Nigerian gospel artiste Akinade Ibuoye, popularly known as Gaise Baba, has stirred conversations after declaring that drinking alcohol should not be seen as a sin.
The singer made the remark while speaking on the Blackfame Podcast, where he shared his perspective on Christian living and biblical interpretation.
He said: “I say alcohol is not a sin. Alcohol is a weight. It’s not a sin. It’s what can weigh you down. The Bible says, seeing now that there’s a cloud of witnesses cheering us on, it gives you the metaphor of a race. Let us lay aside every sin and weight that weighs us down on this journey, on this race. You cannot run effectively carrying weight. So if it doesn’t carry you to hell, it may not be a sin.
“But you are not just here to make heaven. Christians need to move from that mindset. You are not just on earth. Your goal on earth is not to make heaven. Your heaven is already secure because it’s not by what you do that you make heaven. It’s by what Christ did.
“So, why are you here? Why didn’t God just whisk you away to heaven once you gave your life to Christ? Because there is work for you to do here. You are not going to receive ‘well done, good and faithful servant’ just because you are born again. That’s not up to your doing. Well done is for what you do that is well done. It’s not a title. It’s actually a greeting. It means you have done well. What did you do that will warrant ‘well done’? That’s what you should ask yourself on this earth.”
Gaise Baba, who has built a reputation for blending gospel themes with contemporary sounds, noted that Christians should focus more on purposeful living rather than mere rule-keeping.
His comments have since drawn mixed reactions, with some agreeing with his interpretation while others insist alcohol consumption remains contrary to Christian values.