Biography of Pastor Laju Iren

Pastor Laju Iren was born as Laju Arenyeka on 26th August, 1991, in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria. She is a Nigerian Gospel Preacher, Pastor, Bestselling Author, and filmmaker who is popularly known as “The Lord’s Storyteller.” She is married to Apostle Emmanuel Iren, founder and Lead Pastor of Celebration Church International, and has published multiple books and produced several faith-based films through her company, Laju Iren Films.

Early Life and Education

Pastor Laju Iren was born Laju Arenyeka on August 26, 1991, in Benin City, Edo State, to Dr. Eyituoyo Arenyeka and Mrs. Gloria Arenyeka. She hails from Delta State and is Itsekiri by tribe.

Growing up, she attended the Federal Government Girls College, Benin, before proceeding to Covenant University, Ota, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mass Communication between 2007 and 2011. She went on to complete a Master’s degree in Mass Communication at the University of Lagos.

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Career in Journalism

Pastor Laju began her career as a journalist at Vanguard Newspaper, joining during her NYSC posting and continuing on staff for several years before making the decision to leave conventional journalism to pursue full-time writing, speaking, and ministry.

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Ministry and Marriage

Pastor Laju Iren is happily married to her heartthrob, Apostle Emmanuel Iren, founder and Lead Pastor of Celebration Church International (CCI), a ministry headquartered in Lagos with campuses across Nigeria and branches in the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States, and a global membership of over 100,000. The couple married in November 2014 and serve in ministry together, with Laju playing an active pastoral role at CCI’s Lagos Island campus.

As a pastor, she is known for pointing people toward a Christ-centered sense of purpose, and for her focus on mentoring women and young people through both her preaching and her creative work.

Books & Publications by Pastor Laju Iren

Writing under the name “The Lord’s Storyteller,” Pastor Laju Iren is a bestselling Christian author and a book-writing coach. Her published works include:

• Girl-Cyclopaedia - her debut book, a compendium of questions young women ask and the answers they need
• Dating Intelligently -  a guide to courtship and singlehood
• Selfies With Bible Girls - retelling the stories of over twenty female Bible characters through a contemporary lens
• Finding Miriam
• Mirror, Mirror
• Little Laika
• Loving Amanda - a Christian novel later adapted into her feature film of the same name

Filmmaking 🎬

Through her production company, Laju Iren Films, she has written, directed, and produced multiple faith-based films aimed at a younger Nigerian audience, including:

• Love Is a Star (her 2020 debut)
• During Ever After (2020)
• Loving Amanda (2022)
• Mistakenly Yours (2024)
• Danfo & The Rose (2024)
• Last To Marry (2025)
• Silver Ever After (2025), and
• Onobiren (2026).

She is also the founder of the Christian Story Teller Prize, described as Africa’s premiere prize for Christ-centered storytelling.

Philanthropy

Pastor Laju runs Have You Eaten, a charity initiative focused on feeding and empowering the less privileged in Nigeria, including support for victims of terrorist attacks in the country’s north.

Family

Pastor Laju and Apostle Emmanuel Iren have built their family alongside their ministry and creative work; public accounts of the exact number and names of their children vary across sources, with more recent profiles describing four children in total, including an adopted daughter.

## Frequently Asked Questions

Born on 26th August to the family of Dr. Eyituoyo Arenyeka and Mrs. Gloria Arenyeka, Pastor Laju Iren best describes herself as The Lord’s Story teller. She is a preacher of the gospel, writer, movie producer, director and Book writing Coach.

Growing up, Pastor Laju attended the Federal Government Girls College, Benin in 2007. She thereafter proceeded to the prestigious Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria where she bagged a Bachelor of Science (BSc), Degree in Mass Communication between 2007 - 2011. 

Book Writing Coach

The Lord’s Storyteller || Writer, Filmmaker, and Bestselling Author.

At some point, Pastor Laju Iren quit her job as a journalist with a top Nigerian newspaper to become a full time author and speaker. She has since then spoken to thousands of men and women around the country, published five books, earned her reputation as a best-selling author, and trained hundreds of writers with the experience gathered from her first degree in Mass Communication from Covenant University, and a Masters’ in same from the University of Lagos.

She has ministered to thousands of men and women and continues to partner with her husband, the Lead Pastor of Celebration Church Int’l, in the work of the ministry. As a pastor, she is passionate about pointing people to the Christ-centred purpose of their lives, preaching with clarity, accuracy and signs following.

 

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Fondly called The Lord’s Storyteller, Pastor Laju Iren is the author of Dating Intelligently, a common sense guide to courtship, and is extremely passionate about helping singles maximize their singlehood and make wise relationship decisions. She also authored the critically acclaimed Selfies With Bible Girls, which retells the stories of over twenty-two female bible characters and the contemporary lessons we can learn from them. Her debut book, Girl-Cyclopaedia is a compendium of questions young ladies ask and answers they actually need. Her recent Christian Novels, Loving Amanda and Finding Miriam, have been hailed as masterpieces that communicate the love of God and his plan for relationships in a way that keeps readers glued. Her recently published book, Mirror, Mirror pushes women to see themselves through the eyes of the All-seeing one.

Laju is also a film maker. She wrote, directed and produced her debut film, Love is a Star, which garnered over 14,000 views in one week on her YouTube channel, Laju Iren. She also recently wrote, directed and produced During Ever After, which has already beat it’s predecessor’s record, gathering over 14,000 views within the first three days of launch.

As a film maker, I delight in creatively telling inspiring stories. I have done this with ‘During Ever After’, ‘Love is a Star’, ‘Nigerian Son’, and now, ‘Loving Amanda’. 

 

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Staff Reporter

Vanguard Media Ltd · Full-timeVanguard Media Ltd · Full-time Jan 2012 - May 2017 · 5 yrs 5 mos

With a 2nd Class Upper Grade

BSC research project on Audience Perception of the influence of digital music piracy on the Nigerian much industry.

 

University of Lagos

    Master's degree, Mass Communication 2014 - 2016

Grade: Second Class Upper Division

    

University of Lagos

    Master of Science (MSc), Mass Communication 2012 - 2015

            This degree has helped me to better understand the world of media, Public Relations, and Advertising

 

https://lajuiren.com/about-me/

Pastor Laju Iren runs a charity organisation called Have You Eaten; which seeks to save, feed and empower the less privileged in society, including but not limited to victims of terrorist attacks in northern Nigeria.

I also love to counsel and mentor girls and ladies.

Pastor Laju is happily married to her heartthrob, Apostle Emmanuel Iren, the lead pastor of Celebration Church International.

Pastor Laju has released the following movies:

• Last to Marry (2025)
• Loving Amanda lovingamandamovie.com
• Silver Ever After
• Onobiren (6th March, 2026)
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Pastor Laju Iren is active on social media. You can connect with her via her official handles on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X and LinkedIn You can also follow her official YouTube channel here.

Were you inspired by Pastor Laju’s biography? You can also read our article about 6 Powerful Qualities of the Proverbs 31 Woman here.