Popular Nigerian comedian, actor, and filmmaker Ayo Makun (AY) has revealed why he no longer attends church regularly, saying the decision was influenced by the public attention surrounding his divorce rather than a loss of faith.
In a video shared on his social media page on Sunday, AY explained that he still believes in God and occasionally joins church services online.
However, he chose to stay away from physical worship because he did not want to become the focus of gossip and judgment.”For some time now, I stopped attending church not because I stopped believing in God or lost my faith,” he said. “I was going through a very personal season and dealing with the negative stories being spread about me. I didn’t want to become the subject of whispered conversations.”The comedian also disclosed that he later found another church and began attending services there.
However, he was disappointed after being removed from a church program he had been invited to because the church leadership was reportedly concerned about public perception.
According to AY, the incident made him reflect on the true purpose of the church.He questioned why a place that should offer comfort, healing, and acceptance would turn away someone facing personal challenges.”Shouldn’t the church be the safest place to find truth, grace, and restoration?” he asked. “If people cannot run to God’s house when life becomes difficult, where are they supposed to go? To strangers on social media who judge without knowing the full story, or to friends who distance themselves because of public opinion?”AY stressed that churches should be places where people find grace, compassion, and restoration instead of criticism and condemnation.
His comments have sparked conversations online about the role of religious communities in supporting people during difficult moments in their lives.
