Loveworld, better known as Christ Embassy – has been thrown into
disarray as its vice-president and wife of founder, Pastor Chris
Oyakhilome, has filed for a divorce in a London court.
According to TheCablewhich got the exclusive, Pastor Anita is seeking
divorce on the grounds of "unreasonable behaviour" and "adultery". She
also outlined several allegations against the pastor which cannot be
published for legal reasons.
You recall that sometime in May, 2014, some church members had
launched a Facebook campaign, asking: "Where is Rev. Anita
Oyakhilome?" According to them, Pastor Chris and Rev. Anita were going
through big issues and there were divorce insinuations. That their
page was a call to prayer for all believers who understand God's heart
concerning marriage and a call to action for Pst. Chris. to do what he
preaches. Officials of the church had quickly moved to deny any rift
between the pastor couple.
Unfortunately, it turns out the efforts to reconcile the popular
couple, whose church is one of the biggest denominations in Nigeria
and has branches all over world, have failed.
The divorce case, with Suit No FD14D01650, was filed on April 9, 2014
at Divorce Section A,
Central Family Court, First Avenue House, High Holborn, London, United
Kingdom (UK), on behalf of Pastor Anita by Attwaters Jameson Hill
Solicitors.
Pastor Chris, according to an elder of the church, has denied the
allegations of adultery and believes his wife is being influenced by
"bad friends" who are intent on destroying their home. While Anita
believes she has been relegated in the scheme of things in the church,
her husband has reportedly accused her of trying to usurp power and
authority above her seniors in the ministry.
Sources told TheCable that the pastor had been making efforts to avoid
divorce in the hope that the wife would eventually have a change of
mind. However, the decree nissi was served on the charismatic pastor
in his hotel room during a recent visit to the UK. Decree nissi, in
legal terms, is like a yellow card in a football match which is a
precursor to a red card ("decree absolute") if no new evidence is
provided to stall proceedings.
Church insiders said Oyakhilome had been hoping for rapprochement, but
he was left with no option than to receive the papers when the lawyers
cornered him at his hotel in London. The decree absolute, which will
effectively end the marriage, is expected to be issued soon while
terms of the divorce will be worked out by the lawyers on both sides.
The Cable learnt Anita recently wanted to go public with the details
of her allegations against the husband but reached an informal
agreement to sheathe her sword in the interest of the church.
Oyakhilome is regarded as one of the richest and most influential
pastors in Nigeria, and co-authors the fast-selling Christian daily
devotional, Rhapsody of Realities, with the wife. However, following
the strain in the marriage, the wife had been complaining to friends
that her husband had stopped the payment of royalties due her from the
devotional.
"She complained of being deliberately starved of funds, perhaps to
bring her to her knees in the belief that she would eventually return
to her matrimonial home and mend things," a church member told
TheCable in the UK.A wealthy Zimbabwean businessman, who is into
telecoms, is one of the biggest financiers of the London branch of the
church which Anita pastors along with other branches in Europe. When
the crisis got to a head, the Zimbabwean stopped funding the church ─
some said in solidarity with Oyakhilome, his close friend and
neighbour in Johannesburg, South Africa.
However, Oyakhilome was said to have been shocked when the wife
announced at a fundraiser that she was sowing a "seed" (donation) of
$1 million ─ despite her assumed lack of access to funds.
Matters got to a head on Sunday, July 13, 2014, when some relatives of
Anita locked up the London branch of the church to protest against the
"humiliation" being meted out to their sister ─ who had not overseen
services at the branch since November 2013.
Pastor Chris & Pastor Anita have two teenage daughters together,
Sharon and Charlyn.
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