The New Tonto Dikeh Is Sweet, But Something Feels Fishy

I love the new version of Nollywood actress Tonto Dikeh. She appears to be doing everything right. Rumour has it that she removed her Brazilian Butt Lift. She seems tired of being overly appealing. She has also advanced in her “born-again” journey. She speaks in tongues and posts it online.

I have concerns about Christians praying like the Pharisees and Sadducees, but nobody is perfect. Being a pastor might be her new calling. During Pastor Jerry Eze’s crossover event last year, the mother of one volunteered to clean chairs. Her cameraman took some pictures, and she uploaded them on social media. Her followers praised her humility and dedication to God.

Recently, Tonto Dikeh hijacked the headlines when she revealed she had reconciled with her husband after a decade of a rancorous relationship. Her ex, Churchill Olakunle, followed up with a revelation that he spoke to his son on the phone, and the child called him “Daddy.” What a moment! I cried four times when I read that. It was heartwarming.

Tonto Dikeh kept the buzz alive by racing to the church altar to share a testimony of mending fences with her husband. The church applauded her and praised God. The story seems sweet and perfect. We are happy that someone is putting her life in order.

But as someone with a postgraduate background in psychology and a passion for studying human behaviour, I am concerned about the driver of this change. Could this be real? Is it a façade or a con job? The Tonto Dikeh of today is a far cry from the old one. The old Tonto was notoriously controversial. She was a chain smoker and would literally put anything in her mouth to get high, according to reports. As an actor, she dressed seductively and exposed everything. Her movie roles were questionable and scandalous — yes, it’s just acting.

When she got tattoos, she chose the most conspicuous ones, placing one on her back and another on her arm. Her love life was chaotic and more unstable than Tinubu’s hands during the presidential campaign. From Malivelihood (Michael Awolaja) to Iyanya and Joseph Egbri (Prince Kpokpogri), Tonto went round like Holy Communion in church. The list is obviously longer than this. Public perception didn’t count.

As social media became more influential in Nigeria, Tonto Dikeh consistently grabbed headlines for the wrong reasons. When she was married, she turned her home into a reality show. When the marriage crashed, the drama became more intense than Big Brother Naija. Most women keep a low profile after divorce and go through a recovery period, but Tonto did the opposite. She added “King” to her name and competed for influence with men. She became friends with the popular crossdresser Bobrisky, and her reputation went downhill. They fought dirty online — winning some battles and losing many wars.

I will pause her historical antecedents here before this piece becomes a novel. These controversies made Tonto Dikeh visible. Her social media following grew, but I doubt it translated into her bank account. Her relationship status also remained the same. There was a need for strategic change. Her ex happily moved on with colleague Rosy Meurer, who is arguably more beautiful than her, and their marriage produced two children. Churchill Olakunle apparently retired as her sparring partner.

As an ambassador of Pastor Jerry Eze’s NSPPD movement, Tonto Dikeh needed to drop some baggage. I suspect she has been told she has a “spiritual assignment.” It’s not hard to hear this when you are close to religious clerics. So, there is a need to right all wrongs to fit into that “woman of God” circle. I sincerely pray I am wrong. Maybe she is simply following the “maturity principle” in psychology, which states that behaviour improves with age — people become more emotionally stable, agreeable, and conscientious. It is also possible that major life events such as parenthood or trauma have sparked a re-evaluation of her identity. Time will tell. Our fingers are crossed as we wait for the endgame.

I will end this piece with a saying:

“People change when the pain of staying the same outweighs the pain of changing.”

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Osahon Osayimwen writes from England.

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