Panam Percy Paul, the renowned Nigerian gospel singer, has
revealed that he turned down a lucrative N7 billion record deal in 1995.
In a now-viral interview from August 2024 with Emmanuel
Iren, the 68-year-old songwriter recalled being at the peak of his ministry and
success in the industry when he received the offer.
Although Paul did not reveal the name of the record label,
he said they, however, gave him one condition: he had to minimise his use of
Jesus’ name in his songs.
The singer said instead, they suggested alternative names
like ‘Righteous One’ or ‘Greatest Lover’.
The ace musician said he was shocked by the request and
immediately declined the offer. He said he chose to prioritize his faith over
financial gain, adding that he told them that “you can keep the money, while I
keep the name”.
“1995, I was at the peak of ministry and success in the
industry; I was offered 24 million pounds for a three-year contract. 1995, 24
million pounds was equivalent to N7 billion,” he said.
“The catch was ‘can you reduce the number of times you call
the name Jesus in your songs?’. And there is more where this came from.
“One of them said to me, ‘You actually don’t need to mention
the name Jesus. You can call him other names like Righteous One or Greatest
Lover.
“I was shocked, so I told them, you can keep the money,
while I keep the name.”
The veteran gospel singer also expressed concerns about the
growing commercialisation of gospel music.
He said he believes the industry has become more focused on
business than ministry, with record labels and marketers dictating the creative
direction of gospel artistes.
“Today, the extreme is that music ministry has now become
the music industry,” he added.
“Where the industry now dictates to the ministers what to
do, how to sing and when to sing. For example, it was the marketers in Alaba
that encouraged the musicians to add tongues to their songs.”
Paul’s unique blend of praise, worship, country music, and
African highlife has defined his decades-long career. With over 40 years in the
industry, he has earned numerous accolades and continues to receive recognition
for his talent.