After
months of intense cover up, the matrimonial crisis of charismatic Pastor Chris
Oyakhilome, founder of Believers' Love World Inc, (aka Christ Embassy Church)
blew into the open yesterday with revelations that his estranged wife, Anita
had served him formal papers for a divorce in a London court.
According
to reports monitored yesterday on TheCable.ng, an online newspaper, the
dissolution of the marriage between Chris and Anita, has entered the final
phase with the wife seeking divorce on the grounds of "unreasonable
behaviour" and "adultery".
The
report said she outlined several other unpublishable allegations against the
pastor.
Reports
that 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, on Anita's behalf by Attwaters Jameson Hill Solicitors,
a full-service law firm with expertise in commercial law and a strong consumer
focus in family, wills and estate, personal injury law and medical negligence.
"Sources
said efforts to reconcile the popular couple, whose church is one of the
biggest denominations in Nigeria and has branches all over the world, have
failed. The pastor, according to an elder of the church, has denied allegations
of adultery and believes his wife is being influenced by "bad
friends" who are intent on destroying their home," reports TheCable.
The
online newspaper reports that while Anita believes she has been relegated in
the scheme of things in the church, her husband reportedly accused her of
trying to usurp power and authority above her seniors in the ministry.
TheCable
reported further: "Sources told us that the pastor had been making efforts
to avoid divorce in the hope that the wife would eventually have a change of
mind. However, we can also report that 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."
Oyakhilome
is the President of Believers' Love World Inc., the registered name of the
ministry, while his wife is the vice-president. They have two teenage
daughters, Sharon and Charlyn.