Astute showbiz personality, George Quaye, has expressed disappointment in the General Overseer of Christ Embassy, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, following his recent statement that some secular musicians are fond of exploiting churches.
George Quaye described such utterances as baseless. He explained that some churches are among the richest institutions in the world, yet they have refused to financially support creatives when they need help the most.
“If you speak to a lot of musicians, they will also tell you how the church has used them. People know how the churches generate revenue… Have you ever seen a gospel concert being sponsored by a church before? It is the alcoholic beverage and condom companies that sponsor such programs. Yet, some churches are the richest institutions in the world.”
George Quaye
George Quaye further argued that if the church wants talented young musicians to stay, it should put them on their monthly payroll.
“Why don’t you put these instrumentalists on a monthly payroll if you don’t want them to leave? Give them good welfare, as some of the non-gospel musicians are taking from the people they work with before you come up and say they have robbed the church… It is a very unfortunate comment.
“What is our dear pastor talking about? Talent is from God, so if I start giving my talent to the church and I am growing, meanwhile the church is not paying me for the guitar I am playing, and I get a gig somewhere, shouldn’t I go? Gospel musicians will also travel to perform in churches, and they don’t even pay them well. What are you saying? That they should continue to starve and die. Or they should become thieves.”
George Quaye
Pastor Chris Oyakhilome bemoaned the trend where musicians begin their careers in the church but leave once they start to make progress.
Labelling the trend as an act of exploitation and cheating, he stated that these musicians only used the church as a means to an end.
The pastor then urged fellow pastors to refrain from giving young, talented individuals the opportunity to showcase their skills in church to prevent such occurrences in the future.
George Quaye Blasts Musicians Failing to File TGMA Nominations
George Quaye, a former head of communications for Charterhouse, the organisers of the Telecel Ghana Music Awards (TGMA), urged artists to show interest in the scheme.
Responding to complaints by some artists regarding the submission and nomination procedure of the TGMAs, George Quaye said that artists who show ignorance about the awards must be ashamed.
“If you want to submit your works for the Grammys, do you go to anybody to teach you what to do? But at least you have to show that interest, right? If I were a musician, I’d feel very ashamed to sit on the radio to say, and I don’t know how to submit forms for TGMAs or I don’t know how to do that.”
George Quaye
George Quaye emphasised that the information is readily available on the TGMA website, and it’s the responsibility of the musicians to take the initiative to learn and submit their works correctly.
“Robert should come to your house to show you how to do it. It’s there on the website. The scheme has been here, like you rightly said, for 25 solid years. If you cannot do it yourself, get somebody to do it for you. But to go sit on the radio or sit on social media to say, and I don’t know, and I don’t know, you must be ashamed of yourself. Are you kidding me?”
George Quaye
He further stressed that with modern technology, there’s no excuse for not being able to find the necessary information. “There are many people around who can help you,” he added.
George Quaye’s comments highlight the importance of taking initiative and responsibility in the music industry.
His words serve as a wake-up call for musicians to be proactive in seeking out information and opportunities rather than relying on others or making excuses.
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