‘Becoming pastor is best thing I’ve ever done’ – Yul Edochie

Controversial actor Yul Edochie has opened up on his reason for becoming a pastor and described it as fulfilling.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that Yul launched his online church, True Salvation Ministry (TSM), in January. Since then, he has held regular Sunday services on his YouTube channel and frequently addresses various issues.

One of his controversial sermons was in July, where he condemned men who sleep with another man’s wife, noting that such actions weaken men’s spiritual well-being.

The 42-year-old actor, in an interview he hosted with two other co-hosts, posted on his YouTube page Monday, claimed that his calling as a minister of God was predetermined.

He said: “First of all, becoming a pastor is the best thing I have ever done for myself. Serving God and being able to tell people about Him are wonderful and bring me a peace I never had before. Many years ago (in 2012 or 2013), people told me I would be a minister of God, but I never believed them because I was thriving in Nollywood and making money. I thought that having money would allow me to enjoy my life.

“Then, as time passed, I began to hear the voice myself. I would sit down, and the voice would come, saying, ‘You’re going to be a minister of God; you’re going to work for me, just know this.’ Nothing else made sense to me, and the things I used to do that distracted me from God no longer made sense. That’s when I knew it was time to work for Him. I had many prayer points years back, and when I look back, I realise that God has answered them all. He told me, ‘I have done all these for you; now it’s time for you to do mine’.”

Zero financial gain

The University of Port Harcourt alumni said he did not start a ministry or become a pastor for financial gain but to fulfil God’s purpose and plan for his life.

“It’s not about making money, and I don’t have everything in the world, but I’m content with what I have. I’m not doing ministry work to make money from it, even though some people might, perhaps because they don’t have money. But I’ve done everything in life—I have a house, I’m raising my children, acting, doing real estate, and I’m okay.

“It’s my destiny, and everything that’s happened in the last two years (the noise) is about bringing us closer to God. Now, when I talk about God, everyone listens. If I had talked about Him in 2019, maybe only 10 per cent of people would have listened, but now, 110 per cent of the world listens. When I say I have something to say, everyone wants to hear it,” said the actor.

Alcohol, not sinful

Furthermore, the son of veteran actor Pete Edochie added that pastors drinking alcohol or smoking is not inherently sinful and does not contradict biblical teachings.

Yul, who made his acting debut in the 2005 film ‘The Exquires’, clarified that excessive alcohol consumption by ministers is inappropriate.

He said, “I don’t see anything wrong with a man of God drinking alcohol, but what I do have a problem with is drinking to the point of getting drunk, which can lead to actions they’ll later regret. That’s my take, and anyone can criticise; that’s their problem. God hasn’t told me that drinking alcohol is wrong, and I believe He will tell me if it’s wrong.”

“But I don’t see anything wrong with it because when I was young, white priests (foreign priests) in Nigeria during their Mass, just before they started, you’d go to the back of the church and often see them smoking, holding, and drinking cigarettes and hot drinks. I don’t know who told our people that once you’re a pastor, you shouldn’t drink alcohol or that it’s against God’s law. God will tell me if it’s time for me to stop.”

Public’s opinion

The 2017 Anambra State Democratic People’s Congress gubernatorial candidate revealed indifference to public opinion about himself and his family over the past two years.

This newspaper reported that Yul has been in the news since August 2023, when divorce proceedings involving his estranged wife began in May. In August 2023, there was also the ongoing controversy surrounding his marriage to his second wife, Judy.

“I don’t read what people say about me or the comments on my posts, which is why I post and tell people that the comments section is open for them to express themselves because I love making Nigerians happy. I understand that people are going through a lot in Nigeria, and if not, why would they focus on my issues instead of theirs?

“If something on my page can bring them happiness and help them live longer, they are welcome. When I said I’m a man of God, He told me it’s time to announce it, not to see what people think because their opinions are irrelevant. I’m only concerned about what God thinks of me.”