Imoleayo Oyedeyi,, Olufemi Adediran and Daniel Ayantoye
The Senior Pastor of Mountain of Liberation and Miracles Ministries, Chris Okafor, has stepped down from active pastoral duties following mounting public outrage over multiple sexual allegations against him.
The development comes weeks after the cleric publicly apologised to Nollywood actress Doris Ogala during a church service, where he knelt on the pulpit, admitted to past “mistakes,” and asked for forgiveness.
Okafor’s decision also follows his controversial wedding to a new bride, identified simply as Pearl, on December 16, 2025. The ceremony, attended by prominent clerics, took place despite Ogala’s viral accusations of betrayal, emotional manipulation, and claims that the pastor reneged on a promise of marriage after a long-term relationship.
While the allegations have continued to trend on social media, some members of Okafor’s church dismissed them in separate interviews with Saturday PUNCH, describing the claims as attempts by individuals seeking to extort money from their “man of God.”
Pressure from church leaders
Sources within the Christian community disclosed that respected clerics mounted pressure on Okafor to step aside temporarily to ease growing tension and protect the image of the church.
A senior executive of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the pastor’s decision followed sustained pressure from leaders within the body of Christ.
“There are more things to be done in terms of disciplinary actions,” the official said, noting that the festive period slowed formal deliberations within the PFN.
“Meetings could not be held to decide on actions against him, but from the pressure by leaders of the body of Christ, he has stepped down for a month. I believe that before the month ends, some decisions would have been made,” the source added.
The PFN official stressed that the fellowship does not have the statutory powers to investigate criminal allegations such as rape, describing such matters as the responsibility of law enforcement agencies.
“We are not the police. This is a criminal matter, and the government should step in. What PFN can do is apply spiritual discipline and moral pressure,” the source explained, adding that the body was engaging the issue discreetly.
‘I stepped down on God’s instruction’
However, Okafor offered a different explanation during his sermon at the church’s New Year crossover service on Wednesday night, insisting that his decision was divinely inspired and not the result of external pressure.
“I will be resting. It is time for personal retreat with God, and time for me and my wife to rest,” he told the congregation.
“Since our wedding, we have not rested. We have not even gone for honeymoon. So, we are stepping aside to pray, to have a retreat, and to return better and stronger from the presence of the Lord.”
The pastor said the break, which he noted would not mean total withdrawal from church activities, would last until February.
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2026-01-03
