7th March, 2023
The General Overseer of Christ Embassy Church, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, and now ex-wife Anita have finalised their divorce after many months of speculation.
Divorce is more often than not a very painful experience, no matter who initiates it and no matter what went wrong.
When two people love each other enough to decide to marry and share a life, they build a future together.
When that life crumbles, it is often very complicated and messy to divide mutual assets.
In the case of the divorce between Pastor Chris Oyakhilome and Pastor Anita Oyakhilome, they had amassed a successful empire that had to be shared.
Pastor Chris Oyakhilome and Anita Oyakhilome divide marital assets
After the divorce in 2016, lawyers of Pastor Anita Oyakhilome confirmed that she was no longer a part of, or involved in, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome’s church, Christ Embassy.
They released a statement on their website saying that the divorce proceedings were finalised.
“Anita Oyakhilome would like to confirm that she is no longer involved in or part of Christ Embassy, A.K.A. Believers LoveWorld Inc,” it said, among other things.
Shortly after this statement saying that their divorce was finalised, Pastor Anita Oyakhilome’s name and image were removed from the church’s website and the church’s daily devotional, “Rhapsody of Realities”, which she co-authored with ex-husband Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, so as not to mislead the public. This was also as a result of separating their assets.
Happier times for Pastor Chris Oyakhilome and Pastor Anita Oyakhilome’s marriage
Pastor Anita Oyakhilome and Pastor Chris Oyakhilome were married in 1991 in a small, low-key ceremony in Lagos, Nigeria.
Their union took place four years after he founded his church, Christ Embassy, and together, they built a global ministry.
Pastor Chris Oyakhilome has always had an insatiable passion to spread the Word of God and has dedicated his life to leading people to salvation, having reached multiple souls worldwide.
Pastor Anita Oyakhilome also became a minister of Christ Embassy, and together, they were unstoppable.
They appeared to be the perfect couple and role models to their community.
Pastor Chris Oyakhilome and Pastor Anita Oyakhilome welcomed two daughters while continuing to build their successful ministry.
Carissa Sharon Oyakhilome was born in 1993 and two years later, in 1995, her sister, Charlene Oyakhilome, completed their family.
The ministry continued to grow all over the world, with major branches in Nigeria, South Africa, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States of America.
While Pastor Chris Oyakhilome spent most of his time in Nigeria, Pastor Anita Oyakhilome was based in London, the United Kingdom for a large part of the year.
After 23 years of marriage, it seems that the geographical distance was a contributing factor to the downfall of the marriage. The divorce was a shock to the LoveWorld followers.
Being a public figure comes at a cost
Being a family that was in the limelight, they were never far from the public eye.
There were rumours surrounding the separation and eventual divorce of Pastor Chris Oyakhilome and Pastor Anita Oyakhilome, which were damaging and hurtful, but they managed to ride the storm.
Pastor Chris Oyakhilome threw himself into his work and continued to spread the Word of God far and wide.
He created a platform for multitudes of people to find hope and comfort during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This came in the form of a Global Day of Prayer, beginning in March 2020.
It was a special call to prayer according to the inspiration of God’s Spirit.
It was a faith response to restore hope amidst the growing fear and confusion experienced around the world in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic.
Christians all over the world, irrespective of denominations, joined in to take a stand in unity against the forces of darkness causing panic and uncertainty in the world, as they observed the first Global Day of Prayer organized by Pastor Chris Oyakhilome and close friend and colleague, televangelist Pastor Benny Hinn.
Who is the Christ Embassy founder?
Pastor Chris Oyakhilome is a Nigerian pastor, teacher, author, and the founder and president of Christ Embassy, also known as LoveWorld Inc., a Pentecostal megachurch based in Lagos, Nigeria.
He was born on December 7th, 1963, in Edo State, Nigeria.
He is known for his teachings on faith, healing, prosperity, and the power of the Holy Spirit.
He is also a prolific writer and has authored many books on Christian living, including “Rhapsody of Realities,” a daily devotional guide that has been translated into over 1,000 languages and distributed in over 200 countries.
In addition to his work as a minister, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome is also actively involved in humanitarian efforts through the InnerCity Mission for Children, a nonprofit organization he founded that provides education, healthcare, and other basic needs to underprivileged children in impoverished communities across Africa.
He has a significant following across the world, and his teachings are broadcasted through television and radio programs, online streaming platforms, and live events.