Why I stopped going to church – Seyi Shay

Nigerian singer Seyi Shay has explained why she stopped going to her previous church.

She explained her actions were prompted by a church leader’s suggestion that the congregation cease singing contemporary gospel songs and instead return to traditional Christian songs and hymns, described as “direct scripture.”

Shay expressed her bewilderment at why anyone, like the church leader, would be content singing songs penned by “slave owners” and passed down through generations, whilst acknowledging the suffering of their African ancestors.

She encouraged Christians to research traditional Christian songs and hymns before singing them, emphasising that ignorance isn’t a virtue.

On her Instagram story, she wrote, “One leader like dat at my former church said something like, ‘we need to stop singing all these new age gospel songs in praise and worship and go back to singing hymns and only songs that are direct scripture…’

“Guess what, I stopped going to that church. Periodt. Because I don’t know how or why you would feel blessed and happy by singing some of the songs that slave owners wrote and forced them to sing and pass down through generations while bearing and torturing your ancestors. Makes no sense. Do your research! Ignorance is not Godly!”