The organisers of the Headies have rejected allegations that gospel artistes are being excluded from major award categories, saying faith-based musicians have historically competed for and won mainstream honours.
The organisers reacted to an open letter by Nigerian gospel singer Gaise Baba, who accused the awards of relegating gospel and inspirational music to separate categories instead of allowing them to compete for major honours.
Gaise Baba also alleged that although he was nominated for the Inspirational Music category introduced in 2024, the winner was neither publicly announced nor presented on stage.
In a statement shared on its official Instagram page, the Headies said its records contradict claims that gospel artistes are deliberately excluded from major categories.
“Every award season, the same claim resurfaces: ‘The Headies doesn’t recognise gospel artists. Inspirational music is shut out of the real categories.’ It sounds provocative. It travels fast. But the record says otherwise – and the record is verifiable,” the organisers said.
The Headies cited the achievements of gospel and inspirational artistes such as Lara George, Kefee, Nikki Laoye and Timi Dakolo as evidence that faith-based musicians have competed successfully in general categories.
According to the organisers, Lara George was nominated for Best Female Vocal Performance in 2008 for her song, ‘Ijoba Orun’, before winning the category in 2010 with ‘Keeper of My Dreams’.
Kefee, they added, won Best Collaboration in 2010 alongside Timaya for ‘Kokoroko’, which also earned nominations for Song of the Year, Best Pop Single, Best Female Vocal Performance and Best Music Video.
The organisers also noted that Timi Dakolo won Recording of the Year in 2010 for ‘Heaven Please’ and picked up three awards in 2015 for ‘Wish Me Well’.
Nikki Laoye, they said, won Best Vocal Performance (Female) in 2013 for ‘Only You’.
The Headies said the examples demonstrated that gospel and inspirational artistes were not confined to faith-based categories.
“Gospel and inspirational artists have not merely been nominated. They have won major general categories against the strongest mainstream competition of their time,” the organisers said.
Addressing the Inspirational Music category, the Headies said it was introduced at the 15th edition of the awards in 2022 to provide more visibility for gospel and inspirational artistes rather than segregate them from mainstream music.
“Best Inspirational Single, introduced at the 15th Headies in 2022, was not created to put gospel music in a box. It was created to give more gospel and inspirational artists a guaranteed place on the Headies stage,” the statement read.
The organisers said Kcee and Okwesili Eze Group won the category in 2022 for ‘Cultural Praise’, followed by Neon Adejo in 2023 with ‘Eze Ebube’ and Mercy Chinwo in 2025 with ‘You Do This One’.
They added that artistes including Dunsin Oyekan, Limoblaze, Tope Alabi and Anendlessocean have also received nominations in the category.
The Headies further explained that an artiste’s failure to make the final nominees’ list does not amount to deliberate exclusion.
According to the organisers, each award category receives an average of 50 eligible entries, which are subsequently reviewed by the academy before being reduced to about six nominees.
The awards body also responded to concerns over categories that are not presented during the live broadcast.
It said the number of Headies categories has increased from about 22 in its earlier years to 35, making it impractical to present every award during the main ceremony.
The organisers said they therefore operate a category rotation system, with Inspirational Music among the categories rotated out of the live broadcast at some editions.
“Inspirational music is part of that rotation. That is not disregard. It is how a growing awards platform manages a growing number of categories,” the statement said.
The 2026 edition of the Headies, themed ‘Africa to the World’, is scheduled for October 25 in Toronto, Canada.
