Veteran Nollywood actor, Yemi Solade, has caused a stir after publicly blasting pastors who once advised him to stop working on Sundays.
The 64-year-old actor made his views clear during his appearance on The Honest Bunch podcast, where he opened up about the struggles of balancing his faith with his career.
Solade shared that several church leaders had asked him to avoid taking on movie roles that required him to work on Sundays.
This request, he said, was unrealistic, particularly in Nollywood, where weekend work is common. In a bold statement, he revealed, “I’ve been told in the church that I should tell producers not to call me for work on Sundays. And I cursed those pastors.”
The actor pointed out that his career and livelihood depend on the work he does, including weekend productions. He expressed frustration, saying,
“It is from that thing that you said I shouldn’t do on Sunday that I put my hand in my pocket and I dropped here,” emphasizing how his earnings come from his work, including on Sundays.
Solade also challenged the idea that attending church defines success in life. He said, “The notion that if you don’t attend church once life must die, probably I’ve not seen anything change. Rather, I have peace, I do well.”
He went on to criticize the constant demands placed on church members, especially those involved in various church committees.
Solade explained that these obligations often distract him from his career, leaving him with little time to work.
The actor then took aim at the insistence that Sunday must be a day of rest, stating that there is no biblical commandment against working on Sundays.
“There’s no way in the Bible that Sunday in the Greco-Roman calendar… you’re telling me not to leave my house and go to where my chop is. You are here to chop on Sunday.
Who are you telling me that I should tell? You want to ruin my career?” he remarked.
Solade also shared an incident with a technician he had paid for a job, only to find out later that the man couldn’t show up because he was attending church.
He angrily pointed out, “You took my money to that church. You gave part of it; that blessing is mine now. It’s my money you went to drop there. You went to attend another man’s business.”
With a career spanning decades, Yemi Solade has become one of Nollywood’s most respected figures, starring in several iconic films such as Voiceless Scream, Widow, The Other Woman, and Elevator Baby. Solade, who is married to actress Hannah Marsh, continues to make his mark on the Nigerian film industry.
