By Emmanuel Daniji

Afrogospel singer Gaise Baba has called on The Headies to reconsider the way faith-based music is represented at the awards, arguing that gospel artistes should be allowed to compete in mainstream categories when their works meet the required artistic standards.

The singer, known for songs including No Turning Back, made his position known in an open letter addressed to the organisers of The Headies and published on X on Friday, August 28, 2026.

His comments come ahead of the 18th edition of The Headies, scheduled to hold in Toronto, Canada, on October 25, with artistes competing across 35 categories.

Gaise Baba, who has spent more than 15 years in the Nigerian music industry, said his experience as a faith-based artiste gives him a unique perspective on the conversation around how gospel and inspirational music should be recognised.

At the heart of his argument is what he described as the restrictive categorisation of faith-based music under inspirational or gospel categories.

The singer questioned why the subject matter of a song should determine the category in which it competes, rather than the actual musical elements and quality of the record.

Using rap as an example, Gaise Baba argued that a rap song should remain a rap song regardless of whether it discusses money, relationships, social issues or faith.

He pointed to factors such as songwriting, delivery, cadence, flow, production and overall musical craftsmanship as more appropriate measures for determining where a record should compete.

According to him, placing a rap record with faith-based lyrics exclusively in an inspirational category prevents the song from competing for recognition in the broader rap space.

He believes the same principle should apply to other genres, arguing that a gospel-themed record should be eligible for categories such as songwriting, production, performance and genre-specific awards if it satisfies the relevant criteria.

Gaise Baba also recalled his experience at the previous edition of The Headies, where he was nominated in the Inspirational Music category for Particularly, his collaboration with veteran gospel singer Tope Alabi.

The category also featured Anendlessocean, Mercy Chinwo, Dunsin Oyekan and Limoblaze.

He said his team participated fully in the activities surrounding the awards, including media rounds, the pre-award reception and the main ceremony.

However, according to the singer, the Inspirational Music category was not presented during the ceremony.

Gaise Baba described the experience as disappointing, arguing that nominees in categories that were not announced on stage were denied an important moment of recognition.

While acknowledging that the Inspirational category was not the only category left unpresented, he questioned why an awards ceremony that lasted more than five hours could not accommodate the announcement of all the categories that had been publicly listed.

His criticism also extends beyond the organisation of the ceremony to the broader question of how faith-based music is viewed within the Nigerian music industry.

Gaise Baba questioned what he considers an imbalance in the treatment of songs based on their subject matter, arguing that records dealing with controversial or secular themes are often assessed primarily on their artistic merits, while songs centred on faith are frequently separated into dedicated categories.

He challenged The Headies and the wider music industry to consider whether this separation could ultimately limit the visibility and recognition of faith-based artistes.

The singer also pointed to the cultural influence of gospel records, asking whether songs such as Favour and No Turning Back II have had less cultural impact than other records released within the current awards cycle.

For Gaise Baba, the commercial and artistic value of a song should not be determined solely by its subject matter.

Despite his criticism, the singer remains part of the nominees for this year’s Headies.

Gaise Baba and Lawrence Oyor’s No Turning Back II are nominated for Best Inspirational Single at the 2026 edition. The category features six nominees, including works associated with Sunmisola Agbebi, Lawrence Oyor, Sinach, EmmaOMG and Mercy Chinwo.

The 18th Headies will take place in Toronto on October 25 and will bring together some of Nigeria’s biggest music stars and emerging artistes across 35 categories.

Gaise Baba’s intervention has now added a fresh dimension to the debate over the place of faith-based music in Nigeria’s mainstream music industry.

The question is whether gospel and Afrogospel artistes should continue to be primarily recognised through dedicated inspirational categories, or whether their works should compete across mainstream categories based on genre, artistic quality, impact and performance.

With the 18th Headies fast approaching, attention will now turn to whether the organisers respond to Gaise Baba’s concerns and whether his argument could influence how faith-based music is recognised at future editions of the awards.