The founder of Mountain of Liberty and Miracle Ministry, Chris Okafor, has reversed his earlier public apology to actress Doris Ogala, who accused him of maintaining a secret relationship with her for seven years.
Speaking during a recent church service, the cleric explained that his decision to apologise at the time was influenced by intense pressure from individuals he once regarded as friends. According to him, he had reservations about the move because it could be seen as an admission of wrongdoing.
Okafor stressed that his apology was not directed at Ogala but was instead made to protect respected senior clergymen from being drawn into the controversy.
“You lose a fight to win a war. I was under immense pressure from certain people around me saying I should do different things. I said that what I am being asked to do is like accepting what I did not do. I realised I was greatly misunderstood,” he said.
“Firstly, the reason why I apologised was that the fathers of faith were being dragged. And I did not want them to be dragged. Pastor Matthew and Bishop Abioye.
“There is no single apology to that person. There is no apology for what I did not do or for someone I have not met face to face. I was pressured by people I called friends, but who are not.
“I knelt down because of those fathers. Not because of any Jezebel anywhere.”
The pastor added that he now intends to allow legal channels to address the dispute.
“We have chosen the right cause. And the right course will prevail,” he stated.
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The rift between Ogala and Okafor began last year after a video of the pastor’s engagement to Pearl Okafor circulated online. Ogala subsequently alleged that she had been romantically involved with him since 2017. She claimed she ended her previous marriage at his urging and accused him of betraying her after years of intimacy and repeated assurances of marriage.
The actress later issued a demand that Okafor either marry her or compensate her financially, eventually escalating her claim to N1 billion in damages for alleged breach of promise. She also accused him of having a hand in the poisoning and death of her brother.
Despite the public outcry, Okafor proceeded to marry Pearl in both traditional and white wedding ceremonies. He initially described Ogala’s reaction as “the devil’s anger” over his marital celebration before later kneeling publicly to apologise and acknowledging aspects of her claims.
Prompt News reports with his latest remarks, however, the cleric has distanced himself from that apology, insisting it was misunderstood and made for reasons unrelated to the actress.
