Ireland-based gospel singer, Laloko, decries dwindling values of gospel songs
Ireland-based gospel artiste,Shadrack Olaloko, has expressed dismay at the dwindling fortunes
of gospel music in the country, saying it is fastly losing its spiritual values as the gospel singers have unconsciously veered into worldly music.
Laloko, whose recently released video:‘Jesus Is Mine’ is making waves all over the world, opines that gospel music is almost losing it sanctity and its original values propagated by older gospel singers like Mama Bola Are, Shola Rotimi, Evangelist Ojo Ade, and contemporary singers like Nathaniel Bassey and a host of few others.
The artiste decried the level of degeneration in recent times where gospel songs are laden with worldly slang without any recourse to glorifying God, the author, and finisher of our holy faith.
He noted with deep concern that the kind of dancers featured in some gospel videos would remind you of strip dancers inmsome hotels in Europe.
“It’s high time we sanitised gospel song ministry; for all I see today is carnality in our ministry. Even the older generation of gospel song ministers are following the same trend.
“Who are we trying to impress by emulating the worldly singers?”, he asks rhetorically.
“Gospel song ministry is an act of worship of God; as the Bible says our GOD is Spirit and those who worship Him must worship in truth and spirit.
“Today, there’s no difference between dancing in strip clubs and dancing in the presence of the Almighty God; every canal slang has been introduced into gospel songs”, the City Boy, as he is fondly called, observes.
He counsels gospel artists to always remember that their songs should glorify God and minister to the souls of their hearers.
He, however, reasons that aside from the commercial value placed on gospel music; every gospel artiste is preaching the gospel through music ministry.
The Egba-born gospel singer stressed that gospel singers will be missing the core value of gospel songs if the emphasis is placed only on monetary gains and worldly popularity at the expense of
their eternity.
“I am not trying to play down on the monetary gains expected from our work, but we must understand that our core responsibility is to preach the gospel through song ministration; and as such, there is a need to balance up,” he added.
