Chris Okafor, the founder of Grace Nation Ministry, has announced he will step away from ministerial duties for the entire month of January.
The cleric, in a now viral video from the church’s New Year’s eve service, cited a need for rest and spiritual retreat.
Okafor explained to his congregation that the break is intended for personal renewal and to focus on his marriage.
“I would be resting and it would be time for personal retreat with God and time for me and my wife to rest,” he said.
“Since our wedding we have not rested, we have not had time, we have not even done our honeymoon. So we are stepping aside to pray, have retreat and to rest this January, to return back stronger and better from the presence of the Lord.”
It’s time for me and my wife to rest, since our wedding we haven’t rested, we haven’t had our honeymoon. So we are stepping aside to return better and stronger” – Pastor chris okafor announces he will be handing over to his assistant pastor for a month pic.twitter.com/5fsSGKImHV
The announcement comes on the back of the bitter public dispute between the cleric and actress Doris Ogala.
The conflict erupted weeks ago after a video of the pastor’s engagement to Pearl Okafor surfaced online.
Ogala alleged she had been in a romantic relationship with Okafor since 2017. She claimed she ended her previous marriage at his urging and accused him of betraying her after years of intimacy and repeated promises of marriage.
Ogala later issued an ultimatum, demanding that Okafor either marry her or compensate her financially, escalating to a demand of N1 billion in damages over breach of promise.
Despite the threat and outburst, Okafor got married to Pearl in white and traditional wedding ceremonies.
Okafor initially described Ogala’s backlash as “the devil’s anger” over his public marital happiness.
However, days later, he publicly knelt and apologised to Ogala, acknowledging the truth of her claims regarding their past relationship.
Bessem, the ex-wife of Okafor, recently recounted marrying him at 18, a traditional wedding that produced four children.
She said she left the marriage 14 years ago due to what she described as his “immorality,” citing alleged affairs.
