General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, has thrown his weight behind gospel Afro-fusion artist Gaise Baba by publicly endorsing the singer’s modern take on the classic hymn I Have Decided to Follow Jesus.
The endorsement took place during the 73rd annual RCCG convention, where Pastor Adeboye introduced the remix—featured in Gaise Baba’s No Turning Back II—to a massive audience of worshippers.
READ MORE:
- Group charges Osun Government on full Implementation of Disability Law
- World Teachers’ Day: FG set to reward outstanding teachers with car gifts
- Kidnappers torture 20 NYSC members, cut ransom to N5m each
- Nigeria’s Power Problem Is Real; So Is The Progress Under Tegbe, By Tony Erha
- BBNaija S11: Temi Nkem Emerges Winner
“We are going to be singing a song that we used to sing when I was young and has now been made popular by somebody who, how would I call it, remodeled it,” Pastor Adeboye said while addressing the crowd.
“It’s a song that says I have decided to follow Jesus. You are going to sing it with total determination—let it be your song for the rest of your life.”
This recognition from one of Nigeria’s most revered spiritual leaders comes amid mixed responses to Gaise Baba’s rendition. The remix, though widely streamed and celebrated in many circles, has been met with pushback from some conservative Christians and gospel music critics. They argue that turning such a deeply spiritual hymn into what they described as a “club banger” risks stripping it of its original sacred reverence.
Concerns were particularly raised by gospel purists and music scholars who questioned whether the remix retained the spiritual intensity of the original hymn.
However, Pastor Adeboye’s gesture at the convention appears to silence those criticisms, signaling his personal approval of the remix and its message.
Gaise Baba’s version is a vibrant blend of Afro-fusion, weaving together Yoruba, English, and Pidgin in a style that brings a fresh energy to traditional gospel music.
Responding to the moment on social media, the artist expressed overwhelming gratitude. The performance coincided with his birthday on Wednesday, adding a personal layer of meaning to the occasion.
“God crowned my birthday last night with a most AMAZING GIFT, to Him be ALL the Glory!!!!” Gaise Baba wrote.
