Pastor Sparks Debate Over Tonto Dikeh's New Prayer Ministry

(Pastor Andrew Emajere. Photo Ctedit: Vanguard News)

Pastor Andrew Emajere of COGA Ministries has questioned former actress and evangelist Tonto Dikeh’s decision to launch a prayer ministry in Abuja, expressing broader concerns about the increasing prevalence of individuals establishing religious organisations.

The pastor challenged what spiritual knowledge or experience motivated Dikeh to undertake such a venture, noting the substantial financial investment she had made in her earlier religious project.

He called for enhanced institutional gatekeeping mechanisms before church establishment, stating that were he to assume executive authority, prospective congregations would undergo mandatory vetting.

He characterised contemporary Christianity as having deviated significantly from its foundational principles.

Emajere identified what he perceived as disparate treatment between Christian and Islamic religious practice in Nigeria, noting the absence of female mosque leadership establishing parallel religious spaces.

He questioned the trajectory of Dikeh’s religious involvement, specifically asking when her spiritual conversion occurred and how her ascension to a senior ministerial position unfolded.

He expressed concern about the placement of public figures into religious authority positions without sufficient grounding in household management and spiritual maturity, suggesting such placements generate organisational disorder within faith communities.