From the big screen to the pulpit: 5 Nigerian celebrities who became preachers

Nigeria's entertainment industry has produced some of the continent's most recognisable faces, but for a number of those faces, the spotlight eventually gave way to something they describe as a higher calling. Here are five Nigerian celebrities who traded their entertainment careers, fully or partially, for the pulpit.

Few Nigerian celebrities have had a public journey as turbulent or as closely watched as Tonto Dikeh's. The actress, singer, and humanitarian has spoken openly about decades of personal struggle with addictions, a difficult childhood, and what she described as years of running from a calling she felt as early as age 19.

"At 19 I was going to be a pastor, but I ran away," she said in a candid reflection. "I've always had this calling right from when I was a child. God called me and needed me to go through all I had to become the firebrand that I am today."

In February 2026, Dikeh announced her graduation from a discipleship class at Streams of Joy International, the church led by Pastor Jerry Eze, a milestone that came shortly after she testified publicly about being delivered from smoking and what she described as the influence of a spiritual husband. Her last film role was over a decade ago, and while no formal announcement has been made, her departure from acting appears to be long settled.

Jimmy Odukoya occupies a unique space on this list; he is both an active Nollywood actor and a serving senior pastor. The son of the late Pastor Bimbo Odukoya and Pastor Taiwo Odukoya, Jimmy succeeded his father as Senior Pastor of the Fountain of Life Church in Ilupeju, Lagos, in September 2023, with his sister Tolu Odukoya-Ijogun confirmed as associate senior pastor alongside him.

His appointment drew questions from some sects about whether the church had become a family business. Odukoya addressed his election with characteristic directness: "A lion does not give birth to a goat." He has since confirmed that he has no intention of leaving acting, telling BBC Pidgin that his pastoral role does not prevent him from continuing his screen career.

Zack Orji was one of Nollywood's most recognisable faces in its formative years, known for roles in Glamour Girls and Blood Money. In 2012, he was ordained as a reverend by Bishop Lawrence Osagie of Power Line Bible Church and largely stepped back from the screen to focus on ministry.

Since his ordination, Orji has moved between churches within Nigeria and internationally, preaching what he describes as a gospel of salvation. He has never seen a conflict between the two worlds. "Each of them is a calling. We use our work as celebrities to also minister to people," he told Vanguard. Following brain surgeries in early 2024, he confirmed a return to acting and directing, with new projects already in the pipeline.

Liz Benson was one of Nollywood's biggest stars in the 1990s before she stepped away entirely in the early 2000s to dedicate her life to ministry. She married Bishop Great Emeya in 2009 and has since been active in Christian evangelism and philanthropy.

Her return to screens in 2024, starring in A Mother's Song, produced by Mercy Johnson, came with clarity about the terms of her re-engagement. "I only act in roles that align with my values and my faith in God," she said. "Nollywood gave me a name, but God gave me a purpose."

Banky W's transition was more gradual but still deliberate enough to make the list. The singer, rapper, actor, and former political candidate began sharing his spiritual journey publicly around 2019, and by 2021 had taken on a consistent teaching role at The Waterbrook Church in Lagos.

He has been careful to distinguish his role, preferring the titles of teacher or preacher over ordained pastor, but his commitment to ministry has been consistent and public.

The man who once dominated radio with songs like Yes/No and Lagos Party now leads Bible study sessions and delivers sermons to a congregation that includes many of his former fans. Both worlds, it seems, still need him.

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