Gospel Musicians ‘Fighting’ Over Awards; Are They In for Evangelism As They Claim Or For The Fame?

Three female gospel musicians were sharing their stories about how they started their journey into gospel music among others. One very notable question the presenter asked was the rewards/benefits/monetary gains that come with being a gospel singer.

The answer each of them gave was quite the same, and it got me thinking, to quote (not word for word though) “We don’t sing for the money, it is our way of evangelism. The way a pastor or individuals will draw people to Christ through sharing the word of God, we do ours through music ministry. It’s doing God’s work.” If I say I believed them, I will be lying big time, but hey………

The recent happenings between gospel musicians Nicholas Omane Acheampong and Cwesi Oteng somehow does not reflect singing as a form of ‘evangelism’ and ‘not for money’ slogan the gospel artistes are making us to believe.

The hullabaloo started after the Ghana Music Awards 2013 nominations were announced. One party says they deserve the artistes of the year but not the other. The ‘issue’ was even discussed and dissected on various radio stations in Ghana with one claiming his song is more popular and widely accepted than the other.

Nicholas Omane Acheampong, on Peace Fm’s Entertainment Review made strong claims that his song was far popular in Ghana than that of Cwesi, “I do not have a problem with the young man at all. You can go out there and compare ‘Zaphenath Panea’ album to ‘Mercy Project’ album and tell me which is selling.

If you start from the North of Ghana right down to the South, everyone knows my ‘Zaphenath Panea song but with Cwesi, I don’t think if you go beyond Greater Accra where people know him and his songs…Yet he was nominated for Artiste of the Year and Album of the Year categories. Go to the market and ask for Cwesi Oteng’s album. You would either not get it, or find it in very few stores, yet he was nominated for Artiste of the Year and Album of the Year.”

Cwesi Oteng also replied: “I respect Omane Acheampong a lot and I have told him before that I have a lot of respect for his music, style and creativity. Anything I say right now might be disrespectful and I do not want to do that.

I did not write the nominations that Cwesi Oteng deserves Album of the year; I got nominated. They nominated my album for that category so I really do not have anything else to say. It is very humbling for me to have earned this recognition, especially when all we want to do is to relay what God has placed on us.”

From the way these two people are talking, they are not doing any evangelism through their gospel music. There’s nothing wrong to acknowledge that you sing for the money; Bishops and Pastors are job titles so why not gospel musicians? But why say you sing for evangelism and yet you talk like secular musicians. At least they have directly or indirectly acknowledged the fact that they want to be popular and amass wealth.

Why bother about a statuette if your reward is in heaven?

So a word of advice, if they’re spreading the gospel, it is not necessary to squabble over who is eligible for what award. They should concentrate on spreading the Word and it will come with its own rewards and awards, BUT if they are in for the money, they can rant all they want, the more they shout, the more they’ll be extra famous!