I would rather bless people around me than buy a private jet – Gospel singer, Shola Adedeji - Newstrends
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I would rather bless people around me than buy a private jet – Gospel singer, Shola Adedeji

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Gospel singer, Pastor Shola Adedeji, has said if God blesses her, she will rather extend the blessings to people around than buy a private jet.

Adedeji said she had to make the “people that God placed under me” comfortable, rather than thinking about amassing wealth and worldly things.

She said this in an interview, adding that she has a non-profit organization that helps people.

Adedeji said, “I’ve been based in the US for the past 25 years going to 26 years. My family and I live there. I love Nigeria and I’ve been around to promote my music to see what God can bring out of it.

“There’s a purpose God has destined for us. I believe there is a calling upon my life. It’s not something I just woke up one day to go into the ministry. When God wants to instil something into your life, you just see that all things you do are things of God. You want to be in His presence. You want to help other people especially with the music ministry. God keeps giving me songs; ideas keep coming. So, I now went before God in prayer and received my confirmation or conviction that God really wants me to go here and propagate His word around the world. These are what motivated me that gave me that boldness and strength I’m using today.”

She spoke on her mission and trips across African countries, saying, “For now, I’ve been going to African part of the world like Nigeria, South Africa maybe five to six times a year. I travel on ministerial assignment. I also have a women’s ministry. It is called Women of Virtue International. We have our headquarters in New Jersey whereby we empower women; we motivate them and we do transformational programmes that will transform their lives; it is for women to discover themselves. How can they know who they are even after getting married, having children? What are the things they can do to be who the Lord destines them to be? I travel a lot for this programme.”

According to her, the humanitarian service enables her to empower widows, old people or senior citizens.

She added, “Even, in the US, I’m the director that facilitates our food pantry whereby we give our food to the community. We give our food; we give our clothes; and we give out school supplies to the kids.

“In Nigeria, we’ve been having a lot of empowerment programmes for the youths, the younger ones and for the elderly. We have a situation that a lot of people that came for the empowerment programmes are teachers. And we discovered that they can also do something else apart from teaching. So we empower and encourage them to go into even decoration; how to become an MC at programmes; how to make soaps and other things like that.

“We actually have different programmes for different gender of people. For example, men, there was a time we went to the grass root somewhere in Ibadan; we gathered full men who needed bikes like okada to be able to support their families. Even though we didn’t buy a whole okada for them, we were able to support them a little bit so that they could buy on a hire purchase and continue to pay.

“To me as a servant of God and as a preacher, the first thing we need to think about when God blesses us is that He wants us to bless others. Are the people around you comfortable enough before you decided to go and buy a jet? I don’t have any problem honestly speaking if as a preacher I have a private jet. But with the situation of things around the world today, what is the purpose of having a jet when people are suffering around you. The Bible says we should go into the world to preach. It doesn’t say if you don’t have a jet you cannot preach the gospel. To me, if God blesses me, the first thing I want to do instead of buying a jet is to make sure that the people that God has placed under me are comfortable. So, it’s not about a jet as long as I can get to where I’m going comfortably with other means. We need to help other people. “There was an instance I read on the internet when a well-known preacher said that he was able to acquire three jets during the COVID and was boastful about it. I don’t think that’s good. If you have a jet you should not be boastful about it and you have to make sure that the people around you are comfortable. I think that is the most important thing.

She spoke on how she had been coping with combining family responsibility with church work and helping others.

“It has been a little bit difficult. I’m not going to lie to you about the family, church, raising kids, taking care of things. But I just continue to ask God for wisdom and for direction. And what I do is to make sure that my family is okay. I make sure they are comfortable before taking any step further; that is my primary responsibility before going out to take care of other people’s problems,” she stated.

She noted that her music is unique because God had given everybody a unique gift or grace.

Adedeji said, “When I’m ministering in songs, the atmosphere changes; the spiritual gift and the presence of God come down. It is not about the singing, but it is about the power that backs up the song. It is about the power of God that is behind that ministration and that is what makes it to be unique and different. And, it’s just the grace of God. The Bible makes us to understand that that the gift of a man maketh room for that man. So, it’s the gift, the power of God, the spiritual gift, the presence of God that comes down and all these change the atmosphere and that’s what makes it unique I believe.

She also expressed gratitude to a top gospel singer, Tope Alabi, for her guidance and encouragement.

She said, “I’m going to thank God in the life of our mummy, mummy Tope Alabi. Because when we composed the song, it was New Glory but by the inspiration of God when we came into the studio, she was like why don’t you go this way? Why don’t you sing the song this way? So, God used her to change some of the lyrics and that was how we came up with it. Though, we had New Glory before, it was New Dawn of Glory.

“As a gospel artiste, I have to continue to ask God for the grace to be unique. So, when you are unique, your song comes from God. So, it is the inspiration you receive from God that will help you to be able to touch lives of your fans because it is not just singing. It is not just about the song, but it is about the power of God behind your ministration. I believe as gospel artistes, we have to continue to ask God everyday for the strength, the enablement that we need because there is no other way to it. The anointing doesn’t come from the East nor from the West but it comes from God Almighty. This is what makes the song to be different from any other song.

“Unfortunately, things have already changed now because of what is going in the world. But, I believe that when we continue to ask God for divine inspiration, for the Rhema, I believe the fans’ lives will continue to change. That is what matters most.”

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Adunni Ade Reveals Christian Fans Unfollowed Her After Publicly Identifying as Muslim

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Adunni Ade Reveals Christian Fans Unfollowed Her After Publicly Identifying as Muslim
Adunni Ade

Adunni Ade Reveals Christian Fans Unfollowed Her After Publicly Identifying as Muslim

Nollywood actress Adunni Ade has opened up about the reaction she received after publicly identifying as a Muslim, revealing that some of her Christian fans unfollowed her because of her religious identity.

The actress said she initially found it difficult to openly discuss her faith because of what she described as the pressures associated with being a public figure in the Nollywood industry.

According to Ade, publicly identifying as a Muslim within the Nigerian film industry can be difficult, and she described the situation as “almost forbidden” based on her personal experience.

She explained that she eventually became tired of keeping her religious identity private and decided to be open about her faith.

Ade said the decision came with consequences, including losing some followers and receiving messages from people who questioned her choice.

“Some people unfollowed me. I got DMs from people trying to cast out spirits. Some people prayed for me,” she said while discussing her experience.

However, the actress added that she also received considerable support from Muslims, many of whom welcomed her more warmly after she publicly acknowledged her faith.

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Ade stressed that her decision to practise Islam should not be interpreted as an attack on Christianity or Christians.

She said she had experienced both Christian and Muslim religious environments and was not suggesting that Christianity was a bad religion. Rather, she explained that Islam was the faith that worked for her personally.

The actress’ comments have renewed attention on her long-standing and publicly discussed religious journey, which has included experiences with both Christianity and Islam.

Ade had previously spoken about her faith in 2020, explaining that she was born and raised Muslim but grew up in a family where different religious traditions were represented.

She said her father allowed his children to choose their preferred religion, while members of her extended family included both Christians and Muslims.

The actress also disclosed that she attended different Christian churches, including Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM), Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Christ Living Apostolic Ministry (CLAM) and Christ Apostolic Church (CAC).

Ade said she later returned to Islam on December 31, 2016, after reflecting on her religious identity and concerns about how people might react to her decision.

She said at the time that returning to Islam made her feel happier and more fulfilled.

Her religious identity also came under renewed public discussion in 2026 after she was seen attending an event at a Celestial Church of Christ in Lagos.

Following questions from social media users about whether she had returned to Christianity, Ade clarified that she remained a practising Muslim.

She explained that her presence at the church-related event was connected to her professional relationship with the celebrant and was not evidence of a change in her religion.

Ade’s latest comments therefore provide further context to a faith journey she has discussed publicly over several years.

While describing her experience as difficult at times, she maintained that her decision to openly identify as a Muslim was ultimately a personal one.

Her statement that being openly Muslim in Nollywood is “almost forbidden” reflects her personal experience and perception; it should not be taken as evidence of a formal industry-wide rule restricting actors from publicly identifying with a particular religion.

The actress’ disclosure has also highlighted the wider challenges public figures can face when personal beliefs become subjects of public discussion, particularly in an industry where celebrities often maintain diverse fan bases with different religious and cultural backgrounds.

Adunni Ade Reveals Christian Fans Unfollowed Her After Publicly Identifying as Muslim

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BREAKING: Olu Jacobs Dies at 84, Atiku Mourns Cultural Icon

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BREAKING: Olu Jacobs Dies at 84, Atiku Mourns Cultural Icon

 

Veteran Nigerian actor and film executive, Oludotun Baiyewu Jacobs, popularly known as Olu Jacobs, has died at the age of 84, with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar describing the late Nollywood icon as “an institution” and “a cultural icon” whose contribution helped shape Nigeria’s creative industry.

Jacobs’ death was announced on Wednesday, September 16, by his son, Olusoji Jacobs, who described the celebrated actor as “The Lion of Lufodo” and called on bloggers and social media influencers to respect the family’s privacy as they mourn.

“It is with gratitude to God for a life well lived and fought, that we announce the passing of our dear husband, father, grandfather and uncle. The Lion of Lufodo,” Olusoji said in the announcement.

Reacting to the death, Atiku said Nigeria had lost far more than a great actor, describing Jacobs as “an institution, a cultural icon and one of the finest ambassadors of our creative spirit.”

The former vice president said Jacobs had become part of the collective memory of generations of Nigerians through his distinctive voice, commanding performances and decades of dedication to his craft.

According to Atiku, Jacobs was already making his mark internationally before Nollywood emerged as a global phenomenon, and his career helped lay foundations for the Nigerian film industry while inspiring younger generations of actors.

“The curtain may have fallen on an extraordinary life, but the characters he gave us, the standards he set and the generations he inspired will continue to speak for him,” Atiku said.

He expressed condolences to Jacobs’ wife, veteran actress Joke Silva, their children and the wider Jacobs family, as well as members of Nollywood and the African creative community.

Atiku said Jacobs “gave Nigeria his talent, his voice and a lifetime of excellence,” adding that the country would remember him with pride, affection and gratitude.

Jacobs, whose career spanned theatre, British television, international film and Nollywood, was trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. He became one of Nigeria’s most recognisable screen and stage actors and was associated with the development of the Nigerian film industry.

His death marks the end of a career spanning more than five decades and has already triggered tributes from political figures, actors and other members of Nigeria’s entertainment industry.

 

 

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Shimmer and Style: Zendaya, Selena Gomez, and Colman Domingo Light Up the Emmys Red Carpet

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Shimmer and Style: Zendaya, Selena Gomez, and Colman Domingo Light Up the Emmys Red Carpet

From custom metallics to soft pastels and playful statuette cosplay, television’s top stars bring high fashion to Los Angeles

Top television stars gathered in Los Angeles on Monday evening for the annual Emmy Awards, showcasing an array of creative outfits and modern styles.

The ceremony, often described as television’s version of the Oscars, brought actors together at the Peacock Theater to celebrate the year’s best performances and share memorable fashion choices with fans worldwide.

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Shimmering gold and silver fabrics were popular choices throughout the arrival walk. Zendaya chose an embroidered silver gown by Prada paired with diamond earrings, while Selena Gomez appeared in a fitted, floor-length gold dress by Louis Vuitton.

The host for the night, Mariska Hargitay, wore a bright red gown with a trailing design, attending alongside her daughter in matching styles that paid tribute to her mother, actor Jayne Mansfield.

Other guests chose calm, lighter colors such as soft lavender, sky blue, and gentle green. Actors Elle Fanning and Sarah Pidgeon selected simple, elegant slip dresses that focused on subtle beading and clean silhouettes.

Menswear also showed fresh variety, with Colman Domingo combining a tailored jacket with a colorful waist sash. Adding humor and fun to the red carpet, actor Meg Stalter appeared dressed as the winged Emmy trophy itself, bringing a lighthearted touch to the celebration.

Shimmer and Style: Zendaya, Selena Gomez, and Colman Domingo Light Up the Emmys Red Carpet

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