Nigerian actress-turned-evangelist Tonto Dikeh has responded defiantly to criticism following her decision to conduct a deliverance session on a student.
In a social media post on Monday, she insisted that her spiritual mission cannot be derailed by public opinion.
The Nollywood star, who has in recent days embraced evangelical work, came under fire after footage circulated of her praying over a young student during a religious gathering.
Critics questioned both the appropriateness of the act and her authority to perform such rites.
In the post, Dikeh dismissed the backlash, declaring that her calling was “too important to get distracted.”
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She wrote:
“My eyes are on Jesus and he needs no one to defend his name. I, Evangelist Tonto Dikeh, would rather be mocked, ridiculed, or even slain than silence the name of the one who saved me. I refuse to hide God to protect my image before mere mortals.”
The actress added that she was prepared to embrace criticism as part of her faith journey.
“If it comes to it, I will wear mockery like perfume and carry reproach like a crown, because he is worth it all,” she said.
Dikeh also urged her followers not to respond with hostility, framing the controversy as a spiritual battle rather than a personal attack.
“The world is not fighting me, the kingdom of hell is and I understand this. So no hate over here, we battle on our knees in prayer. That’s where true strength is forged and true victories are won,” she wrote.
Her remarks have divided opinion online, with supporters praising her boldness while others remain sceptical of her methods.