It is true like you heard that Pastor Anita Oyakhilome is seeking to
divorce her husband, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, the President of
Believers’ Love World Inc., popularly known as Christ Embassy, but it is
not because of adultery.
The new facts emerged over the weekend that Pastor Anita wants to
leave her husband because of behaviours that suggest that she cannot
‘reasonably be expected’ to live with him, the court papers seen by
Thisday say.
According to a copy of the court papers for the divorce process
filed at the Principal Registry of the Family Division (PRFD) of the
High Court of Justice, which Thisday says it has, Pastor Anita applied
for “divorce on the ground that the marriage has broken down
irretrievably.”
In her statement of case in support of petition at PRFD with number
FD14001650, Pastor Anita however, accused her husband of having
inappropriate relationship with some of his female staff members.
According to the statement, “the wife has discussed with the husband
his appropriate relationship with some of his female staff members. She
has explained that this has given her cause for concern. The husband has
minimised her worries and taken no step to alleviate her grievances.”
The statement indicated no allegation of adultery as there was no co-respondent to the petition and no names were mentioned.
“The wife submits that her marriage to the husband has irretrievably
broken down and there is no hope of reconciliation. The wife will submit
that it is the husband’s unreasonable behaviours which have led to
this.
“The husband and the wife are both Pastors. The husband undertakes
his work, in the main, in South Africa and Nigeria. The wife lives in
the United Kingdom. The wife will say that they have lived separately
for 16 years and over this time have drifted apart. The wife has come to
realise that the husband will only visit the UK for annual church
programmes that he holds rather than to be with this wife. The wife
feels that he has been unavailable as a father to their children during
their developing years.
“The wife feels that their marriage suffered under the pressure of
their work. They would rarely spend time together due to the husband
unavailability. Special occasions such as Christmas, Birthdays and
family occasions and anniversaries past them by and their rarely spent
any time together as a family as the husband was more devoted to his
work than he was to them.
“The wife feels that she has been used to portray and enhance the
husband’s image as a family man when the reality is that there is no
existing relationship between them. She feels that she has been present
for official functions simply for his convenience. On occasions she has
been copied into his travel itinerary which has been given to him by his
staff on a need to know basis.
“The wife has tried to discuss her concerns with the husband. He
claims that she is carnal and he is insensitive to her feelings and her
needs.
“As a result of the husband’s attitude to their marriage, the wife
will say that he is virtually not recognised as a married man in the
ministry. His teachings and beliefs on marriage is that the husband is a
master and a controller and the wife will say that his concept of
biblical; submission is so extreme that it is impossible for her to meet
his expectations. She feels humiliated by the way he treats her in the
presence of his close female staff members and she feels that she has
been taken for granted which has become unbearably stressful for her.
“The wife will say that the relationship with the husband is
non-existent to the point that his itinerary which was announced
publicly at the beginning of the year had no provision for time with his
family. His staff members who travel with him organise both his
personal and professional life without any input from her. The wife will
say that she is treated with disregard almost like akin to an intruder.
“The wife feels that she has been mentally, physically and
emotionally deprived of the experience of a marital relationship. She
feels that the husband has persistently judged her and his communication
with her has been unduly harsh. The wife knows that he was hard to
please and has been extremely critical.
“The wife reserves the right to expand on all of these particulars if
the divorce petition is defended,” the statement read in part.