Davido Is A Gospel Artist, Stand Strong Is Proof – Tobi Adegboyega

Popular British pastor, Tobi Adegboyega has come out to respond to the criticism he faced for having secular artistes perform at his birthday party in 2023 instead of gospel artistes.

He recently had his say during a sit-down on the Off the Record podcast, and fans have been reacting.

According to him, gospel simply means good news, and Davido is more or less a gospel artist especially after his recent music titled Stand Strong.

Tobi added that if the popular gospel artistes keep mocking him and his church, he will not force them to celebrate with him.

His words, “Gospel means good news. Everyone there is a gospel artiste. Davido is a gospel artist. Have you heard Stand strong?

Davido told me himself, ‘I know you’re busy, but I just want to be there and perform for one hour.’ They’re my friends. I didn’t pay any of them. They love me, and I will give my friends platforms.

If gospel artistes aren’t my friends and are instead joining the bandwagon to criticise me by asking, ‘Is that a church?’ What should I do? Drag them with a rope?

It’s my friends that will be there if gospel people like me. Everyone in that room was my friend, every single person. Zlatan is like a son to me; his kids are my kids, and his parents were in my house. So should I now say, ‘Well, because you are not gospel artistes, let me go and look for some gospel artistes who are criticizing me and drag them to sing?’

My friends will always sing at my events, and the next one will be bigger because my circle of friends keeps growing.”

WOW.

David Adedeji Adeleke (born November 21, 1992), who is better known as Davido, is an American-born Nigerian singer, songwriter and record producer. Davido was born in Atlanta, US, and raised in Lagos; he made his music debut as a member of the music group KB International. He studied business administration at Oakwood University before dropping out to make beats and record vocal references. Davido rose to fame after releasing “Dami Duro”, the second single from his debut studio album Omo Baba Olowo (2012), from which six additional singles—”Back When”, “Ekuro”, “Overseas”, “All of You”, “Gbon Gbon”, and “Feel Alright”—were taken. In 2012, Davido won the Next Rated award at The Headies. Between 2013 and 2015, he released the hit singles “Gobe”, “One of a Kind”, “Skelewu”, “Aye”, “Tchelete (Goodlife)”, “Naughty”, “Owo Ni Koko”, “The Sound” and “The Money”.

In May 2014, Davido criticized the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) after missing his flight to London, and accused them of pestering him for money. On May 11, 2014, the PR officer for the NIS denied Davido’s allegations and said they did not issue him an exit permit because he did not have the correct travel documents with him.

On April 6, 2012, Nigerian Entertainment Today reported Davido had signed a ₦30 million endorsement deal with MTN. The deal unveiled him as the face of MTN Pulse, a marketing campaign aimed at Nigerian youth. On October 24, 2013, Pulse Nigeria reported Guinness Nigeria had signed Davido for an endorsement deal. As part of the deal, Davido performed at the Guinness World of More Concert alongside artists including P-Square, D’banj, Wizkid, Ice Prince, Burna Boy, Olamide, Phyno, Chidinma, Waje and Tiwa Savage. On May 9, 2018, Guardian Life reported Davido had signed an endorsement deal with Infinix Mobile, a Hong Kong-based smartphone manufacturer.