What will you do when your passion does not conform to societal norms?
Many people give up on their passion while some follow the opinions of others, but very rare people will follow in the footsteps of Jimmy Odukoya.
Jimmy Odukoya, also known as pastor J, was born in 1987, is the first son and second child of the late preachers Taiwo and Bimbo Odukoya. Having succeeded his father, he is currently the senior pastor of Lagos’s Fountain of Life Church, an actor, a model, a motivational speaker, a dancer, and fitness enthusiast, (Wikipedia, 2024). Yes! A senior pastor of a church is also all of this.
He is well known for his versatility in various movies, starting with roles such as Fred in Husbands of Lagos, Adam in Crazy Grannies and Oba Ade in the famous film The Woman King, amongst many others (Wikipedia, 2024).
Jimmy answered the above question by standing firm, neither discouraged nor swayed by the opinions of the people in the society. He believes that he has the capacity and backing of God to follow his passion (acting) and to carry out the responsibility required of him, as the senior pastor of a church at the same time. He said he would keep acting, and he will not stop. His unwavering approach to acting distinguishes him in the industry. He remains adamant that a pastor's duties do not have to interfere with his passion. He refuses to give in as he defends himself of his actions.
In an interview with BBC News, he said ‘Most people don’t know I can back up everything I do with the scripture’ (Okerinde, 2023).
Pastor J consistently reminds the society of the need to follow one’s passion and not what the society proposes to the person.
He has, however, not acted since 2023 after the death of his father, but has held many stage plays in his church, which shows his relentless love for God and acting.
Unlike his father, known to be decent all round, Jimmy maintains his unique style with long hair, earrings, and tattoos and plans to resume acting in movies.
‘I am a pastor but that does not mean I should conform to the norms of the society. Anyone can do what they want...you should not use your opinion to judge me’, asserted Jimmy (Okerinde, 2023)
Jimmy Odukoya stood his ground despite the societal pressure; as of today, he is still a pastor and an actor.
Odukoya’s dual career shows that it is possible to pursue diverse passions, without compromising one’s core values. He didn't give up on his passion because of the expectations from the people in the society. His example encourages the society to embrace diversity in their career paths and to support individuals in pursuing their passion, regardless of their roots.
Pastor J’s unique personality encourages people to follow their passion and not give up due to the opinion of others.
References
Okerinde, A. (2023, September 20). Vanguardngr.com. Retrieved from Vanguard: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/09/i-have-scriptural-backing-to-my-appearance-jimmy-odukoya/
Wikipedia. (2024, May 15). en.wikipedia.org. Retrieved from Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Odukoya
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