to know that ill-gotten wealth is of no value. When that starts, it spreads to all sectors. The government gets the signal and act accordingly. We should even include anti-corruption subjects in our curriculum so that we can catch Nigerians from young.

We have no country but Nigeria. No matter where you go, your skin marks you out. You can never be a first class citizen outside here. This is the only country we have and we have to change our people’s perception. Why should you pocket what belongs to others? Why should you plan to cheat me or anybody for that matter?

Supposing pastors and church leaders decide to organise protest marches against government policies and actions, will you be willing to participate?

I would not.

Why?

Thank you. You see there is no value for human life in this country. So many people can hijack the protest march and begin to destroy property. They can take over and derail the protests. When they do that, the government can send security men after the protesters, leading to loss of lives.

But the church employed that method in the US to great success. Why not give it a try here too? Won’t it be cowardice to chicken out?

Thank you, but you see we don’t all have to think alike. We have different perspectives to issues. If you regard it as an act of cowardice, I will ask you to go ahead. You are still my brother but I will not join you in any protest.

In advanced countries, the police have regards for people. But here, they are quick to use fire arms to disperse protesters. I watch on CNN some days ago and saw how policemen were even protecting protesters elsewhere. I know how many people would have died if we try it here. I don’t want anybody to puff teargas into my system for nothing.

Everything in this country has failed. How does that make you feel?

No, every system here has not collapsed. We still have many things running. But having said that, we know things are deteriorating here. But we have ourselves to blame for it. If we all elect the best with our consciences, we won’t be where we are again. You find most of the protesters that you mentioned are only interested in dislodging the persons there so that they can take over and do worse things.

We must all come together to fix this country. Pastors, journalists, doctors and traditional rulers must team up to save Nigeria. Things are bad because we are ready to change our lives. It takes Nigerians to change Nigeria. It takes Nigerians to move Nigeria forward.

What will people find in Rhema Chapel that might be difficult to find elsewhere?

Every living church believes in Christ and eternity but there is always peculiarity. Here, we were asked to raise a glorious army of champions. Here, nobody is allowed to suffer. We rally round one another and refuse to discriminate on any basis. We love one another and raise champions. The totality of the gospel is what we preach here.