Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Nollywood actress turned politician and evangelist Tonto Dikeh has officially launched her own Christian ministry in Abuja, unveiling the New Wine Prophetic Tabernacle (NWPT) as an interdenominational altar and global movement for believers hungry for revival, prayer, and spiritual transformation. The announcement, made on Sunday, August 9, 2026, marks the latest and most significant step in the 41-year-old actress's public spiritual journey, which has seen her transition from one of Nigeria's most talked-about entertainment figures to a fiery evangelist leading deliverance sessions and ministering from the pulpit.
Dikeh, who has in recent months signed her social media posts as "Ada El-Roi" and become increasingly active in Pastor Jerry Eze's Streams of Joy International Church community, described NWPT as "an interdenominational altar, spiritual home, and global movement of consecrated believers called to experience the raw power, purity, and presence of God". The ministry draws its inspiration from Mark 2:22, the biblical scripture that speaks about putting new wine into new wineskins, and positions itself as a dwelling place for those who "refuse to settle for lukewarm Christianity". According to the announcement shared on her Instagram page, the ministry's vision is "to see a global awakening of consecrated believers operating in the raw power, purity, and presence of God transforming nations and establishing the Kingdom of Christ on Earth".
The New Wine Prophetic Tabernacle will hold its weekly fellowship every Friday at 6:00 p.m. at the Omini Grand Hotel, formerly known as Alexis Hotel, located upstairs by Masalachi Junction in Jabi, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. Dikeh was filmed on August 9 ministering passionately at a podium inside a church auditorium to a seated congregation, with footage showing visibly emotional moments throughout, including audience members raising hands in worship and tearful embraces filling the space. Speaking during the service, she reflected on the long road that brought her to this point, crediting loved ones who had spent years praying for her during her time away from faith. "I was still in the world. I have some people who have used 10 years to keep praying for me," she said.
Dikeh was careful to clarify that NWPT is not a conventional church but rather "an intense gathering of those consecrated and equipped for the purposes of God". The ministry's mission statement outlines a commitment to building "an interdenominational altar of prayer, revival, and apostolic training that equips watchmen, activates spiritual gifts, drives relentless soul winning, and delivers total freedom to the captive through the power of the Holy Spirit". This distinction is significant, as it positions NWPT as a spiritual movement rather than a traditional religious institution, potentially allowing Dikeh to navigate the complex landscape of Nigeria's Pentecostal Christian scene without the formal structures and expectations of a conventional church.
The launch comes after months of public spiritual transformation that began when Dikeh completed a discipleship programme at Pastor Jerry Eze's Streams of Joy International Church in February 2026, sharing her certificate on Instagram and speaking about what she described as a profound spiritual rebirth that had reshaped her perspective on life, faith, and service. In December 2025, she gave a public testimony at the same church in which she spoke about her deliverance from smoking, alcohol addiction, masturbation, and prolonged anger issues, telling the congregation that she started smoking at the age of 13 and credited her Christian faith with helping her overcome the struggles. She has also been active in conducting deliverance sessions, including a widely circulated video in March 2026 where she performed a deliverance on a schoolgirl, which led to massive criticism and the threat of a lawsuit by a human rights lawyer.
Dikeh's transition from entertainment to evangelism places her in a growing tradition of Nigerian celebrities who have abandoned the screen for the pulpit. Over the years, figures such as Banky W, who became a minister at the This Present House Church in 2020; Zack Orji, the former President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, who was ordained as a full-time evangelist; Eucharia Anunobi, who was ordained as an evangelist in 2012; and Liz Benson, who retired from acting after being ordained at Rainbow Christian Assembly in Warri, have all made similar transitions. Dikeh, who entered politics in 2022 as a governorship running mate in Rivers State, now joins this list of entertainers who have redefined their public identities around faith and ministry.
The announcement has sparked heavily divided opinions and widespread discussion online. Many fans and fellow Christians have congratulated and celebrated her renewed spiritual path, with one social media user commenting, "I need to believe there's God again," while another wrote, "I don't even know why I am crying watching this, from a total mess to a message. True repentance comes with forgiveness and letting go". However, some critics have questioned her rapid transition from a mainstream celebrity lifestyle into lead evangelism and deliverance ministry, expressing skepticism about the authenticity of her transformation and the theological depth of her ministry.
Dikeh, however, appears undeterred by the criticism. In an emotional Instagram post following the launch, she wrote: "Jesus, men may never fully comprehend the depths from which You have lifted me, but my heart remembers every step. I am forever surrendered to Your voice, a yield without conditions. Call me a thousand times, and every single time, my answer will be 'Yes.' I AM A JESUS YES SIR GIRL". She signed off using the hashtag #EVANGELISTTONTO, signalling that this is not a passing phase but a full embrace of a new public identity. For a woman who has lived much of her life in the public eye, navigating controversies, high-profile relationships, and a political career, the launch of NWPT represents perhaps her most audacious reinvention yet. Whether Nigerians will embrace her as a genuine spiritual leader or view her ministry as another chapter in a life of constant transformation remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: Tonto Dikeh is no longer content to simply act out roles on screen. She is now writing her own script, and she is doing it from the pulpit.
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