The newly appointed lead pastor of The Fountain of Life Church, Jimmy Odukoya, has confidently responded to critics who have raised concerns about his physical appearance.
In defense of his choices, he has cited biblical support for a man wearing dreadlocks and earrings.
Jimmy’s appointment as head of the Lagos-based church came on Sunday, September 17, just one week after the passing of his father, Pastor Taiwo Odukoya.
While some observers have speculated that leadership within the church might be seen as hereditary, others have raised questions about the new leader’s unconventional appearance.
But speaking in an interview with BBC News Pidgin, Jimmy said he was called by God and was ordained a pastor in 2009.
“I was ordained as a minister in 2009 and became a pastor in the church in 2012. I was the lead pastor of the youth church until 2020 or 2021,” he said.
He also cited examples from the Bible to justify wearing dreadlocks and earrings.
Hear him: “If you say I’m wrong to keep my hair as a pastor, I can tell you that God told Samson not to cut his hair in the Bible. That means long hair is not a bad thing. Also, if you say the pastor is keeping a beard, I can tell you that the Bible says that when Jesus was tortured, they pulled hair from his face.
“If you say this pastor is putting on earrings, I can tell you that in the book of Exodus, when the children of Israel got out of Egypt and wanted to do golden calf, they collected jewelry, rings, and earrings from their sons and daughters.
“Anybody can do what they want. A personal opinion is different from saying something is sinful. You should not use your own personal opinion to judge me.”
Jimmy, who has played major roles in a number of Nollywood movies and the 2022 Hollywood blockbuster The Woman King alongside Viola Davis and John Boyega added that God will continue to direct his acting career now that he is leader of The Fountain of Life Church.
