Tope Alabi rocked the air waves when a video of her was leaked into the cyber world. In the video, she was seen dancing to a live band in dance steps known as “Zanku”, a dance step originated by the hip hop singer Zlatan. This dance step raised eye brows, some lashed her, others sees nothing wrong with it. To those who are provoked, dancing isn’t the issue, but she a gospel artist copying “worldly” artist is the headache.
But is there anything really wrong with Tope Alabi’s dance?
Christianity as a religion has room for dancing and shaking. In fact, if you show up in church and found sitting while other are shaking for Jesus, you could be termed a witch. We have seen ladies twerking in the church. The worst of all is men and women mixed and dancing face to face.
Now, if dancing is not forbidden in churches, are there dance style which God ordained? The answer to this question is not far fetched. None.
Dancing and singing itself is a culture copied from the old testament. The book of psalm is filled with verses of dance. Christians are quick to use them for evidence. The new testament has nothing to do with dance. Jesus never did it, his disciples never did it. But Christians do it, so in technicality, are they Christians or Davidians? They seems to be following David not Jesus.
So if dancing is not forbidden in churches and Christianity, and there is no dancing step God wants them to use, is it not hypocrisy to have tongue lashed Tope Alabi? After all, was she not dancing for her God?
Meanwhile, Tope herself has reacted. She defended herself following criticisms she received after the video went viral. She said,
“I needed that dance. It was at my father’s burial and the praise was organised by some gospel artists to just worship God,”
I needed to worship God, I just need to. It’s not easy to bury your father. Some people die before their parents. As a spiritual person, you know you need that dance.”
Wonderful, isn’t it? Dancing at her father’s burial. At least, that was the least she could do to thank God she buried her father and not the other way round.
In Christianity, when one dies, dance away your sorrow. The condition of the departed soul with his Lord concerns no man. The best of prayer they say is, REST IN PEACE.
But is there really peace for every soul? After that, they sing, dance and merry.
Tope’s husband responded too. The husband, who spoke to Celebrity Diary on the telephone as reported by Nijaloaded said,
“People should not just believe things without finding out the reasons. That video was definitely recorded at the wake keep service of my wife’s late father. As somebody who just lost her father, she was just trying to dance away the tears and she just expressed herself. Nobody saw her when she was crying, but now they are against her for dancing?
The wake keep was organized by some gospel artists and it was held in front of her late father’s house. Somebody must have recorded the video and sent it online for reasons best known to only God. My wife has done nothing wrong please” he pleaded.
As a Muslim, seeing Christians condemning Tope Alabi for what is not forbidden in their religion is hypocritical. The majority of today’s hip hop artist started from the alter too. They received some training in choir before venturing into hip hops.
Majority of those talking also dance “soapy” in church; pot calling kettle black.
Until Christianity is returned solely to the legacy of Jesus Christ. Until church goers starts reading the Bible and not just listening only on Sundays. A lot of borrowed culture imbibed in Christianity will remain unchanged.
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