Nollywood actress-turned-evangelist Tonto Dikeh has joined the growing public conversation surrounding Apostle Arome Osayi’s controversial sermon about Nigeria’s national calling.
The debate has continued to attract strong reactions from Nigerians, religious figures and social media personalities, with opinions divided over the cleric’s message.
Arome Osayi sparked the controversy after a sermon in which he argued that Nigeria’s purpose should not be measured only by economic achievements, manufacturing or technological development.
According to reports on the sermon, the apostle described spiritual revival as Nigeria’s national calling and said the country could serve as a source of spiritual influence and missionary activity to other nations.
His comments drew criticism online, particularly from social media activist VeryDarkMan and commentator Solomon Buchi.
VeryDarkMan argued that excessive focus on miracles and prayer could discourage innovation and practical problem-solving, while Buchi questioned the impact of Christianity on wider Nigerian society, pointing to issues such as corruption and poor civic conduct.
As the debate intensified, Apostle Arome reportedly restricted comments on his social media page.
Tonto Dikeh’s involvement came through her reaction to a post by fellow cleric Apostle Femi Lazarus, who addressed the criticism directed at Arome Osayi.
Lazarus called for restraint and argued that Christians should be able to disagree with preachers without resorting to mockery or personal attacks.
He acknowledged that preachers can make mistakes and stressed the importance of context, grace and respectful disagreement.
Dikeh’s engagement with Lazarus’ post drew attention from fans and social media users, with many interpreting her reaction as support for the call to maintain restraint in the ongoing dispute.
However, her reaction should not be presented as a detailed personal defence of every part of Arome Osayi’s sermon, as the reports currently available do not show her issuing a lengthy statement explaining her position.
The controversy has now developed into a broader conversation about the role of religion in Nigeria’s national development.
While Osayi’s message focused on spiritual revival and Nigeria’s religious role, his critics have emphasised innovation, technology, accountability and practical solutions to the country’s challenges.
The ongoing debate reflects different views about how faith, national identity and economic development should relate to one another.
For now, the discussion