Catholic Priest, Chinenye Oluoma Criticizes Gospel Artistes for Exorbitant Charges in Church Programs (Video)

Rev. Fr. Chinenye Oluoma, a Catholic priest in the Abuja Archdiocese, has voiced his disapproval of gospel artistes who demand exorbitant fees when invited to perform at church programs.

A video of his remarks has been circulating on social media, where he expressed his concern about the high cost of worship.

Addressing claims that renowned gospel artist Mercy Chinwo charges as much as N10 million for a single performance at a church event, Fr. Oluoma expressed his dismay. He argued that the Christian community had inadvertently made worship an expensive affair.

“We have made religious worship expensive. If I have to bring Mercy Chinwo to come here and sing, how much will I pay her? How much does a gospel artiste of Mercy Chinwo’s status charge to come to an event or in a Church, it has reached N10 million now,” Fr. Oluoma stated.

He went on to highlight what he perceived as a tragic shift in Christianity, where artists would lead worship for a brief period and demand exorbitant sums of money in return.

he priest questioned the notion that a particular artist’s rendition of “Jesus, you love me too much” determined God’s love for individuals. He also responded to inquiries about paying gospel artistes, arguing that if they were invited for entertainment purposes, they should be compensated accordingly.

Fr. Oluoma expressed concern that worship had become more like entertainment, with Christianity mirroring worldly practices. He lamented that the composers of the timeless songs used for worship in the past were now forgotten, emphasizing the need to strike a balance and return to a more genuine and heartfelt form of worship.