The Nigerian filmmaker, Funke Akindele, has explained why she no longer attends church services in person.
In a video posted on her Snapchat story, the actress said she stepped back from physical attendance because the focus often shifted to her instead of the service.
“Anytime I go to church, I’m always the one they take pictures of. So I would join online,” she said.
The filmmaker had earlier spoken openly about her faith. In 2022, she said she would not conceal her identity as a member of the Celestial Church of Christ.
“I was born and raised in Celestial. My situation is like a lost sheep that God brought back home. I’m well known in the celestial parish in Mile 12, Alapere, Ojota; those are the places I grew up,” she said.
“Everytime I have challenges I go back to Celestial church quietly and I go at night. And I would see breakthroughs, but right now I said, ‘Enough is enough.’ I have to stop hiding; I have to publicly identify with the church.
“I also want to advise everybody, anything you want to embark on, put it in the hands of God, and if He doesn’t permit you to do it, don’t. Every step I have taken in my life, I heard from God before I did it, and I thank God I’m here today.
“I also want to beg you to pray for Funke Akindele every time and everything that has to do with Funke Akindele. God should be with her, she shouldn’t die suddenly, and she should be successful in all her endeavours.”