Nigerian gospel artiste Bidemi Olaoba has sparked debate on social media following a video from his performance at the ongoing 84 Hours Marathon Messiah’s Praise, a Christian worship event that began on March 3.
The programme, organised to celebrate the 84th birthday of Pastor Enoch Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), featured several well-known gospel ministers.
Among the performers at the event were Dunsin Oyekan, Chioma Jesus, Simisola Agbebi, and Toluwasings, who joined worshippers in extended sessions of praise and thanksgiving.
However, Olaoba’s energetic ministration drew particular attention online after a clip from the event circulated on social media platforms.
In the video, the singer and members of his team appeared to reference the trending phrase “Yakubu manage,” a popular meme that emerged from a viral internet video in late February 2026.
The phrase, widely used in humorous contexts online, was incorporated into the praise session, a move that quickly generated mixed reactions among Christian audiences.
While some viewers praised the lively atmosphere of the performance, others criticised the inclusion of the viral phrase during a church worship programme.
Critics argued that bringing secular internet trends into a gospel event could blur the boundary between entertainment and spiritual worship.
Several social media users also questioned whether modern gospel performances sometimes focus more on energising the crowd than maintaining a traditional atmosphere of reverence.
Others went further to suggest that the style of presentation made the performance appear more like entertainment than ministry.
Despite the criticism, the video has continued to circulate widely online, drawing thousands of reactions and comments from Nigerians.
Check out some comments below:
Watch the video below:
This guy! 🤦🏾♂️ he never disappoints. As long as there’s a worldly trend he will sing it on stage. Used the Yakubu trend and the Tunde Perry’s trend. A proper entertainer. Smh pic.twitter.com/jlhCSoaeDC
— JuliusDePianist (@JuliusPianist) March 3, 2026
