Beauty | 25 November 2014 08:38 CET

How I Endured Pressure After Converting To Christianity—Entertainer, Jumia Shaba Narrates

Source: Maryjane Ezeh/Nollywoodgists.com

TV personality, motivational speaker and model, Jumai Shaba is simple, lovable and graciously pretty. Recently she abandoned Islam and embraced a new faith.

She explains why she suddenly became a Christian after being born into a Muslim family and her idea of an ideal marriage.

“It is something I have been thinking of for a long time. I came from a family of Muslims; my father and siblings are Muslims while my mother is a Christian. To come from a predominantly Muslim background and then become a Christian has to be your calling especially if you are into entertainment.

“It was my calling. I had to not just be a Christian, but to also live as a Christian. I am very compelled to spread the gospel and that is what I do on my Sunday Vlog series.

“As a Muslim, I was happy but I always yearned for a deeper connection with my creator. One day, I accompanied a friend of mine to a Catholic church and I loved the manner in which they communicated with God.

“I knew at that moment that I would never turn back. I turned down the chance to run a huge reality show with my sisters in order for me to attend Discipleship School. I got baptised shortly after and gave my life completely to Christ," she narrated.

On how Jumia handled reactions from her family, fans and friends, she disclosed that she was never moved and withstood the heat and conquered them all with perseverance.

Hear her: "As a Muslim, I was very pro-Islam and now as a Christian I am very passionate about my faith. I think my siblings were very shocked at my conversion. They see my lifestyle and have also come to realise that it is not just a phase that I am passing through. The bulk of the criticism I faced was from my Muslim fans and followers especially, on Instagram. They challenged the reason for my conversion."

The petite damsel also describes her idea of an ideal marriage.

"I can't be a born-again Christian and not believe in marriage because it helps. I like the whole idea of a man and a woman coming together to help each other. My idea of an ideal marriage is one where respect and love thrive," she said.

Lastly, she tackled the issue of fake lives trending in the entertainment industry as a whole.

"Even if you are the most real person, people will still speak ill of you. However, if you are consistent with being yourself, after a while, you can't fake anything again. I am true to myself, I don't put on any airs and I am proud of all that I have achieved for myself by sheer hard work and resilience," she assured.© 2014Nollywoodgists.com

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