For many Nigerians, some of the faces associated with Nollywood, music and entertainment have become familiar for a completely different reason: ministry. Over the years, several entertainers have moved from the screen, stage and red carpet into Christian ministry, with some becoming ordained pastors or evangelists and others combining entertainment with preaching.
However, the phrase “celebrity pastors” can be misleading because these journeys are not identical. Some of the people on this list hold formal pastoral positions, while others are ordained evangelists or ministers who are strongly involved in Christian ministry. This list focuses on Nigerian entertainers whose transition into ministry has been publicly reported and documented.
1. Jimmy Odukoya
Jimmy Odukoya is perhaps one of the clearest examples of a Nigerian entertainer who moved into a major pastoral leadership position without completely abandoning entertainment. Known for his work as an actor and musician, Odukoya became widely known Orji ernationally after appearing as Oba Ade in the 2022 film The Woman King.
In September 2023, he was named Senior Pastor of The Fountain of Life Church in Lagos following the death of his father, Pastor Taiwo Odukoya. The church announced that its Board of Trustees had unanimously elected him to the position. His appointment attracted attention because of his established career in Nollywood, but his involvement in ministry had started years before he became the church’s senior pastor.
2. Zack Orji
Zack Orji is one of the veteran Nollywood actors most closely associated with Christian ministry. He became famous through films including Unforgiven Sin and Glamour Girls, and also served as President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria.
His involvement in ministry became more prominent after he was ordained in 2012. Orji has spoken publicly about his work as a preacher and has travelled to different churches in Nigeria and outside the country for preaching engagements. In a 2017 interview, he also confirmed that he was still a pastor.
3. Eucharia Anunobi
Eucharia Anunobi was one of the most recognisable actresses in Nollywood during the industry’s early years, particularly following her appearance in the classic film Glamour Girls. Her career later took a significant spiritual direction.
In 2012, Anunobi was ordained as an evangelist at Fresh Oil Ministry International in Egbeda, Lagos. She subsequently became known for preaching, counselling and sharing Christian teachings, while still making occasional appearances in the entertainment industry. Her story is one of the more documented examples of a Nollywood actress becoming deeply involved in Christian ministry.
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4. Liz Benson
Liz Benson was one of the biggest female stars of early Nollywood. Her performances made her a household name before she gradually stepped away from mainstream acting and became increasingly involved in Christian ministry.
Benson was ordained as an evangelist and became involved in church leadership alongside her husband, Bishop Great Ameye. Reports have described the couple as serving together in their church. Benson has also explained that her Christian convictions influenced the type of acting roles she was willing to accept.
5. Banky W
Bankole Wellington, popularly known as Banky W, represents the music side of this transition. Before his involvement in ministry, he was one of Nigeria’s most prominent R&B singers and later expanded his career into acting, business and politics.
By 2020, Banky W was regularly preaching at The Waterbrook Church and was reported to have been ordained as a pastor at Tony Rapu’s This Present House. His ministry involvement did not completely erase his entertainment background; he continued to engage with music and other creative projects while publicly sharing Christian messages.
6. Charles Okafor
Charles Okafor is another veteran actor whose career eventually moved strongly toward Christian ministry. He was known for major Nollywood productions including Domitilla, Forest of Promises, Boiling Point and Executive Connection.
Okafor has publicly described himself as an ordained pastor and has devoted considerable attention to preaching and Christian work. His transition did not necessarily mean that filmmaking disappeared from his life. In recent years, he has also spoken about using film to communicate positive and faith-based messages.
7. Patience Ozokwor
Patience Ozokwor, popularly known as Mama G, is one of the most recognisable actresses in Nigerian cinema. Her famous portrayals of difficult mothers and mothers-in-law made her a major Nollywood personality, but her public expression of Christian faith has become an equally notable part of her identity.
Ozokwor has ministered in churches and spoken openly about the relationship between her faith and her work as an actress. She has argued that both acting and preaching can reach people, although she does not fit as neatly into the category of a full-time senior pastor as some names on this list.
8. Mama Rainbow
Idowu Phillips, popularly known as Mama Rainbow, has spent decades in the Nigerian entertainment industry. Unlike celebrities who completely left acting after becoming involved in ministry, Mama Rainbow has continued to maintain a connection with Nollywood while also engaging in Christian ministry.
She has been reported as the founder of a Cherubim and Seraphim church in Lagos and has ministered in different churches. Her journey is therefore better described as a combination of entertainment and Christian ministry rather than a complete departure from acting.
9. Okey Ogunjiofor
Okechukwu Ogunjiofor is a particularly significant name in Nigerian entertainment history. He was involved in the production of Living in Bondage, the 1992 film widely associated with the beginning of the modern Nollywood era.
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Beyond filmmaking, Ogunjiofor has also described himself as a preacher of the gospel. Earlier reports documented his involvement in Christian ministry, including teaching the Word of God. His story is an interesting example of someone who helped shape Nollywood while later becoming known for his Christian work.
10. Ernest Azuzu
Ernest Azuzu was another Nollywood actor whose life took a significant turn toward Christian faith and ministry. He was known for his acting career before withdrawing from mainstream Nollywood and becoming associated with Christian ministry.
Academic research on Nigerian Pentecostalism and popular culture has specifically identified Azuzu among former Nollywood stars who became bona fide pastors of Pentecostal churches, alongside names such as Eucharia Anunobi, Zack Orji and Liz Benson.
Why Are So Many Nigerian Entertainers Moving Into Ministry?
The connection between Nigerian entertainment and Christian ministry is not entirely new. Nollywood has long portrayed pastors, churches, miracles and Christian themes, while Nigeria’s large Pentecostal movement has also developed a strong presence in popular culture.
For some entertainers, the move into ministry has meant leaving mainstream entertainment behind. Others have continued acting, making music or using their public platforms while also preaching and serving in churches. Their experiences are therefore different, and describing every person on this list simply as a “pastor” does not capture those differences.
From Entertainment to the Pulpit
The journeys of these celebrities show how dramatically public identities can change. People who once entertained millions through movies and music are now using their voices to discuss faith, Christianity and personal transformation.
Jimmy Odukoya’s rise to senior pastor of The Fountain of Life Church is perhaps the most prominent recent example, while Zack Orji, Eucharia Anunobi, Liz Benson, Charles Okafor and others had already established long-standing connections with Christian ministry.
For some, the entertainment industry remains part of their story. For others, the pulpit has become the central focus. Either way, their journeys remain an interesting part of the evolving relationship between Nigerian entertainment, popular culture and Christian ministry.
