Actress Ekene Umenwa has spoken out about the pressure she felt to renounce her Christian faith in order to succeed in the Nigerian film industry.
The actress posted a video of herself dancing gleefully to the gospel song “No Turning Back,” which has gone viral, on Instagram. The song was written by Gaise Baba and Lawrence Oyor.
In addition to the video, she disclosed that some Nollywood people had earlier told her to “move with the flow” and “drop Jesus” if she wanted to succeed in the business.
Ekene claimed that rather of compromising her convictions, she sought solace in her faith.
She described how “Jesus encouraged” her to maintain her concentration by assuring her that someday, other people will join her in worship.
“When I came to Nollywood years ago, I was told by some folks drop this your Jesus and Mary and move with the flow so you can make it. I was like chimo, is that so? Never I ran to my father,” she wrote.
“Jesus told me ‘I am with you move they will join us, just concentrate and don’t look back so you won’t be distracted. Today everyone now talks about Jesus and mother Mary boldly.
“I am so happy that God never failed his own he took me to the top and made me an example so his lost sons and daughters can believe. Jesus igweeeeeee. I was so moved that my noise made my parents run downstairs.”