Nigerian football star Victor Osimhen has opened up about the pivotal role Christ Embassy Church and its founder, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, played in shaping his early life and supporting his family during tough times.

 

In a heartfelt statement, the Super Eagles striker reflected on a difficult period after completing secondary school, when he had to pause his football dreams to support his struggling family. Despite being the youngest child, Osimhen said he felt the responsibility to contribute.

 

“I stopped playing football for two years after finishing secondary school because my family needed money,” Osimhen revealed. “I started working at Christ Embassy Church, directly under Pastor Chris.”

 

Osimhen recounted working alongside about 15 peers from his neighborhood, distributing Rhapsody of Realities — a devotional publication by the church. According to him, the job not only provided a decent income but also offered him a sense of community and belonging.

 

“We were paid good money. I met new people, made friends, and the work brought in good money at the time.”

 

The Napoli forward also praised Pastor Chris Oyakhilome for his kindness and generosity during that time.

 

“Pastor Chris is a kind-hearted man. He prayed for us, fed us, and provided housing. I lived in the church for about five months, only returning home on weekends to see my family.”

 

Osimhen’s testimony comes at a time when many Nigerians and Africans question the contributions of churches to societal development. He challenged that perception, stating that churches like Christ Embassy do a lot of good that often goes unrecognized.

 

“I support Christ Embassy today financially because I know what they do for our community. They help a lot of people, but we hardly see it on the news,” he said.

 

“We have so many schools and hospitals built by churches. We have community water projects built by churches and so much more. We have churches out here that are doing good work. We should learn to appreciate the good ones too.”

 

Osimhen’s candid comments have sparked positive reactions online, with many commending him for using his platform to highlight the often-overlooked impact of faith-based organizations in local communities.