Men of God and Sex Scandals

By Emmanuel Asiwe

Several Christian Ministers of the gospel or Men of God as they are now popularly called have been involved in sex scandals, some of which have gone viral on the internet and social media. This, naturally, has raised fundamental questions, not the least of which is the issue of integrity and credibility amongst the men of God, who are supposed to be role models to their congregations and society. Expectedly, there is growing public concern as to what is happening, especially as the phenomenon of men of God getting enmeshed in immoral acts with women seems to be increasing in frequency. The standing view is that these things happen on a daily basis, just that many are covered up before the public gets wind of them. The question then becomes: why are men of God finding it hard restraining their libido? How can they avoid temptation and concentrate solely on the job God has called them to do? Men of God are human; they are susceptible to trials and temptations and sometimes succumb, just like every other person. However, it takes discipline and principles to resist temptation, especially from women who are determined to seduce you. 

Honestly speaking, nobody is above scandals, not even pastors. Many Nigerian pastors have at different times been involved in a sex scandal or were accused of engaging in illicit affairs. The most recent involving the founder and General Overseer of Omega Fire Ministries, Apostle Johnson Suleiman and a Canadian-based singer Stephanie Otobo is a sad reminder of what is fast becoming a national pastime. Social media went into frenzy after Ms. Otobo claimed Apostle Suleiman impregnated and later dumped her. She alleged they had an intimate relationship and recounted several instances where they spent time in hotels where they had sexual intercourse and indulged in other carnal eccentricities. Apostle Suleiman has denied the allegations, claiming he’s never met Ms. Otobo even though evidence suggests the pregnancy issue was discussed during a 2016 encounter. 

Before Apostle Suleiman, Pastor Chukwuma Nkwocha, General Overseer of Tongue of Fire Restoration Ministry, was arrested in 2016 for allegedly camping and defiling about 30 under-aged girls. Acting on a tip-off from a whistleblower, police raided Pastor Nkwocha’s church on Jacob Taiwo Street Oshodi; Lagos where he was hosting his hellfire party. In 2013, a blogger identified as Ese Walter boldly came out to accuse Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo of the Common Wealth Of Zion Assembly, (COZA) of having an intimate affair with her, dating years back while she was in England. Ese, who was also a member of the church, said she spilled the beans as a matter of conscience. As if that was not bad enough, another lady also accused Pastor Fatoyinbo of having an intimate relationship. Surprisingly, Pastor Fatoyinbo did not contradict the claims which went viral on social media. Rather, he derisively shrugged them off and ignored the entire buzz it generated, but his silence was deafening. 

In 2016, Pastor Sunday Adelaja, founder and senior pastor of the Embassy of God, an evangelical-charismatic megachurch in Ukraine was enmeshed in scandal following allegations of extramarital affairs with at least 20 women in his church. Adelaja denied the allegations claiming it was an attempt by detractors to kick him out and take over the church he founded. In 2014, reports surfaced that Ofuche Ukoha aka Dr. Sign Fireman, General Overseer of Perfect Christianity Mission, Aguda, Surulere, Lagos, was involved in an alleged sexual assault and killing of a 12-year-old girl. The incident put him on the spotlight and tarnished his image and that of his ministry. 

It was a bombshell when reports emerged in 2014 that the founder of Believers Love World Ministry aka Christ Embassy, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome and his wife, Anita Oyakhilome, were getting divorced. Anita who filed for divorce cited irreconcilable differences bordering on adultery and unreasonable behavior. However, Pastor Chris denied any wrongdoing and blamed his wife’s decision on “bad influence from bad friends” hell bent on criminalizing his private life and scandalizing his name and destroying his marriage. Not long after the divorce saga, Chris’ brother, Pastor Ken was alleged to have impregnated a married woman who was a member of the Church in Randburg, headquarters of Christ Embassy, South Africa. His affair with the lady was an "open secret" among parishioners and when news of the woman's pregnancy started making the rounds, Christ Embassy officials reportedly aborted the pregnancy, and Pastor Ken was unceremoniously transferred to Houston, Texas, USA to prevent a major scandal. 

All these sex scandals are lamentable, because they are self-inflicted disasters. But is it really possible for men of God to overcome every kind of temptation, which they face almost daily owing to their exposure to all kinds of people? There are many out there who call themselves men of God but they commit more sin than people who don’t even go to church. There are so many lecherous sexual predator pastors as there are immoral women and Jezebels whose sole purpose is to seduce and bring down men of God. 

One sure way to guard against these temptations is to live a life of rectitude and submit to the Holy Spirit, in order to free the soul from the desires of the flesh. This entails spending quality time with God; praying and studying the Bible, because an idle mind is the devil’s workshop. Men of God must also be professional and set boundaries with their followers and respect them. Every man of God is human, but they should do their best to avoid being alone with women. Some women will go the distance to seduce these men of God, therefore as a matter of principle; men of God should avoid meeting and counseling women alone. You can’t avoid everything, but the ones you can, try to avoid them. 

Besides, men of God should live by example by having a harmonious matrimonial relationship. Many pastors have built their ministries at the expense of their families and tend to ignore their matrimonial obligations. Some men of God have very mechanical relationship with their wives, which expose them to sexual temptations. It is most difficult if the women are determined. If it is a plan, prayer can expose it. Fornication or adultery is a spirit, which can be overcome, when you’re filled with the Holy Spirit. If you are filled with the Spirit, no matter how many ladies are knocking at the door of your office, nothing will happen. But no amount of prayer can make up for physical and emotional vacuity. 

Dealing with the Holy Spirit in prayer is a continuous process and when a man of God feels he or she has arrived and develops a big ego; or is carried away by the material trappings of his ministry; that signals the beginning of the fall from grace. Falling from grace is a gradual process, and a good example is Sampson in the Bible, a man of God consumed by his own desires that took over his flesh and separated him from God, until he repented. Some of these temptation, God will allow for a purpose. The ones that God doesn’t allow can be passed over by His grace. Jesus Christ said: “Let this cup pass over me…” The Bible says with God, all things are possible. There will always be sex scandals but men of God can avoid this embarrassing situation that damages their ministries and tarnishes the image of the church, by recommitting themselves to the vocation of their calling. When a Man of God creates a lacuna in his life, the devil will sneak in. Men of God must therefore strive, in their private thoughts and public actions to lead credible lives both before God and man. 

Several Christian Ministers of the gospel or Men of God as they are now popularly called have been involved in sex scandals, some of which have gone viral on the internet and social media. This, naturally, has raised fundamental questions, not the least of which is the issue of integrity and credibility amongst the men of God, who are supposed to be role models to their congregations and society. Expectedly, there is growing public concern as to what is happening, especially as the phenomenon of men of God getting enmeshed in immoral acts with women seems to be increasing in frequency. The standing view is that these things happen on a daily basis, just that many are covered up before the public gets wind of them. The question then becomes: why are men of God finding it hard restraining their libido? How can they avoid temptation and concentrate solely on the job God has called them to do? Men of God are human; they are susceptible to trials and temptations and sometimes succumb, just like every other person. However, it takes discipline and principles to resist temptation, especially from women who are determined to seduce you. 

Honestly speaking, nobody is above scandals, not even pastors. Many Nigerian pastors have at different times been involved in a sex scandal or were accused of engaging in illicit affairs. The most recent involving the founder and General Overseer of Omega Fire Ministries, Apostle Johnson Suleiman and a Canadian-based singer Stephanie Otobo is a sad reminder of what is fast becoming a national pastime. Social media went into frenzy after Ms. Otobo claimed Apostle Suleiman impregnated and later dumped her. She alleged they had an intimate relationship and recounted several instances where they spent time in hotels where they had sexual intercourse and indulged in other carnal eccentricities. Apostle Suleiman has denied the allegations, claiming he’s never met Ms. Otobo even though evidence suggests the pregnancy issue was discussed during a 2016 encounter. 

Before Apostle Suleiman, Pastor Chukwuma Nkwocha, General Overseer of Tongue of Fire Restoration Ministry, was arrested in 2016 for allegedly camping and defiling about 30 under-aged girls. Acting on a tip-off from a whistleblower, police raided Pastor Nkwocha’s church on Jacob Taiwo Street Oshodi; Lagos where he was hosting his hellfire party. In 2013, a blogger identified as Ese Walter boldly came out to accuse Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo of the Common Wealth Of Zion Assembly, (COZA) of having an intimate affair with her, dating years back while she was in England. Ese, who was also a member of the church, said she spilled the beans as a matter of conscience. As if that was not bad enough, another lady also accused Pastor Fatoyinbo of having an intimate relationship. Surprisingly, Pastor Fatoyinbo did not contradict the claims which went viral on social media. Rather, he derisively shrugged them off and ignored the entire buzz it generated, but his silence was deafening. 

 In 2016, Pastor Sunday Adelaja, founder and senior pastor of the Embassy of God, an evangelical-charismatic megachurch in Ukraine was enmeshed in scandal following allegations of extramarital affairs with at least 20 women in his church. Adelaja denied the allegations claiming it was an attempt by detractors to kick him out and take over the church he founded. In 2014, reports surfaced that Ofuche Ukoha aka Dr. Sign Fireman, General Overseer of Perfect Christianity Mission, Aguda, Surulere, Lagos, was involved in an alleged sexual assault and killing of a 12-year-old girl. The incident put him on the spotlight and tarnished his image and that of his ministry. 

It was a bombshell when reports emerged in 2014 that the founder of Believers Love World Ministry aka Christ Embassy, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome and his wife, Anita Oyakhilome, were getting divorced. Anita who filed for divorce cited irreconcilable differences bordering on adultery and unreasonable behavior. However, Pastor Chris denied any wrongdoing and blamed his wife’s decision on “bad influence from bad friends” hell bent on criminalizing his private life and scandalizing his name and destroying his marriage. Not long after the divorce saga, Chris’ brother, Pastor Ken was alleged to have impregnated a married woman who was a member of the Church in Randburg, headquarters of Christ Embassy, South Africa. His affair with the lady was an "open secret" among parishioners and when news of the woman's pregnancy started making the rounds, Christ Embassy officials reportedly aborted the pregnancy, and Pastor Ken was unceremoniously transferred to Houston, Texas, USA to prevent a major scandal. 

All these sex scandals are lamentable, because they are self-inflicted disasters. But is it really possible for men of God to overcome every kind of temptation, which they face almost daily owing to their exposure to all kinds of people? There are many out there who call themselves men of God but they commit more sin than people who don’t even go to church. There are so many lecherous sexual predator pastors as there are immoral women and Jezebels whose sole purpose is to seduce and bring down men of God. 

One sure way to guard against these temptations is to live a life of rectitude and submit to the Holy Spirit, in order to free the soul from the desires of the flesh. This entails spending quality time with God; praying and studying the Bible, because an idle mind is the devil’s workshop. Men of God must also be professional and set boundaries with their followers and respect them. Every man of God is human, but they should do their best to avoid being alone with women. Some women will go the distance to seduce these men of God, therefore as a matter of principle; men of God should avoid meeting and counseling women alone. You can’t avoid everything, but the ones you can, try to avoid them. 

Besides, men of God should live by example by having a harmonious matrimonial relationship. Many pastors have built their ministries at the expense of their families and tend to ignore their matrimonial obligations. Some men of God have very mechanical relationship with their wives, which expose them to sexual temptations. It is most difficult if the women are determined. If it is a plan, prayer can expose it. Fornication or adultery is a spirit, which can be overcome, when you’re filled with the Holy Spirit. If you are filled with the Spirit, no matter how many ladies are knocking at the door of your office, nothing will happen. But no amount of prayer can make up for physical and emotional vacuity. 

Dealing with the Holy Spirit in prayer is a continuous process and when a man of God feels he or she has arrived and develops a big ego; or is carried away by the material trappings of his ministry; that signals the beginning of the fall from grace. Falling from grace is a gradual process, and a good example is Sampson in the Bible, a man of God consumed by his own desires that took over his flesh and separated him from God, until he repented. Some of these temptation, God will allow for a purpose. The ones that God doesn’t allow can be passed over by His grace. Jesus Christ said: “Let this cup pass over me…” The Bible says with God, all things are possible. There will always be sex scandals but men of God can avoid this embarrassing situation that damages their ministries and tarnishes the image of the church, by recommitting themselves to the vocation of their calling. When a Man of God creates a lacuna in his life, the devil will sneak in. Men of God must therefore strive, in their private thoughts and public actions to lead credible lives both before God and man.