by Alexander O. Onukwue

Everyone is talking about Nathaniel Bassey’s #HallelujahChallenge.

Ladies and gentlemen are repenting from what they used to stay up to watch, word on the street is that nightclubs have experienced low turnouts for the 13 days of the Challenge so far, and people who have tuned in are reporting changes in their lives and answers to their prayer.

The one-hour online worship event has witnessed rapid daily increases in the audience in geometric proportions. Curiously, those who tune in to join in the fellowship come from different sections of the society, drawing a rough similarity with the class diversity in Churches.

There are musicians and actresses

Screenshots from some days of the Challenge have shown the presence of some of the familiar faces and voices on TV and radio, including Waje and Funke Akindele-Bello. Other famous figures of the big screen who have been coming to Church include Tiwa Savage, Omoni Oboli and Don Jazzy. The online meet is even morphing into something of a celebrity hangout, for wannabes to get replies. Hope they don’t crash the party.

Upcoming artistes

One by the name of Kingsley Innocent has been brought into the limelight from the #HallelujahChallenge. The acoustic version of his beautiful medley, ‘Ga shi Nan’, has been well received and it will certainly encourage more choristers who believe they are good enough to go public to launch themselves onto the scene. What’s more? The language of the singer or of the song will not be a barrier as everyone tends to understand Gospel songs regardless of what part of the world it is made.

Other Gospel Musicians are online too

As it usually happens in any industry, colleagues of an artiste doing something as momentous as the #HallelujahChallenge would be expected to show support. It has not been different for Nathaniel Bassey. Gospel artistes like Nikki Laoye of “Only you”, Steve Crown of “You are Great”, and Glowreeyah Braimah who featured Bassey on “Miracle Worker” have all tuned into the fellowship.

Not just Nigerians, Americans too

Technically, they may still be mostly Nigerians but the trans-atlantic geographic spread of the Challenge to American congregations is a comfort, claiming back some reputation damaged by the plethora of bad news exported. Nigerians are good people – good people of a great Nation.