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Oyakhilome speaks on life @ 52 – ‘People talk about me because I’m a great man’

With estranged wife, Anita
With estranged wife, Anita

EMBATTLED billionaire shepherd of Believers Loveworld, better known as Christ Embassy, Rev. Chris Oyakhilome says he’s being constantly talked about because of his popularity and greatness.

Oyakhilome, who on Sunday, December 7, 2014, at Embassy’s global communion service beamed live from Loveworld International headquarters on Kudirat Abiola Way, Oregun, Lagos, said he’s as important as the many people who care about him.

“A man’s greatness is measured by the number of those who care about what happens to him or in his life…If ten people talk about it, then your life has only influenced ten people. But when the city or people from around the world start talking about it, then your life must have influenced them from that far.”

Drawing from the ministry’s 2014 theme, Greatness, Pastor Chris also argued that the level of challenge that comes to a man defines his greatness.

Incidentally, Oyakhilome clocked 52 that particular Sunday (December 7, 2014) but he chose to celebrate quietly.  The cleric’s choice of low-key birthday is not unconnected with the divorce mess he’s been battling in the last few months.

Oyakhilome’s wife, Anita dragged him to court early this year, asking for divorce (after leveling serious allegations against him).

The divorce case filed in the United Kingdom is yet to be heard.  But being a serious embarrassment to the popular preacher, it had forced him to withdraw from the public.

He also rarely meets his Lagos congregation face-to-face these days.  The monthly Prayer Fasting and Communion service which holds every first Sunday of the month across the globe might have also stopped the flamboyant preacher from ‘raising the roof’ in celebration of life at 52!

His daughter, Casirra and Sharon
His daughter, Casirra and Sharon

Oyakhilome who showed up at the Pastor Chris Live segment of the special service held on Sunday evening wore a grey suit, stripped blue tie on white shirt.  He was promptly joined on stage by six members of Believers Loveworld’s Central Executive Council (CEC), the highest decision-making organ of Christ Embassy.  This is the second time the august body would be in Lagos in a month, having been around for the church’s International Pastors and Partners Conference (IPPC) held in the second week of November every year.

It would be recalled that the estranged wife of the President of Believers Loveworld, Pastor Anita Oyakhilome was conspicuously absent at the IPPC 2014 which held from November 17 to 23, 2014 in Lagos.

Anita traditionally opens the exhibition session of the conference attended by members of the church worldwide.  She also teaches at the Pastors conference.  But to probably fill the gap her absence created, their singer daughter, Sharon was fully on ground with her crew, from the Teens’ Ministry.  They thrilled the mammoth crowd with electrifying songs and dance at the Loveworld Convocation Arena (ICA) Oregun, Lagos, the venue of IPPC, 2014.

Born on December 7, 1962, Rev. Chris Oyakhilome is not in a celebratory mood at all this year.  We even gathered he discouraged his teeming congregation and associates from putting up birthday messages in the media.

The only form of birthday celebration, we learnt, was slated for this year is a ‘small party’ with some of his senior pastors at Christ Embassy headquarters on the evening of Monday, December 8, 2014.

Oyakhilome’s 50th birthday was attended by the high and mighty including billionaire businessman Strive Masiriya, wife of South African president, Mrs. Zuma, among other global figures.

–  UCHE OLEHI

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