Popular Nigerian preacher Dr. Paul Enenche has sparked debate after launching a scathing attack on Afrobeats, accusing many artists of producing music with little substance and leading young people in the wrong direction.
Enenche made the remarks during his church’s Mid-year Worship Concert, where he urged gospel musicians to create more youth-focused songs that promote positive values.
While announcing a youth programme scheduled for September 25, he challenged gospel artists, including Prinx Emmanuel, to use music as a tool to inspire the next generation.
He argued that young people need meaningful songs instead of what he described as the harmful messages found in parts of the Afrobeats genre.
It is better to have music that is saying something that youth is hearing than the garbage that worldly musicians sing.
Enenche then turned his attention directly to Afrobeats, claiming that many artists promote destructive behaviour through their music.
Most of those Afrobeats are just saying rubbish. Smoking Indian hemp while they are singing and influencing the youths in negative ways.
The preacher said stronger gospel music could provide young people with a positive alternative and help steer them away from harmful influences.
By the time you have this positive replacement for such garbage, then your life can not follow such a direction.
He also encouraged gospel musicians to write songs that teach practical life lessons instead of focusing solely on entertainment.
And I trust that in time to come, more of this music will be very word-loaded to disciple you, show you steps to take, how to stay away from negative friends, how to make the right decisions and so on.
His remarks have already sparked debate online, with some people supporting his call for more value-driven music while others defended Afrobeats as one of Africa’s biggest cultural exports.