Dare Babalola
Nigerian singer Shola Allyson has stirred a lively discussion on the intersection of faith and public relations with a post on her social media pages.
In the message, shared on Wednesday, Allyson emphasised that Jesus Christ did not ask his followers to do public relations (PR) for Him, but rather gave a mandate to “go ye” and a calling to “be my witness.”
“Jesus does not need that! Jesus’s reputation does not need any color or packaging! He just is! Yesterday. Today. Láé!” she wrote, blending English and Yoruba.
Allyson distinguished between PR, which she described as maintaining a positive reputation through tactics to shape public perception, and the unadorned, unwavering essence of Jesus’ message.
The singer addressed apparent criticisms, clarifying she hasn’t denied Jesus and explaining her approach to music as a believer.
“As a believer who is a Singer, one does not have to sing church songs that we call gospel! The important thing is to reflect the essence of one’s conviction and values in what one does whether singing or not,” she stated.
Allyson also pushed back against what she sees as misunderstandings, adding with a touch of humor, “You’re now saying I denied Jesus! 😄😄 Ha! You people! ỌLỌ́UN Á gbà mí! Jesus Whose Essence is what I live, move and have my being by! I recognize Him, truly! But maybe not like you do sha… Then ṣèbí we’re not doing competition? 🤷”
She invited fans to tune in to her Instagram Live this evening at 6 PM Nigerian time, promising a more in-depth conversation.
“I’ll be coming live this evening… Here on IG alone. So that I’ll be able to concentrate,” she said. Allyson ended the post with a cheerful vibe: “Mo ti padà sí Houston láti Cotonou.😁 Ha, Kútọnú dùn! A tàn’mọ́lẹ̀! #Yoodaa! ❤️” (sic)
The singer has been trending on social media over the past few weeks following claims that she intentionally omits the name of Jesus in her song despite being regarded as a gospel artiste.
