Bessem Okafor, former wife of Pastor Chris Okafor, has dismissed the cleric’s recent public apology, describing it as insincere and an attempt at damage control rather than genuine remorse.
In a statement that has since circulated widely online, Bessem said, “Apology is not even genuine. You just want to do damage control. You cannot be having children everywhere and then you think you want to do damage control. It’s not going to work.” She accused Pastor Okafor of misrepresenting the history of their marriage and family.
Identifying herself as Agnes Bessem Okafor, she said she married the pastor at the age of 18 in what she described as a proper traditional and formal wedding. “And the people that conducted the marriage, they are still much alive. The marriage produced four beautiful children, three daughters, and a boy,” she said. She added that the individuals who officiated the union were reportedly “embarrassed with the things that he comes out to say in his mouth concerning his own children. It’s a shame to the body of Christ.”
Bessem claimed she discovered a wedding certificate under Pastor Okafor’s bed that showed he had previously been married. She said he denied this when confronted. “After the wedding, on a fateful day, I discovered a wedding certificate under his bed that he was once married. I cried. I said, God, is this what I’m beginning to get into? You know, I asked him, he denied. The marriage certificate is still available,” she said.
She also accused the pastor of denying his children publicly while simultaneously dragging them through court proceedings. “I respected my children to grow because you kicked my children. You took them away from me. Why were you dragging them with me at the court if they were not your children? If they were not your children, as you told Nigerians, you’re lying,” she said.
Bessem further alleged inappropriate relationships involving Pastor Okafor, claiming that he had sexual relations with their house help and other family members. “Mr. Okafor, the manipulator, the pedophile, the rapist, even his own family members, he sleeps with them. The house help that I brought, Salome, before I left my children, you were sleeping with her,” she said.
Rejecting the apology directly, Bessem said, “For me, that your apology is nothing. Stand firm and tell the Nigerian and the community, or let’s say the world at large, tell them the truth.” She maintained that her years of silence should not be mistaken for weakness: “I’ve been quiet for 14 years, does not make weakness. Silence was never weakness.”
Bessem also questioned claims reportedly made by Pastor Okafor regarding the breakdown of their marriage, including allegations that she was involved with another man. “If there is a woman that cheated, she cannot cheat by herself. Provide the man to Nigerians. Let the Nigerian people see the man. You’ve been running with different narratives about me for years. I’ve been quiet, does not mean that I am weak,” she said.
She addressed a past kidnapping incident involving the pastor, claiming she played an active role in efforts to secure his release. “Was I at the airport to receive you when he came back from the kidnapping then? Yes, I was at the airport,” she said, accusing him of denying her involvement and urging authorities to review the case.
Bessem said she left the marriage due to years of alleged abuse and moral misconduct. “I left you because you abused me for years. You assaulted me for years,” she said, adding that she had medical reports to support her claims.
At the time of filing this report, Pastor Chris Okafor had not responded to Bessem’s latest statements. The matter continues to attract attention online, with Nigerians calling for clarity and accountability as the dispute unfolds in public view.
