Nigerian singer Seyi Shay is encouraging people to think about the songs they sing in church and where those songs come from. She believes that some church hymns, especially the old ones from the colonial era, may be doing more harm than good.

On her Instagram story, Seyi Shay explained why she stopped going to her former church. It wasn’t because of any church drama or teaching. The reason was the kind of music used during worship.

She said that one of the church leaders insisted that only old hymns and Bible verses should be sung, and that new gospel songs should be stopped. Seyi Shay didn’t agree with this idea at all. Her response was simple and strong: “I stopped going to that church. PERIODT.”

She explained that many of the hymns sung in churches today were written by slave owners and were used during times when Africans were tortured and treated badly. Because of this painful history, she asked how anyone could feel happy or blessed singing those songs.

Seyi Shay made it clear that people need to understand the background of the hymns they sing. She wrote, “Ignorance is NOT Godly!” and advised people to do their own research.

While she agreed that not all hymns have bad roots, she said that many do. That’s why she suggested that sometimes it’s better to write your own praise and worship songs based on Bible verses, especially if they feel more meaningful and personal.

Many Christians love traditional hymns and find comfort in them. But others agree with Seyi Shay and believe it’s important to be aware of what we sing in church. Her message is a call to think deeper about worship and to choose songs that match both faith and truth.