The release of the 2026 Headies Awards nominee list has sparked a significant industry debate following an open letter from acclaimed Afro-Gospel artiste, Akinade Ibuoye, popularly known as Gaise Baba, who has publicly criticised the organisers over the systemic categorisation of faith-based music.

His criticism came days after the Ayo Animashaun-led organisers released its list of nominees for its 18th edition, which spans 35 categories.
Fola leads the pack with 10 nominations, followed by Omah Lay with eight, while Mavo and Wizkid each picked up seven.

Gaise Baba himself remains on the list this year with a nomination for Best Inspirational Single for his hit track No Turning Back II, featuring Lawrence Oyor. Also on the list and in the category are Sunmisola Agbebi, Sinach, and other gospel acts.

While this year’s ceremony is scheduled for October 25 in Toronto, Canada, the artiste’s core grievance extends far beyond his single nod. Instead, he has trained a sharp spotlight on how mainstream award bodies structurally isolate gospel music, restricting spiritually themed tracks to a designated niche rather than evaluating them on their sonic merit and broader cultural footprint.

In an open letter shared on his social media pages on Friday, August 28, the No Turning Back hitmaker argued that gospel songs deserve a shot at mainstream recognition when they meet the same artistic standards as secular records, rather than being confined to inspirational categories.

He noted that a rap song about money or fame is judged purely on its craft, while a gospel record with comparable quality is often boxed into a separate lane. “A rap record is a rap record. It does not stop being rap because of what the artiste chooses to rap about,” Gaise Baba said, challenging the notion that spiritual lyrical content should automatically disqualify a song from competing alongside secular counterparts in categories like Best Rap Single or Song of the Year.

“Whether the record is about money, fame, sex, debauchery, or faith, the craft, pen game, cadence, delivery, and the flow are what make it a rap record, not the subject matter. A rap song with gospel content, considered only within gospel or inspirational categories and never as rap, is being quietly removed from a conversation it has every right to be part of,” he added.

Gaise Baba’s letter also revisited the 2024 edition, where he had been nominated in the newly introduced Inspirational Music category alongside Anendlessocean, Mercy Chinwo, Dunsin Oyekan and Limolabaze.

According to him, the winner in that category was never announced or brought on stage during the live broadcast — an omission he called disrespectful to the nominated creatives. He argued that once a category and its nominees are announced, time should be found to call it on stage, in full view of the audience.

The singer, who has spent more than 15 years in the Nigerian music industry, said he first attended The Headies in October 2012, when he was signed to Sanctified Records and had been active in the industry for just over two years.

Despite the criticism, Gaise Baba was careful to acknowledge the award’s standing, describing it as still the biggest, most active, and most recognised music award ceremony out of Nigeria, despite the backlash it has drawn from creatives and fans over the years.

Meanwhile, the Headies organisers responded to the criticism in a detailed statement posted on Instagram, defending their record on gospel music. They pointed to past winners in general categories, including Lara George, Kefee, Nikki Laoye and Timi Dakolo, as evidence that faith-based artistes have long been recognised outside dedicated inspirational categories.

The organisers also clarified that the Best Inspirational Single category, introduced in 2022, was created to widen opportunities for gospel acts rather than to sideline them. On the issue of categories being skipped during the live broadcast, the organisers explained that with 35 categories now on the ballot, a rotation system is used to manage time on the night, and that the Inspirational category’s absence from past broadcasts was part of that rotation rather than a sign of disregard.