Nigerian singer and songwriter Seyi Shay has opened up about a personal decision that surprised many fans.
The music star recently shared why she stopped attending her former church, and her reason has sparked conversations online.
In a post on her Instagram story, Seyi Shay revealed that a disagreement with a church leader’s stance on music in worship pushed her to leave the church.
The leader had suggested that the congregation stop singing modern gospel songs and return to traditional hymns and songs based strictly on Bible verses.
Singer rejects call to drop modern gospel
According to Seyi Shay, the church leader urged the choir and congregation to focus only on old hymns and scriptural songs during praise and worship. These songs, often regarded as “classic” in many Christian circles, are typically hundreds of years old and come from Western Christian traditions.
The singer, however, disagreed strongly with this idea.
She explained that many of these hymns have troubling origins. In her view, some of the traditional Christian songs that churches still sing today were written by individuals involved in slavery or by people who lived during that time and supported systems that hurt Africans and their descendants.
Music with a dark history
Seyi Shay expressed discomfort over singing hymns that were passed down from slave-owning societies. She said she could not understand how people, especially those of African descent, could feel spiritually uplifted by singing songs tied to such painful histories.
In her words, she questioned how anyone could “feel blessed and happy” singing music that may have been written by people who enslaved, tortured, and oppressed African ancestors.
The singer’s statement drew attention to a deeper issue within some faith communities: the lack of awareness about the history behind religious traditions, especially music.
“Do your research,” Seyi urges
Seyi Shay encouraged fellow Christians to do some digging before singing old hymns. She believes that people should know where these songs come from and who wrote them. For her, singing a hymn should not just be about tradition or melody, it should also be about understanding the message and the messenger.
“Do your research!” she wrote in her post. “Ignorance is not Godly!”
The singer made it clear that she values truth and awareness over blindly following customs, especially when those customs may have harmful roots.
A bold step away
In a bold conclusion to her Instagram post, Seyi Shay stated that she stopped going to that church entirely because of the church leader’s comments.
“Guess what, I stopped going to that church. Periodt,” she wrote.
Her decision shows how deeply she feels about the issue and reflects her belief in standing up for what she thinks is right, even if it means stepping away from a place of worship, she once called home.
Fans react online
Following her post, social media buzzed with mixed reactions. Some people praised Seyi Shay for speaking up and standing by her beliefs. Others felt she may have been too harsh in her judgment of traditional hymns and the people who still sing them.
However, many agreed that her comments raise important questions. Should churches be more careful about the history of the songs they sing? Is it time to re-examine what worship should look like in today’s world?
A call for thoughtful worship
Seyi Shay’s remarks have stirred a larger conversation about worship, history, and awareness. While not everyone may agree with her stance, her message is clear: worship should not be blind.
Christians, she says, should understand what they’re singing, who wrote it, and what it represents.
Her words echo a broader call in many communities to be more thoughtful about traditions, especially those that may carry painful or controversial pasts.
For Seyi Shay, worship must come from a place of knowledge, not ignorance. And she hopes others will take the time to look deeper before they sing.
Read Also: I’m a cultural Christian; I no longer believe in God, Kemi Badenoch
