Why I stopped going to church after my divorce — AY Comedian 

Stand-up comedian, actor and filmmaker Ayo Makun, popularly known as AY Comedian, has explained why he stopped attending church, saying the decision was influenced by the public scrutiny that followed his divorce.

Speaking in a video shared on his social media page on Sunday, AY said he did not stop going to church because he had lost his faith in God. Instead, he chose to stay away to avoid becoming the subject of discussions among church members.

He added that although he no longer attends physical services regularly, he still worships online from time to time.

“For some time now, I stopped attending church not because I stopped believing in God or lost my faith. I was actually navigating a very personal season; the negative narrative put out on the blogs against me.

“So, I chose to step back quietly. Part of that decision was because I didn’t want to become the subject of whispered conversations,” AY explained.

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The comedian also recalled attending another church after leaving his previous place of worship. 

However, he said he became discouraged after he was removed from a church programme he had been scheduled to participate in because the church said it was “worried about public perception.”

According to AY, the experience made him reflect on the role of the church and whether it remains a place where people can seek support during difficult times.

“Shouldn’t the church be the safest place to find truth, grace, and restoration? If people cannot run to God’s house when life becomes heavy on them, where are they meant to run to? The clueless people who just post negative comments on social media or go ahead and judge you without even knowing the root of whatever happened? Or the few friends who would skilfully avoid you because of public perception?” he asked.