Vera Anyim, the Dunamis Church congregant who went viral on 14 April when Pastor Paul Enenche questioned her academic achievement as she shared her testimony, will be in our faces for a long time as she isn’t giving up on her resolve to remain a ‘celebrity’ in the real sense of the word.
An overnight celebrity, Ms Anyim’s life has drastically transformed since she captured the headlines, but not without unexpected turns and challenges, marking her journey to prominence.
In an exclusive interview with PREMIUM TIMES, Ms Anyim, who is related to Pius Anyim, a former President of the Senate of Nigeria, discussed her initial reaction to the situation and how she deals with fame.
Excerpts:
PT: Can you describe your initial reaction when you realised you had become a viral sensation overnight?
Vera: I didn’t expect it or know what was happening. That day was my birthday. I didn’t know what was happening because I went home after that church service to celebrate my birthday. After my birthday when I came back from my birthday, friends started to call me, and that was when I knew what was happening.
It was precisely on Monday that I learned that my name was going viral. The very first day that the thing happened, I was not happy, but as a child of God, I didn’t need to hurt myself; I had to hold myself.
PT: Is it true that you should have graduated from the university four years prior?
Vera: Between 2019 and 2024, there was a time while I was in university when I felt very sick. It took me about four years, so I could not graduate with my friends.
I became seriously sick in my right leg. I was in my 500 level and wanted to write my project. I was supposed to graduate in 2019.
In 2018, I was supposed to finalise my project and take outstanding courses. In 2019, I became ill. I had severe leg pain and arthritis that had been with me for months. After that period, it came back in 2021, and it was hooking me; it always came at the end of the year. I was supposed to graduate in November, and some of my seniors were trying, too.
PT: Was the ‘B.Sc. in law’ an error on your part?
Vera: What they (the university) told me is that they have a B.Sc. in law. As I said earlier, the arthritis delayed my graduation, but my supervisor was happy to see me graduate. My project topic was actually “Peacekeeping in the Nigerian Police Force.”
PT: How did it feel to be suddenly recognised by people? Did you expect this reaction when you shared your testimony?
Vera: I wasn’t expecting such a response. I felt bad initially; I regretted sharing the testimony; I felt ashamed; I am a timid person; I felt so bad; and as a person, I was not happy, but I tried to control myself. There were other testimonies I was supposed to share, but I was shut down and had to return to my seat. People online saw what happened the next day fully. I wasn’t thrilled, but I always encouraged myself with the word of God, and I held on to God at that time.
My close friend there said she would never climb the altar if she were in my shoes. Some will say they will go and kill themselves; some will say they will never go to church again, but mine was not like that.
I didn’t cancel my birthday; I was so excited that I removed my mind from it.
PT: Have you always wanted to be a celebrity?
Vera: I have not always wanted to be a celebrity. I am only the kind who likes to associate with people, take pictures, make them laugh with gifts, and be happy. But I was thrilled and excited when this fame came. Some congratulated me in my office, church, and community, and I am easily recognised everywhere I go. People beg me, some send me messages seeking assistance, and some say they don’t have money for school fees. It is not as if they want to give me a gift; they want me to give them something.
PT: How has your approach to social media changed since you became famous?
Vera: Yes, there have been changes. I mainly interact with Facebook, but I am concerned about people who clone my personality online; about 37 of them are faking my name and picture, and it’s wrong for my engagement. I only have two accounts. But for now, I am not using so much social media to avoid doing something stupid.
PT: What were some of the most memorable social media interactions with your fans?
Vera: Some prayed for me to go higher in my journey. I see those heartfelt prayers, I see encouragement, and I go through them, and it gladdens my heart.
PT: How do you handle both positive and negative feedback?
Vera: For negative feedback and hate speech, the truth is that there is no human being on earth who does not have haters, and there is no human being who doesn’t have lovers. But I always understand that those who like me are more than those who hate me. I see those comments—some insult and say all manner of things.
Some have even called to threaten. I delete or block them. I don’t need to respond; it’s best not to meditate on these negative comments. I don’t have time for bad energy.
PT: How has this journey from obscurity to fame changed you?
Vera: The changes I have experienced are because I have been made famous. When I go around, people easily recognise me. The situation has made me go viral and meet certain people I never expected to meet.
Like the man who invited me to Port Harcourt, it was my first meeting with the phone CEO, and it was good to meet them.
PT: How do you feel about how you are perceived by the public now, before fame? Are there any misconceptions you’d like to address?
Vera: I am not who they think I am. I am not bad, and I don’t have bad intentions toward Nigerians.
PT: Your testimony led to some controversy at Dunamis Church. How did you cope with the public scrutiny and criticism that followed? What lessons did you learn from that experience?
Vera: I have learned a lot of lessons. When things are happening around you, people you think would be helping you will be the ones to speak against you. Whenever things are happening, I always focus on God. The devil wanted to bring embarrassment to my name, but it was turned around, for God’s sake. I didn’t think of negativity.
PT: How have your fans and the public responded to your plea for assistance with accommodation? How did you handle the backlash and misunderstandings?
Vera: People said various things, but some said they would stand by me. Not everyone will stand by you when you cry out. Negative commenters have nothing to offer, but I only pay attention to the positive feedback.
PT: You’ve expressed your plans to meet Davido and Sabinus. What is the motivation behind this desire?
Vera: I never said I wanted to meet with Davido; bloggers mentioned that. I have never even considered meeting Davido or Sabinus; it was not on my page, and I am not the one. Bloggers are the ones who pushed those statements, but when it is time, I will speak against those acts.
PT: What are your long-term goals now that you have a platform and a growing audience? How do you plan to leverage your fame for future opportunities?
Vera: If I had my way, I would do so. I would like to monetise my page.
PT: You’ve expressed concerns about your safety and need for better accommodation.
Vera: Regarding the safety call and concerns, I have not yet received support from Nigerians, and I have not received any threats.
PT: Are there any upcoming projects or collaborations you are excited about that you can share with us?
Vera: My project is to help homeless children and women. I have intended to do this since day one. I have struggled and suffered to make it in life, and if I see somebody else in that state, I would want to lend a helping hand.
For those who cannot pay their school fees, the less privileged, I would like to help those categories one day and give hope to the hopeless.
That has been my priority. I want to impact homeless children and women. Nobody helped me get to where I am today, from the primary level to this level. Even when I had a family to support, nobody did. That’s why I would use my strength in this project. Then, my mom would struggle to buy books and pay school fees; no one helped us. Many of my family members right now are surviving through me.
Right now, I am the Joseph of my family.
PT: Why do you describe yourself as the Joseph of your family?
Vera: We usually plant Okro on my side, but my father is late. I would go and farm so hard. When we uproot cassava and rice, we sell them, and from the profit, we buy books. I have sold groundnuts, fried them, tied them to nylon, and then sold them to get N1 and N2 to pay my way through school. I used to hawk Moi Moi and groundnuts and walk far to hawk for people to buy.
PT: Where do you see yourself in the next five years? What are your aspirations, both personally and professionally?
Vera: I believe my story will change within the next five years. I would then proceed to do other things, but I would also like to fulfil my ministry assignment.
PT: Can you share an aspect of your life or personality that you feel is often misunderstood or overlooked by the public?
Vera: Many people don’t know I am a pastor, and people don’t know I am into ministry. I have been pastoring for five years; many of my pastoring friends know this. I have been doing ministry outside Dunamis church, although I have been there for two years. There are people God has led me to pray for in my ministerial journey, and they’ve gotten results. That is my mandate.
PT: We have read reports which say you have a son. How true is that? Are you married?
Vera: Concerning the speculation of my marital status, to be sincere, I don’t have a son, and I am single, so I know people are lining up. If I had a child, I would be proud of that child.
PT: What advice would you give to those aspiring to become celebrities?
Vera: Have a heart of forgiveness, no matter what has happened. While you go on your fame journey, prioritise love for others, too. Always have patience. No matter what goes on in life, always have patience. Hold on to God, and you will never make a mistake about your desired status. But when you make mistakes, be ready to correct them.
READ ALSO: Vera Anyim, Dunamis church and NOUN: A comedy of errors, By Ibrahim Abubakar
PT: What are the most important things to consider on this journey?
Vera: Don’t follow the ways of worldly people. I don’t want to look into clubbing life or how people womanise. Clubbing is not so significant compared to helping the underprivileged. Focus on the things of God.
PT: What message do you have for your supporters who have stood by you through your journey? How do you plan to give back to the community that has supported you?
Vera: I want to thank my supporters for standing by me. I also pray that God will protect them in times of trouble. I want to promise them I will not fail and make them proud and happy. My community’s giveback is to help the less privileged.
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