Popular gospel singer Dr. Panam Percy Paul has revealed that he turned down a staggering £24 million record deal in 1995 because it required him to minimize references to Jesus in his songs.
Speaking in an interview with Pastor Emmanuel Iren, Paul disclosed that the three-year contract—valued at approximately N7 billion at the time—came with conditions that would have compromised his faith.
According to him, the record label suggested using alternative titles like “Righteous One” or “Greatest Lover” instead of explicitly mentioning Jesus.
“The catch was, ‘Can you reduce the number of times you call the name Jesus in your songs?’” Paul recalled.
“One of them even said, ‘You don’t actually need to mention Jesus. You can call Him other names.’ I was shocked, so I told them, ‘You can keep the money while I keep the name.’”
The veteran gospel artist also expressed concern over the increasing commercialization of gospel music, lamenting how record labels now dictate artistic direction.
“Today, the extreme is that the music ministry has now become a music industry,” he said. “The industry now dictates to the ministers what to do, how to sing, and when to sing.”
