I've been an ordained pastor since 2009 - Pastor Jimmy Odukoya clarifies

Pastor Jimmy Odukoya, Nollywood actor and son of Pastor Taiwo Odukoya, has cleared the air regarding his appointment as the new lead pastor of the Fountain of Life Church Ilupeju.

During an interview with BBC Pidgin, he attested that he had been an ordained and licenced minister since 2009. He has also been in service as a pastor for well over a decade, as opposed to what many thought.

Confirming the news of his appointment as the lead pastor, which was announced on Sunday, September 17, 2023, Odukoya said, "Yes, I am now the lead pastor of the Fountain of Life church. I was ordained as a minister in 2009 so no be today, then I was ordained as a pastor in this Fountain of Life Church in 2012. So since 2021, I was the lead pastor of the youth church; church 3:16 till 2020 or 2021. So for those who know, they know and for those who don't know, no wahala. I've been a part of this ministry as a licenced minister since 2009."

The pastor-cum-actor also addressed the conflict of interest that arose after breaking into the Nollywood entertainment industry. His acting career continued to take off until his most notable role as Oba Ade in the 2022 Hollywood movie The Woman King, in which he starred alongside Viola Davis and John Boyega.

He also confirmed that he was faced with the option of choosing one or the other but he is determined to do both over time, also noting that he is fully concentrated on his ministry for now.

Odukoya said, "When I started acting, people told me that I had to pick one between the ministry and acting because the church and people won't accept acting. But look at what God did, I was in the entertainment industry for six years; that's in an industry that is very hard to break into. That just showed me that with God nothing is impossible. But now that my father is gone obviously my focus is on the church, but that does not mean that I can't act anymore; once an actor, always an actor you know."

This comes after he was appointed the lead pastor of the church, following his father Pastor Taiwo Odukoya's death in August 2023. The news of his appointment was welcomed with mixed reactions on social media; with joy for some, as well as skepticism from others because of his acting career.

However, Odukoya has made it clear that his focus is placed on his ministry as the pastor of the church which was founded in 1992.