In a recent episode of the Teju Babyface Deep Dive podcast, Ifedayo Olarinde, widely known as Daddy Freeze, candidly revealed the reasons behind his decision to stop attending church. He explained that his church attendance came to an abrupt halt after his divorce in 2014 when the pastor of his congregation asked him to move to the back row due to his divorced status.
Before the divorce, Daddy Freeze was an active church worker and had a significant role in organizing the church’s programs. However, immediately following his divorce, he was expelled from the church. Faced with this situation, he made the choice to stop attending church altogether rather than sitting in the back seat.
Daddy Freeze disclosed that during this time, he began to dedicate his Sundays to studying and researching the scriptures. His quest for a deeper understanding of the Bible led him to question many of the teachings and practices of Nigerian churches, which he found to be flawed.
He recalled, “My marriage had always been troubled, and in 2014, it came to an end. I used to organize events for the church and was paid for it. At least, the pastor wasn’t keeping all the money for himself; he shared it with the church workers. I was booked for an event I used to handle for the church, but I received a call to cancel it due to my divorce or pending divorce drama. I questioned whether my divorce removed God from my life.”
Daddy Freeze further elaborated on the conversation he had with his pastor, stating, “The pastor came to my house and said, ‘I’m not telling you not to come to the church, but when you do, please sit at the back.’ I was taken aback by this and decided that rather than attending church and hiding in the back, I would stay at home on Sundays. This choice allowed me to start filling the gaps in my understanding.”
In summary, Daddy Freeze’s experience with his church’s reaction to his divorce led him on a path of self-discovery and a critical examination of church teachings, ultimately prompting him to discontinue his regular church attendance.