Christian pilgrimage boss throws ‘ambassador’ Tonto Dikeh under the bus

Nollywood actress Tonto Dikeh’s claim to have been named an ambassador for the Nigeria Christian Pilgrimage Commission (NCPC) has ended in a controversial disaster.

The online space went agog Friday after Dikeh shared a picture of herself with the commission’s secretary, Reverend Yakubu Pam, and other officials.

Dikeh, who was wearing a transparent top that revealed her black bra, said she was now an ambassador for the Christian body.

But following a religious outcry over why a “nude” and “uncouth” woman would be named the face of a commission on pilgrimage to the “holy land” of Israel, NCPC spokesperson Celestina Toruka issued a statement on behalf of Pam and the commission practically throwing the Nollywood star under the bus.

“I wish to state in categorical terms that Tonto Dikeh paid an official courtesy visit to me as the Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Christian Pilgrim Commission on 25th February, 2021 at the corporate headquarters of the commission in Abuja,” the NCPC said.

“As the founder of Tonto Dikeh Foundation, she expressed her willingness and interest in partnering with the commission in the area of peace building.

“She equally cashed in on the visit to commend me,the NCPC boss, for my positive and relentless peace initiatives across the country.

“However, I am suddenly inundated with claims from Tonto Dikeh herself that she has been officially appointed as ambassador of peace by this great commission. This claim has gone viral in the media.

“The commission frowns at this claim which is a clear misrepresentation of what transpired.

“The fact remains that the I, the Executive Secretary of NCPC, never appointed Tonto Dikeh as an ambassador of peace for the NCPC and this was not part of her visit.

“Therefore, this claim by her is spurious, unfounded and should be discarded and seen by all Nigerians as a figment of her imagination.

“Nevertheless, we appreciate her desire to partner with us in our peace building initiatives and in the area of pilgrimage sponsorship to the Holy Land,” the NCPC said.

Tonto Dikeh has accused the NCPC of twisting the facts. She said she wouldn’t have gone on social media to declare herself an NCPC ambassador if such agreement wasn’t reached at the Friday meeting.

The Nollywood actress said she would leave the matter for God to judge.