Apostle Harrison Ayintete of The Goodness Nation has stirred fresh debate after urging Christians to draw inspiration from singer Tiwa Savage and content creator Isbae U in the face of public sex scandals. During a recent church service sermon, the cleric pointed to both celebrities as examples of people who refused to let shame destroy their self-worth or halt their progress.
Speaking specifically about Tiwa Savage’s 2021 leaked intimate video, Ayintete made it clear he was not defending the incident itself.
“I’m not trying to justify what happened with Tiwa Savage, okay? But I can assure you, the fact that she kept on living her life after whatever happened with that sexual video or whatever is something that is worthy to be applauded,” he said.
He noted that many people in similar situations withdraw completely and allow embarrassment to overwhelm them.
“Because some people, when that happens to them, they just run into their shells. They allow the shame to overcome them. But you must be that kind of person who knows that these things can happen to anybody.”
The pastor expanded on the broader lesson of resilience.
“I’m not saying that anybody can sin that way. I’m not saying that anybody can commit fornication that way. I’m just saying that anybody can be in a situation that will put them to shame. Anybody can be in a situation that will put their reputation in disrepute. Don’t be that kind of person who is so overly sensitive about your dignity, about your reputation, that if anything ever affects it, you are going to just invalidate yourself. You just feel like that’s the end of the world. Don’t be that kind of person,” he stressed.
Ayintete also highlighted Isbae U’s boldness after past controversies. The content creator, who faced a widely reported 2022 scandal involving sex-for-roles allegations and leaked material, recently invited billionaire Aliko Dangote onto his show Curiosity Made Me Ask. Dangote accepted the invitation during a public interaction in Lagos. The pastor praised that move as an example of refusing to let previous embarrassment block new opportunities.
“The least you can get is no. But you got to try. That’s something to learn. That’s audacity. Praise God,” Ayintete declared.
The sermon clip has drawn mixed reactions online. Some listeners appreciated the message of perseverance, while others questioned why a pastor would use these particular public scandals as teaching examples. Tiwa Savage has continued her successful music career in the years since the 2021 incident and has spoken about the trauma involved. Isbae U has also rebuilt his platform and spoken about fearing his career was over at the height of the earlier controversy.