‘Give him his flowers,’ Femi Lazarus acknowledges Dakolo’s concern for gospel singers

Pastor Femi Lazarus recently took to Instagram to acknowledge Timi Dakolo’s advocacy for gospel musicians amid an ongoing debate about financial expectations in gospel music.

On Monday, Lazarus shared a photo of himself with singer Timi Dakolo and Pastor Emmanuel Iren, praising Dakolo as a “music legend” and encouraging people to celebrate him.

“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,” Lazarus wrote.

The pastor also highlighted the need for improvement within the gospel music industry, assuring that both event hosts and guest ministers will strive for better conditions moving forward.

“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.

“Better structures will be built. Hosts will do better. Guests will do better. We will have a better nation together,” he added.

This post comes after a heated debate stemming from Lazarus’ sermon, where he questioned the financial demands of gospel artists for performances. In response, Dakolo challenged his stance, advocating for fair compensation for gospel musicians.

Dakolo also pointed out that Lazarus charges fees for his school of ministry, questioning why gospel singers should not do the same for their performances.

Clarifying his position, Lazarus drew a distinction between “music ministers” and “music artists,” asserting that true gospel ministers should not commercialize their calling.

He argued that those charging for performances are engaging in the business of music rather than ministry and suggested they find alternative income sources unless they have a divine calling into full-time ministry.

Additionally, Lazarus urged pastors to support their church’s music ministers, acknowledging that many struggle financially due to a lack of proper assistance from their congregations.