I visited my music producer today. I wanted to find out why my work was taking too long and he offered the opportunity for me to come see why mixing and mastering takes a long time, and quite distinct from my quick yapping of lyrics over sounds and expecting the entire work to be brought out expressly. Drake releases his album with PartyNextDoor tomorrow and I guess my dedication for him will have to take a little time before it will be released to the public; nonetheless, I am expectant that their work coming out on the morrow will be fantastic.

I asked him what he thought of the recent pronouncements from various christain leaders that church singers in the choir should not be given monies for their services with the recent Mercy Chinwo’s problem bringing the problem into the recent discuss on various media.

He told me of the first hand opportunity he had many years ago to be with one of Nigeria’s currently adored and famous gospel singers in the land at the moment. He told me they have met at many secular music fora many years ago. He said this dude was doing this work then to break even, and was combining this with the church activities. He called the name of the artist, but I do not want to mention his name here. He told me this artist continued this for a long time until he was able to come across a christain brother and philantropist who offered to take care of nearly all his life expenses so he could focus completely on playing music for God. And today, he is a renowed and respected gospel singer and will never have any reason to go back to sing secular music, ever again.

He also told me of another church ministry which he refused to reveal the real denomination who keeps their singers and instrumentalist on low pay, and also emphasizes that they must come to the church nearly everyday, and also join in other acivities that all church workers do , and they find it hard to make ends meet. They were even prohibited from taking gifts or money from church members because they were not expected to make it look as if they were not being payed. He even told me that a talented singer that used to attend this church had to leave, and for many years now has been an Uber driver. He lamented that as a real waste and a big loss to the church.

He also told me something else that jolted my senses. He emphasized that most of those that are in some choirs after singing in the church also try to survive by playing in clubs and other secular functions. And this creates a vicious cycle such that they endulge in atrocities which affects their christain life and is a cause of some of the misbehaviour that is seen in some choir members, because they try to live a double life, to make ends meet.

I think the misconception comes from the fact that people dont understand that to keep individuals with talent, you will have to make them comfortable. Those working in the church cannot be prized or given monies like those in the secular world but you have to take care of them for Christ’s sake.

Even the Bible emphasizes that a diligent man will stand before kings and not mere men.

The talent of Joseph brought him before Pharoah, and before he was taken before Pharoah, he was shaved and decked in new and clean apparel. A talented individual will not come before a king dressed in rags.

The reason why footballers, actors and musicians are given high pay is because if you do not pamper them, they may leave. The astronomical pay has been describes as “legal bribe”. This is meant to keep them. Needless, I remind you that records have it that Messi was payed an accumulated salary of about 500 million dollars before he left Barcelona, and he later left as a free agent.

I think church ministries should communicate with their singers and instrumentalists, in individual cases, with respect to the locality, town or state in which they are in the country, and try to find out their needs in this moment in which the economic reality bites hard. Find out how they can help them especially those that do not have other jobs and are solely only serving as singers and musicians in the house of the Lord. Please they should be encouraged in whatever way. The times are hard. Things are really bad out there. Everyone needs money for one thing or the other.