Pastor Emmanuel Iren Celebrates Wife Laju Iren on Her Birthday

Pastor Emmanuel Iren, lead pastor and founder of Celebration Church International, CCI, has celebrated his wife, Pastor Laju Iren, as she marks another year on August 26, 2026.

The pastor shared a warm birthday message on social media, highlighting the friendship, partnership, family, and shared purpose that have shaped their marriage over the years.

Rather than offering only a formal birthday tribute, Pastor Emmanuel Iren used the occasion to reflect on the personal bond they share. His message described Laju as his best friend, partner in purpose, and the mother of their children.

In his heartfelt message, he wrote:

“Happy birthday to my wife, my best friend, my partner in purpose, and the incredible mother of our children.

There are many things I could say about you, but perhaps the greatest gift of our marriage is that after all these years, I still genuinely like you.

You are one of the few people in the world with whom I can move effortlessly from serious conversations about work, purpose and the future, to laughing about something completely ridiculous five minutes later.

I enjoy talking with you.

I enjoy laughing with you.

I enjoy building with you.

I enjoy dreaming with you.

I enjoy doing life with you.

I love you

You have been beside me in moments people applauded and in moments nobody saw.

You have carried dreams with me before they had names. You have shared burdens you did not create.

Then I watch you with our children, and I fall in love with you in another language entirely.

They will grow up and eventually understand that one of the greatest advantages God gave them was the woman He chose to be their mother.

Happy birthday, my love @lajuiren

More grace, growth and glory this new year.”

The message captured the quieter side of their relationship, moving beyond public ministry and into friendship, family, laughter, sacrifice, and shared dreams. Pastor Emmanuel also praised his wife for standing with him through both visible victories and difficult moments that many people never witnessed.

He further reflected on the impact Laju has had on their children. For him, her role as a mother represents one of the greatest gifts God has given their family.

Laju Iren responded warmly to her husband’s tribute, describing the message as an emotional and beautiful expression of his love.

“My love o. This made me cry happy tears. Thank you for sharing your heart so eloquently and your love so abundantly. Grateful to God for the gift of you and our children that make my life so full and even more beautiful 😍”

The exchange quickly drew attention from followers who celebrated the couple and joined in the birthday wishes. Their messages also highlighted the balance they continue to maintain between marriage, family, ministry, and their individual creative pursuits.

Born Laju Arenyeka on August 26, 1991, in Benin City, Edo State, Pastor Laju Iren is a Nigerian gospel preacher, pastor, bestselling author, and filmmaker. She is also popularly known as “The Lord’s Storyteller.”

Laju has built a strong presence through preaching, writing, filmmaking, and faith based storytelling. Through her company, Laju Iren Films, she has produced several faith based films while continuing to develop books and other creative projects.

Her educational journey began at Federal Government Girls College, Benin. She later attended Covenant University, Ota, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mass Communication between 2007 and 2011.

She went on to obtain a Master’s degree in Mass Communication from the University of Lagos. Before fully committing to writing, speaking, and ministry, Laju also gained professional experience in journalism.

She began her journalism career at Vanguard Newspaper during her NYSC posting and remained with the organisation for several years. Eventually, she left conventional journalism to pursue a wider calling that combined writing, ministry, speaking, and creative storytelling.

Laju and Emmanuel Iren married in November 2014. Since then, they have continued to build their family while serving together in ministry.

Pastor Emmanuel Iren founded Celebration Church International, a ministry headquartered in Lagos with campuses across Nigeria. The church also has branches in the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States, with a global membership reported at more than 300,000.

Laju remains actively involved in the ministry and plays a pastoral role at CCI’s Lagos Island campus. Together, the couple continue to combine family life with their shared commitment to ministry and the wider Christian community.

As Laju celebrates another year, her husband’s tribute offers a glimpse into the relationship behind their public ministry. His words centre on gratitude, friendship, partnership, and love, while his final prayer remains simple and personal: “More grace, growth and glory this new year.”