CHRIS AND ANITA OYAKHILOME: JUST LIKE YESTERDAY

The recent dirty divorce saga between the founders of Believers Love World, a.k.a. Christ Embassy, Rev. Chris Oyakhilome, and his wife, Rev. Anita Odegwa Oyakhilome, a graduate of English Language from Ambrose Alli University,formerly Edo State University, Ekpoma whom he married 23 year ago in Lagos is very disturbing to Christendom.

Chris and Anita met when both were in college; Anita was among those who started the ministry which used to be a campus fellowship, known as Believer’s Love World Fellowship, BLW (now Believers’ LoveWorld Inc.) at Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma in Edo State.

 Anita is a prolific writer, she is a contributor to their ministry’s daily devotional, Rhapsody of Realities, and she is the author of these following books: Don’t Pack Your Bags Yet, Confession For living, a Handbook For Successful Living, Unending Springs of Joy etc

It is very interesting to know that Anita is a member of the Central Executive Council, Director of Christ Embassy International Office: and used to head the church in the United Kingdom and also oversees other churches there and beyond.

It would be recalled that before the marriage crisis, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome relocated to Johannesburg in South Africa in January while his wife stayed back in the UK where she had lived for years with their lovely children Sharon and Charlyn. – an action that did not go down well with his church members; thereby created a Facebook page on May 10, 2014, asking for some explanations,because the bible says, ‘What God had joined together, let no man put asunder’

However, the worry of their church members were confirmed when Pastor Chris Oyakhilome delivered a controversial speech on the 16th of May in a meeting with all UK Pastors and Deacons at Christ Embassy, Bermondsey, where he said that “I am here for your concerns about the ongoing domestic issue with my wife and I know it affects you directly, being the ones under her leadership.’’

Meanwhile what Chris called ‘domestic issue’ is now a court issue! Furthermore, am not here to judge anyone of them, but if a may refer to Pastor Chris comment:
 “Some pastors’ wives think when they marry a pastor; they are equal to the pastor. My wife thinks so. As a matter of fact, Rev. Tom was her pastor before I married her and Rev. Ray and Evang. Owase were her leaders long before I married her. How come she thinks she’s senior to them now?

“I already started Christ Embassy before I married her. I didn’t marry her and said we should start Christ Embassy. I was already ‘pastoring.’ I already set my sail and knew my direction before I married her. I only said ‘come and help

me.’ It shows clearly that there is a leadership tussle in the ministry.

What the elders of their church were trying to prevent then eventual happed; Anita filed a divorce suit at a UK court to end their 23 year old marriage. She said through her lawyers that she is done with Pastor Chris and there’s no hope of reconciliation. Pastor Chris who finally spoke on the divorce suit, on the evening of Sunday, September 7, during the monthly global communion service of the church, said it is not biblical to divorce, but if his wife insists on it, he could consider it as an option.

The question that is begging for an answer in my mind is, how could Anita, a pastor of long standing, and an author of Trio-inspirational love books: Don’t Pack Your Bags Yet, Confession For living, a Handbook For Successful Living, Unending Springs of Joy said ‘she is done with Pastor Chris and there’s no hope of reconciliation?

This her submission brings me back to Eminent Bishop Olubunmi Cardinal when he said:“When the going was good, they took vows on the altar of God to stay together in sickness and in health, until death do them part. They promise to make one another faithful partner in the presence of God, their family and friends and vow to be each other’s faithful partner in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad, and in joy as well as in sorrow. They promise to love one another unconditionally, to support each other, honour and respect and cherish themselves for as long as they both shall live.

 “It shows that they cannot live by what they preach. The Bible says: ‘What God has joined together, let no man put asunder.’ So why are they putting asunder what the good Lord has joined together if they are men of God as they claim?”