Juliana Olayode cautions fans over ‘Holy Spirit Carry Me’ social media trend

2026-03-04 - 17:28

By Enitan Abdultawab Nollywood actress Juliana Olayode has voiced concern about how the viral “Holy Spirit Carry Me” trend is being interpreted online, warning that a sacred reference should not be reduced to comic content. In a series of posts shared on Instagram, Olayode said she supports prayers and songs that call on the Holy Spirit for guidance, but expressed discomfort with captions she believes trivialise the message. She pointed to examples where users linked the phrase to jokes about body size or physical features, saying such expressions cross the line. According to the actress, the Holy Spirit deserves reverence and should not be turned into a punchline for engagement or “cruise.” She questioned whether participants fully understand the spiritual weight of the words they are using and urged Christians to treat their faith with greater seriousness. “It’s absolutely okay for us to ask the Holy Spirit to carry us; that’s a powerful prayer and a beautiful song. “What I don’t quite understand are some of the captions that are turning it into a cruise. Seeing captions like Holyspirit no carry me because of my big nyash, because I get weight, because he no like small things, makes me cringe. Olayode added that while humour has its place on social media, not every subject should be approached lightly. She compared the situation to how adherents of other religions often handle references to their prophets or deities with visible honour. “I know we like to joke and catch cruise online, and sometimes it’s really just vibes. But I’ve been feeling a bit uncomfortable; we Christians take too many things with levity. People of other religions wouldn’t dare mention the name of their prophet or god without honour. We throw the name of JESUS around with no regard for the Holy Spirit? No, please, it’s a No! No! The trend, popularised on TikTok, typically features users stretching out their arms as though inviting the Holy Spirit, sometimes symbolised as a dove, to lift them. A number of celebrities, including Funke Akindele and Mercy Johnson, have also taken part in the challenge. While acknowledging that many participants mean no harm, Olayode said she felt compelled to speak up, stressing that joy and creativity online should not come at the expense of respect for what believers consider sacred. “Everything can’t always be fun and games, not when it concerns someone so precious, not when it concerns THE HOLYSPIRIT. For me personally, we can make jokes, do fun things, and be joyful without being careless. Just sharing my heart”.