5 Nigerian celebrities who traded worldly success for spiritual purpose

Worldly success is attractive and tempting: fame, status, possessions, wealth come with the package. But when these adventures do not edify the soul, it can become unfulfilling for some who find their priorities changing as time passes.

It’s not unheard of for a star at the pinnacle of their career to receive a higher calling and abandon their smooth-sailing secular path.

The stars in this line-up had it all but gave it up because they still felt an inexplicable emptiness within them that worldly success couldn’t fill.

They are now known as faith advocates, fearlessly and passionately preaching spiritual purpose every chance they get.

Ready to meet them? Here are five Nigerian celebrities who traded worldly success for spiritual purpose.

1. Banky W

Banky’s Instagram bio reads: “Music-Movies-Media-Ministry-Food-Service” first before anything else, reflecting his new path.

The former record label executive turned actor, politician and minister found Jesus and ditched his old lifestyle as a Lagos party connoisseur.

ALSO READ: Banky W appreciates wife for supporting him during pornography addiction

While speaking on the pulpit during a church service in 2021, the 44-year-old said:

“People look at me now and see me serving in God’s house and they say ‘ah, how did you come from King of Lagos party things to fulfilling your purpose in God’s kingdom?’ It’s because even when I was ignorant and living like a vagabond, there was somebody somewhere sowing the seed of prayer over my life, that ‘God, you will do it in this man. He will fulfill your purpose.’

“Listen, my mum has been praying before me since I was born till when I was a teenager, till when I was in my 20s, till when I was singing songs that do not glorify God.”

Banky, now known as Pastor Banks in some quarters, has not looked back since he pivoted from being the life of the party to preaching at the altar and drawing souls back to Christ.

2. Chidinma

Chidinma’s rise to fame was televised: she emerged the winner of a top-rated reality singing talent hunt show and then went on to become a force to be reckoned with among the femalefolk in the Nigerian music industry.

The Kosofe-born 33-year-old won major awards, toured countries, and collaborated with superstars throughout her career as a secular artist.

But she felt unfulfilled inspite of it all.

And then in May 2021, the singer, who was born blind, declared that she was switching fully to gospel music. “I’M A CRUSADER OF THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST,” she boldly wrote as caption on her Instagram page.

Sharing her story in 2023, Chidinma said:

“I am a covenant child. I’ve not been able to function optimally and to my fullest potential outside of God. I feel like God is my source and there is no way I’ll be able to do anything outside of Him. He has to be in the equation.“

She has remained resolute in her decision to honour God with her talent as she recently dropped a gospel body of work titled, ‘The Road Best Travelled‘.

3. Lynxxx

Lynxxx stepped into the limelight after releasing his first single ‘Change Your Parade‘ in 2009. He doubled down on his craft, finetuning his Jollof music sound while dominating the airwaves with chart-toppers like ‘Leave Story‘ and ‘Fine Lady‘ featuring Wizkid.

When it seemed like his career was ready for the next level, the 41-year-old announced he was born again in 2015.

Celebrating his journey a year later, he wrote on his Instagram page: “So on this very day last year. I had an encounter that changed my thinking, my outlook, my stance on a lot of things and ultimately my life. It’s been an amazing year of self discovery, truth and the beginning of an intimate relationship with God and Living in Purpose.”

Although the Syndik8 Records founder chose not to toe the same path of his contemporaries who pivoted to gospel music, his lifestyle reflects his renewed priorities.

4. Obiwon

Obiwon released his debut studio album, ‘Overture‘ in 2006 after which he resigned from his banking job. The album produced the classic hit ballad ‘Onyinye‘.

He then received three nominations at the 2007 Hip Hop World Awards (now known as The Headies) and won the Best Vocal Male Performance category. 

As if that wasn’t enough, the 47-year-old was also recognised at the Nigeria Music Awards, taking home the highly-prized award of Nigeria’s Voice of the Decade (21st century).

His future in secular music looked bright — or so we thought.

However, Obiwon was meant to answer a different calling. He switched to gospel music in 2009 and attributed his sudden shift to a “certain kind of lifestyle that made him reflect and think of life and how he wants to [sic] end up.”

“I discovered the celebrity lifestyle and the apparent “grandeurs” of fame, you know the “rock star” lifestyle, all up in my face to delve and indulge in. However this lifestyle began to make me ponder more about life in general, my purpose and how I should live my life and how I would end up.

“Looking at the lives of my favourite musical icons at the time, didn’t help matters. They mostly had terrible endings. So I began to look back into the faith I was brought up in.

“I questioned it and ended up discovering and encountering true life and living; that life that Christ taught and the one he alone gives. In essence, I became a born again Christian and my priorities changed,” he said during an interview in 2014.

The talented singer has, in March 2025, revealed that while he is now a gospel music minister, he still records love songs.

5. DJ Cuppy

In her words, “I actually cannot believe how successful I was by worldly terms, but how empty I felt inside.”