Popular entertainment pundit, Vida Adutwumwaa believes gospel singers must commercialize their talents to enable them secure their financial freedom and independency.
Reacting to a publication that quoted Reverend Abraham Lamptey to have said that gospel events should be free, and that gospel singers should not charge fees to lead worshippers to encounter God on the United Showbiz Show, Vida Adutwumwaa established that most Ghanaian gospel singers minister full-time, and without exploring the business side of the gospel industry, they would face difficulties in providing for their basic needs.
“I am very sad to hear such statements from Rev. Lamptey. Gospel singers are not government workers who earn salaries and would be paid even during pension, their means of living is through the gospel songs they sing, so if they do not charge, how do they feed and how would they take care of themselves when they are no strong to perform?” Vida Adutwumwaa explained.
She added that it is such bad decisions and the inability of some singers to take advantage of the business side of the music industry that has made most singers beggars during their inactive days.
She explained, “It saddens me to see singers, especially gospel singers begging and complaining bitterly after their peak periods. Mostly it is because of these decisions they take. Yes, they are worshipping God but they must eat.”
Vida Adutwumwaa maintained that, charging fees for gospel performance is not same as putting a price tag on God.
“If I am taking 100gh for performance, it does not mean that is how much I value God. Those money is to ensure, myself and the team also feed,” she said.
Reverend Abraham Lamptey, the General Overseer of Believers House of Worship International was quoted by Graphic Showbiz to have said that, gospel events and gospel singers must not charge a fee or convert events purposed to lead worshippers to God to an avenue for making money. According to him, God has no price tag.
“It doesn’t matter the artiste billed on the programme. Whether an A-list Gospel act or not, patrons should not pay to attend the event. I don’t have a problem with others charging fees, but if the event is meant to encounter God for all the wonderful things, He has done for us, then I think admission should be free.
“As I said, you cannot take money if the event is meant to encounter God. I cannot put any price tag on God. Therefore, asking patrons to pay will be wrong. I have done my Art of Worship for 16 years and it is always free,” he reportedly said.
However, the preacher has said he was taken out of context. According to him, he did not call for free shows, rather, he said he would not charge people for attending his shows. He made this comment ahead of his annual event which he maintained was free of charge.
Vida Adutwumwaa explains why gospel singers must charge fees
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Vida Adutwumwaa