Nigerian gospel singer and songwriter Chidinma Ekile, known for her rise to fame after winning Project Fame West Africa in 2010, has shared a personal account of a 40-day spiritual retreat that she says changed her understanding of life, faith, and purpose.
Speaking before a congregation, Chidinma described leaving the U.S. and going straight “to the bush” upon her return to Nigeria, following what she believed was divine instruction to seek clarity through seclusion.
“I went to the mountain. I’m not Jesus, but I fasted and prayed for over forty days,” she said. “I cried, I sang, I prayed, and God came to me and spoke to me. It was so real. I never knew He loved me this much.”
Chidinma explained that the retreat, spent in near-complete isolation in a remote area, was not just about prayer and fasting, it was an encounter with her inner self, and with God.
While she didn’t elaborate on the exact location, she described nights under the open sky, speaking to God in song, and reaching a point where the experience felt like a kind of inward reconstruction.
“It was more like I was in a theatre and God performed surgery on me,” she said. “He took some things out and put others in. He broke me into shreds.”
One night, she recalled feeling pressure to act on thoughts that she believed were intended to interrupt her process of spiritual renewal.
“The devil took me to the top of the mountain, to the cliff at night, where everything was dark,” she said. “And right there at the cliff, the devil asked me to jump. The voice was so strong.”
What stopped her, she explained, was something unseen she described as a divine barricade that made it impossible for her to step forward. It was then, she said, that her spiritual mentor arrived to bring her back from the edge.
““It was like I was in a theatre and God performed surgery on me. He shredded me, took some things out and put some in,” she said. “I’ve seen it all, and material things don’t move me anymore. God is looking for those who are not perfect or strong.”
“God is not looking for perfect people,” she added. “He’s looking for those who are willing to be shaped.”
The artist, who made headlines in 2021 when she declared she would no longer pursue secular music, said she believes this spiritual trial was an attempt to derail her calling.
The enemy has seen what the Lord is about to do, and he said he needs to abort the mission now,” she said.
The actor has also stated that she’s not under pressure to get married.
Since her transition to gospel music, Chidinma has released several faith-based songs, including Jehovah Overdo and This Love.
