“I’m not the same, God has rebuilt me’ – Tonto Dikeh

Nollywood actress Tonto Dikeh has announced her graduation from a discipleship class at Streams of Joy International, the church led by Pastor Jerry Eze.

This is coming barely two months after the Rivers State-born actress opened up about the harrowing experiences of her childhood, which she said led her astray for a decade, during a testimony shared in church. She testified on how she was delivered from smoking and the influence of her “spiritual husband.”

The 40-year-old actress shared a video on her Instagram page on Monday, displaying her discipleship certificate and speaking about what she described as a profound spiritual rebirth that has reshaped her outlook on life, faith, and service.

“I am not the same,” she said, adding that her daily experiences with God have been deeply emotional and transformative.

Tonto Dikeh, who has in recent years been vocal about her struggles and spiritual awakening, described her relationship with God as “deeply healing and overwhelming,” saying she often wakes up in tears, not from pain but from what she called the overwhelming presence of God.

According to her, the discipleship programme has helped her find peace, purpose, and emotional restoration after years of public controversies and personal challenges.

“My mornings are filled with tears of gratitude,” she said. “God has been rebuilding me from the inside out.”

Temple keepers

The actress also revealed that she has joined the church’s Temple Keepers Department full-time, dedicating herself to voluntary service within the congregation.

She said she was instructed to clean the church’s premises, including the children’s washroom. “My assignment is to clean God’s house, and He will clean my life from within,” she said, describing the duty as a spiritual exercise in obedience and character formation.

The actress was enmeshed in several controversies, particularly her highly publicised divorce from Olakunle Churchill in 2017, which was marked by allegations, counter-allegations, and legal disputes over child custody. This was followed by a controversial relationship with her ex-lover, Prince Kpokpogiri

Barely two weeks after announcing their reconciliation, the actress and singer, alongside her son, King Andre, met with her ex-husband, Mr Churchill.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that Ms Dikeh described the reconciliation with her son’s father as a divine restoration, following years of public conflict and separation.

Tonto Dikeh became one of Nollywood’s most recognisable faces in the late 2000s, known for her bold screen presence and roles in popular films such as ‘Dirty Secret’ (2010), ‘Night Wedding’ (2010), and ‘Divine Grace’ (2007). The media personality, who rose to fame in the late 2000s after winning the reality TV show, ‘The Next Movie Star,’ revealed her drug addiction struggles.