I'm Being Targeted by My Foes, Claims Pastor Chris Okafor

Pastor Chris Okafor, the Founder of Grace Nation Global, also known as Liberation City, is currently facing numerous challenges, including accusations from some ladies that he abandoned them and married another lady, as well as the revelation that two out of his four children from his divorced first wife are not his biological children.

n

Additionally, allegations of sleeping with one of his daughters have also surfaced, but Pastor Okafor has stated that he will prove his innocence in court in all cases, and that all the allegations started coming up when he had finally decided to marry a new wife after staying without a woman for many years.

n

Pastor Okafor spoke with a select team of editors in his church at Ojodu, Lagos, where he shared his story, starting from his childhood and his calling to become a pastor.

n

He introduced himself as Dr. Chris Okafor, the senior pastor and Founder of Grace Nation Global, also known as Liberation City, which was started 22 years ago through the grace of God.

n

Pastor Okafor was born and raised in Benin city, the then Bendel state, where he had his kindergarten, primary, and secondary schools, before proceeding to Ambrose Alli University in Ekpoma, Edo state, where he obtained his first degree.

n

After graduating, he came to Lagos, driven by the calling and gift of God, and started his ministry, which has since grown to become a global phenomenon.

n

Pastor Okafor's family was Christian, and there were prophecies that came to his parents before he was born, indicating that he would be a prophet and would be mightily used by God.

n

A prophecy had come to his mother in one of the prayer gatherings, stating that she would have a son who would be a prophet, and that the manifestation would begin from the age of seven.

n

Pastor Okafor's parents believed in the prophecy and named him Ihechukwu, meaning the light of God, and Christian, meaning Christ-like, in addition to his surname, Okafor.

n

As a child, Pastor Okafor was taught to fast and pray, and he had his first encounter with Jesus at the age of six, when the late Archbishop Benson Idahosa came to have a crusade in a primary school close to his house.

n

At the age of seven, there was a strong manifestation of the gift, with prophecies and revelations being confirmed and coming to pass, and Pastor Okafor's parents knew from day one what he was going to do.

n

Pastor Okafor finished school and came to Lagos, where he started his ministry, and met a man called Reverend Chucks Elezie, who was an Anglican priest and a banker, and who took him into his house.

n

In Reverend Elezie's house, God continued to manifest and show Himself, and people started coming to the compound, saying that there was a young man there who was being used by God.

n

The landlord eventually gave them a quit notice, but God used some people to rent a place for them, and they moved to start Wednesday and Sunday services, which marked the beginning of the ministry.

n

Pastor Okafor recalled that when they started the ministry, he was 22 years old and got married at that age, and that the ministry grew, with people coming from all over to worship and receive counseling.

n

However, not everyone was happy with the ministry's growth, and there were times when the police would come to arrest them, claiming that they were disturbing the peace.

n

One such incident involved a Muslim policeman who was sent to arrest Pastor Okafor, but who instead gave his life to Jesus after Pastor Okafor revealed a word from God about his wife's health.

n

The policeman's wife was planning to have a fibroid operation, but Pastor Okafor prophesied that God would give her a baby boy if she came to the church and gave her life to Jesus.

n

The woman came to the church, and a demon was driven out of her, and she became pregnant, and the policeman and his wife became members of the church.

n

Pastor Okafor also recalled an incident where he was kidnapped by gunmen, who opened fire on his car and took him and his assistant, Tony, captive for 58 days.

n

During their captivity, they were blindfolded, chained, and forced to sleep on the floor, and they were only released after friends and members of the church raised N20 million, which was paid to the kidnappers.

n

Pastor Okafor said that the experience was a near-death one, but that God preserved his life, and that he saw death face to face, but was kept alive.

n

He also spoke about his case with Doris, which he said was an example of how the media can be used to destroy people's images, and that he would write a review on the matter, suggesting that Nigeria should enact a law to block the internet to prevent such incidents.

n

Pastor Okafor also mentioned that the police had invited him for questioning, but that he did not go on the scheduled day, as he had gathered that over 50 journalists were waiting to ambush him.

n

Instead, he went to the police station on the following day, where he met with the Deputy Commissioner of Police, who welcomed him and informed him that there was no petition against him.