Nollywood Yoruba actress, Liz Anjorin has explained why she switched her religion from Christianity to Islam.
The filmmaker, who was formerly a Christian, suddenly became a Muslim about five years ago, raising speculations that a man made her change her faith.
The actress has now taken to her Instagram page to reveal her reasons for the decision.
She wrote,
“When my mom died, more than ten churches rejected her corpse for burial.”
She said despite her desperation and sorrow, she couldn’t find a church to help her.
She added, “Through it all, it was the faith I rejected that stood by me, prayed for my mom’s corpse, performed only the necessary rites while the church only gave us burial space after much fuss.”
According to her, after this, she pledged to go to Hajj and became a Muslim ever since.
Here is the epistle she wrote about her conversion:
On the 8th of January 2012. I called my uncle, Baba Lanre…please, come and help me give my mum her food stuffs, drugs and monthly allowance. There will be strike tomorrow. My uncle left. At exactly 12:30 pm that same day, Baba Lanre called. “Solape, Eganmidogo. Mama ti ku oo”. I laughed and end the call. He called back again. “Didn’t you hear what I said? Mama ti ku. Infact she had fish in her hand and her mouth.
Then I realised what has hit me, I picked my car key and rushed down to where she was. That was the day I realised that if any child decide to be a bad child you will face your shame alone..because where you are suppose to spend money ti o ba ri owo yo that shame can ruin you ….hmmm. But meanwhile, two days before that day. My able Speaker of Lagos State Hon. Mudashir Obasa was an Honourable Member before he became the Speaker.
I use to drop any of my goods in his office. I don’t know if he took out of the goods or not…kokanmi. I know Egbon will pay for the goods. Once I spoil my mouth and say Egbon Mi, patronise me don’t let me be jobless. He will just say oya drop it ..atimes I will drop over size palm slippers ..he will say Lizzy this slippers is to big ….I will say Egbon Mi, please give it to your Ward members ??. Hon. called me that faithful Friday. He said, “Lizzy where are you? Come and collect your money.
There will be strike on Monday or do you have any money that will sustain you during the strike”? I shouted … rara sir o, I am behind your office sir. I spent the whole day hustling up and down somewhere in Ogun State to sell my WosiWosi. He called around 11am in the morning .
This Egbon waited in his office till 6:30pm. He paid me my money and also gave 10k extra. I knelt down and prayed for him and left. It was part of that money I sent to Mama as part of her monthly allowance. So, when they called me that Mama is no more. I rush to were I kept the remaining money and some little change I kept under the bed and pillow, packed everything and rushed down to where she was. On getting there, I met Mama sleeping all by herself. Her whole body has changed. I called her several times, Mama did not answer.
I saw some notes under her pillow. My mother has been taking notes of all the things I’ve been sending to her and how I’ve been taking care of her since when I was young up till that very day. She wrote something at the end of one the notes. “Anytime she die, nobody should take her to the Mortuary.” @ iya enny we both saw the note abi and I could remember right from when I was a teenager, my mother used to tell me that she does not want her dead body to be taking to the Mortuary when she dies.
She doesn’t like the Mortuary at all. When I remembered and I realised that strike is starting the next day, Walahi I was cold and scared. I immediately stood up and said…..please, is there any nurse to inject Mama? Their response was that, all the nurses have all gone home due to the strike that is going to hold tomorrow. Is there any Mortuary around this area? Ahhh, ani gbogbo won ti losi ile won. Then I realised that baba nla set up le leyi o…..She meant what she said that she doesn’t like Mortuary.
I stood up and said to everybody. I will bury my mother tonight. Some people were murmuring. Where is the money? How? Of course, my mother was born into a Muslim family but we sleep in church several times during the struggles so we are automatically Christians. While on the sick bed, she still attend Church Service.
So, please call me Mama Pastor. They called almost 10 Pastors, once they look at Mama’s face. She is not our member. I was mad at everything and it almost turned into riot. someone confronted one of the Pastor.
“You are a bad person. You are always fond of collecting all the money her daughter used to send to Mama. I remember the day this Mama fell down on her way to your Church. I dont know how she sneaked into the Church because she had stroke”. I was very mad. Someone took me to 3 Churches that night, they all said she can’t be buried in their cemetery because she is not a member of their church.
Hmmm…nigbayen ni mo mon pe aye leeee. We approached one God sent Pastor. He said, okay, he will help out but (…..) and even the coffin seller tripled his money. He brought the coffin around 2am. Mama was buried around 5am in the morning. But it was an Alfa that did the prayer for my mum. I got a call from someone that told me this shocking story. He said, Madam, all these pastors were called to buy land to use as a cemetery, they all refused. Some of the big churches you see around here don’t have a suitable and good environment to bury their members and the few ones that have cemetery have vowed not to allow anybody except their Church members.
He told me many top secrets and I was shocked…my thought was how can we treat ourselves in such a cruel way….religion faaa..Oluwa ma ku suru oo..Then a guy said if Mama were to be a Muslim, they would have buried her before I arrive. It was that day I realised….that if you have money with no good savings or lands. You are a joker. Where you are buried, is where you will rest for ever. You live in High rise buildings and your grand kids can’t locate your tomb. Its awful….I swear.
The so called Muslims were all over me and they stood by me. The 8days prayer was done by Muslims. Right there, one of the Alfa called me and said to me I heard you are the only child of Mama. Make sure you go to Hajj, talk to God and pray for your mother. Big thanks to Alhaji Dapo and Alhaji Ayegbami that arranged for my 1st trip to Hajj and Alfa Aremon that taught me some Arabic which I use to pray in Hajj and behold to God be the glory am a living witness.
I never regret going to Hajj or being identified with Islam but I love my Christian brothers/sisters. Because, they opened their doors for me many times when the hustle was real even till tomorrow. Thanks to everybody that has helped me to be strong. We will all live long in good health to witness success of our kids Insha Allah. Amin.