The founder of the Mountain of Liberation and Miracle Ministry in Lagos, Chris Okafor, has publicly praised his wife, Pearl, amid the ongoing controversy involving his ex-wife, Bessem, and actress Doris Ogala.
PREMIUM TIMES reported that the cleric had been in the news following allegations made by Ms Ogala, which included claims of unfulfilled promise of marriage, emotional distress and other accusations.
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The controversy took a new twist on Sunday after Mr Okafor issued an apology to Ms Ogala and other women he said he had offended, while also accusing his ex-wife of adultery.
Amid the controversies swirling around him, in a viral video that surfaced on Tuesday, Mr Okafor, speaking during one of his church services, expressed gratitude to his wife for consistently checking on him and offering unwavering support during what he described as a difficult period.
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He admitted that the situation had not been easy for him since the controversies began.
He said, “Let me say this, it hasn’t been easy to eat. I’ve not been able to barb, cut my hair or shave. I would also like you to help me thank my family members, especially the first lady.
“She’ll check up on me at night twenty times, and she’d say, Are you okay? Please don’t be worried, I’m here for you. First Lady, come, I want to thank you.”
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Ex-wife speaks
Before Mr Okafor’s video went viral, Ms Bessem had, in a separate video on Monday, addressed the adultery allegations levelled against her by the cleric and spoken openly about the circumstances that led to the collapse of their 14-year union.
This newspaper learnt that Ms Bessem married Mr Okafor until their marriage ended in 2012 on the allegations of physical assault at their residence in Magodo, Lagos.
She had four children with the cleric—three daughters and one son.
One of his daughters, Chidera, had earlier alleged during an interview with activist Martins “VeryDarkMan (VDM)” Otse that her father sexually molested her.
However, during a Sunday church service, Chidera publicly retracted the allegation after her father invited her to the altar.
In a video that later went viral, the cleric asked her whether he had ever harmed her or committed any inappropriate act against her.
Chidera responded in the negative, to stating that such an incident had never occurred.
In a video that went viral on Monday, she criticised Mr Okafor over his public apology. She maintained that the cleric’s apology and accompanying statements lacked integrity, insisting that he indeed married her when she was 18 years old.
Marriage
Ms Bessem further alleged that she discovered Mr Okafor had previously been married to another woman only after their wedding.
She said she confronted him over the revelation, but he denied ever having been married, despite what she described as clear evidence in her possession.
According to Ms Bessem, the explanations Mr Okafor offered as part of his apology were fabricated and lacked any element of truth.
Additionally, she alleged that the cleric was dishonest, dismissing his apology as meaningless.
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She also called on Mr Okafor to be courageous and tell Nigerians, the community, and the world at large the truth.
She further denied claims that she was coerced into marrying Mr Okafor because she became pregnant outside of wedlock.
She also alleged that a woman identified as Ms Chioma confronted her in church after the marriage, demanding that she leave Mr Okafor for her.
As of press time, Mr Okafor has not responded to the allegations made against him by Ms Bessem.
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