The new lead pastor of the Fountain of Life Church, Jimmy Odukoya, has urged critics to refrain from using their personal opinions to judge him.
He said that he has a scriptural backing to his appearance.
Since he was announced as the new lead pastor, social media has recorded mixed reactions some questioning his appearance (with dreadlocks and earrings) as a pastor.
Since he was announced as the new lead pastor, social media has recorded mixed reactions some questioning his appearance (with dreadlocks and earrings) as a pastor.
In an interview with BBC News Pidgin, Odukoya stated that he has scriptural backing for his appearance and the things he does.
He said, “God has called me into this new season of my life. This new position is a big responsibility. All of my focus is here (on the church). As for my dreads, most people don’t know I can back up everything I do with scripture.
“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 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.”
Pastor Jimmy Odukoya said that contrary to popular belief, he was ordained a pastor in the church in 2012.
His words: “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 also said he’s unfazed due to the challenges he has faced in life.
“With the things I’ve witnessed in life, there’s nothing that can shake me. I’ve lost two of the closest people to me—my father and mother—and, to an extent, some members of my family, including my aunt and grandparents. When the thing you feared most happens, then there’s nothing again,” Jimmy said.
“In all of this, my father was a strong man. He was full of life and energy.”