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By Oscar Okhifo
Nollywood actress Tonto Dikeh has shared a personal testimony about overcoming years of addiction to smoking and alcohol, as well as what she described as struggles with masturbation, saying divine intervention brought an end to a battle that began in her early teens.
She made the disclosure during a Sunday service at Streams of Joy International Church, Abuja, while speaking at the New Season Prophetic Prayers and Declarations (NSPPD) programme led by the church’s founder, Pastor Jerry Eze.
In a video of the service shared on YouTube by DCLImagery, the actress recounted that she began smoking at the age of 13 and struggled for several years with alcohol and what she described as spiritual oppression linked to masturbation.
“I smoked since I was 13. God healed me from masturbation too. I have known myself to have sexual intercourse in the dream ever since I was a child,” she told the congregation.
Dikeh said coming forward to share her testimony was not easy, as she initially considered withdrawing due to concerns about her public image.
“The devil tried to tell me that I was supposed to protect my image. But I told myself, what image? The God that gave me the image is the same God that can take it away,” she said.
She explained that a turning point came after attending the Ghana Prayer Conference, where she noticed what she described as a spiritual breakthrough.
“I realised that the weak man who held me captive all my years in my dream ran away,” she said, adding that the experience marked a new phase in her spiritual life.
The actress also spoke about battling what she called “demonic anger,” which she said negatively affected her relationships and personal life.
“An anger that destroyed my life. Everybody had to feel it. But praying with NSPPD, God took all of those away and gave me peace,” she said.
According to Dikeh, she had never experienced true peace until recently.
“I am 40 years old, and I can tell you I have never known peace until now. I am living in it,” she added.
She revealed that her smoking habit lasted about 27 years and began after early exposure at home, urging parents to be mindful of the habits they model around their children.
“I started smoking because my dad was a smoker. Something as little as that habit can inhabit the lives of your children,” she said.
Dikeh further stated that after praying for divine help, she no longer experiences cravings for cigarettes or alcohol.
“My body does not ask for it. My body is repelling it. Today, it is broken,” she said.
Pastor Jerry Eze later prayed for the actress, declaring that her testimony marked the end of what he described as bondage, and affirmed that she would emerge as a strong voice of transformation and hope in her generation.