A church member and worker with one of Nigeria’s popular church has uncovered shocking details of how the Bishop of the fold reportedly harass the women in the church and frustrate any of the who refuse to yield to his advances. Read full details as she writes Abiyamo exclusively. It’s a long read tho..
“I feel the time has come for me to speak out in the light of the media warfare and deliberate falsehood being dished from the pulpit against me by Bishop Chris Kwapovwe of our Daily Manna (ODM). My person and character has been consistently maligned by a man I once called Daddy, a man I once looked up to for inspiration and guidance, a man whose charisma stir up my faith to believe the impossible.
At the beginning of this nightmare, my faith and Christian upbringing restrained me from speaking out, for fear of being accused of attacking a “man of God” but as the saying goes silent means consent. To many my continuous silence in the face of being used as sermon topic week in week out is a confirmation of my assumed guilt.
I want to start from the very beginning to tell my side of this unfortunate story. My first contact with ODM was when I was invited to the month anointing service by a catholic family in 2010. After my first visit I started attending Sunday services and from there I became a member of the church, and subsequently joined the technical dept due to my previous experience as a volunteer. In September 2012 there was a vacancy for full time employment which I applied for and was employed.
Upon my employment, I continued to work as a camera man in the department until 2015 when the unit head Mr. Adewumi Aderemi was sacked, due to issues surrounding missing equipment. Upon his sack I was asked by Bishop Chris to take over from him. This elevation was the beginning of my nightmare. On assuming the position of unit head, I quickly took inventory with the HOD of the technical department Deacon Patrick Uchendu. After the inventory we found out that mixer, transmitter, video camera, Photo camera and photo album were missing. Together with Deacon Uchendu we went to see the AGO to report the matter. We eventually took the matter to Bishop Chris, who invited Inspector Clarus Atabor the Mobile police chief security officer to go and arrest Mr Adewumi. But that was the last I heard of the matter.
On February 14 this year Bishop Chris suddenly recalled Mr Adewumi and stated at the staff meeting that he heard that Mr Adewumi stole some equipment. But as a father he is willing to forgive him. He then asked Mr Adewumi to go to the Alter in the main auditorium to ask God for forgiveness from “his three friends”. All of a sudden the Bishop ordered me and Mr Adewunmi to take a fresh inventory. The second inventory confirmed the same items we found missing on Mr Adewumis departure in 2015. Meanwhile, the telephone sexual harassment continued, in spite of this official attitude.
I must confess that at first I was shocked, scared, and confused at the same time. I was in a dilemma as of what is the right way to handle such an abnormal situation, knowing that even my close acquaintances will struggle to believe me. So the double dealing continued, the Bishop will talk tough publicly and declare his love for me in private. It was indeed a nightmarish situation. I was between the devil and the deep blue sea, if I speak out I will be accused of trying to bring down a man of God and if I keep quit as I did the torment continues.
Faced with the challenge of who to turn to within my immediate environment without complicating the situation, I decided to stay away from work and stopped picking up the Bishop’s calls.
In all sincerity, I was hoping that the church intervenes by sending people to find out what actually happened and to resolve the matter in a Christian way. Rather what I got was a police raid from Ogudu Polices station on the 27th of march2017.
I was arrested with the accusation that I stole the missing equipment; the case was reported by Pastor Ime Eno under the instructions of the bishop without reference to the church administrative and disciplinary organs. I protested that I was in poor health, as well as observing my menstrual circle. I was assured that I was only going to make a statement and return home.
On arrival at the station, I discovered that I was the only one arrested and accused directly of stealing the missing items. Every effort to secure my bail by and lawyer was abortive as the police appear to be under instruction to keep me locked up. On the second day, to my utmost surprise Bishop Chris came with all members of our unit, including Mr Adewumi as witnesses against me, I expected that if something is missing the police would have conducted general investigation, why was I singled out? But to the glory of God none of them claimed to have seen me with any of the missing equipment despite being obviously coached on what to say.
Same day in the DPOs office Bishop Chris was blowing hot and cold, he asked the DPO to appeal to me to return to work, with a promise to write-off the cost of the equipment after consulting with his “Three friends”. Due to the conflicting actions and utterances of the Bishop the IPO asked me to tell her what is going on between me and the Bishop.
When it became clear that Bishop Chris was out to punish me, I had no option than to open up to explain why I stopped picking his calls and stayed away from work. When I said that, the police asked if I had any proof of sexual harassment and I requested for my phone and played a few recordings to them. On hearing the tape recordings the police quickly granted me bail and informed the Bishop of the development.
On learning of the tape recording Bishops Chris quickly told the police he was no longer interested in prosecuting the case but wants to settle the matter amicable. The next day he set up a meeting with my lawyer, his lawyer, publicist, me and his wife Rev Dr Flora Ejiro Kwakpovwe at Dominion Pizza at Ogudu. Bishop’s wife, who is the Assistant general Overseer of the Church, bought pizza for everybody. She requested to hear the tape and after listening briefly appealed for settlement, referring to the matter as a family matter. So the meeting ended on a very conciliatory note. Or so we thought.
Two days later my lawyer called me to say the Bishop requested for another meeting, insisting that he wants to see me to personally apologize to me. I declined to attend as I still wasn’t feeling well. I expected my lawyer to call to brief me on the meeting but didn’t hear from him, I called his phone but it was switched off. Late afternoon of the next day, my lawyer called me to inform me that Bishop Chris stormed the venue of the meeting at the same Dominion Pizza Ogudu with three truck load of men of Federal Special Anti Robbery Squad (FSARS) to arrest them.
They were detained at SARS office at Ikeja and hurriedly charged to court the next day. As God will have it they were granted bail and released the same day. After narrating this sudden twist in the case it became clear why the Bishop was insisting he wants me to be in the meeting. As the smart person he prides himself to be, he was hoping to seize the recording from me through his SARS operatives. Why SARS? I asked, he explained that the Bishop alleged that they were trying to blackmail and extort money from him.
While this was going on, Bishop Chris continued to attack me from his pulpit, calling me unprintable names, claiming that I tried to seduce him, after stealing equipments worth 13million naira later said 7.5milloin and later told the police 5.6million naira. After his friends in high places gave him SARS operatives in a matter of missing office equipment to torment me and those who came to deliver me from his mighty hand. He changed the story that I was an agent of a blackmailing gang who wants to extort his “hard earned money”. Sadly his church members who are victims of his deceitful life style, lies and manipulations never stop to question the reason a whole Bishop went to a police station to lie and lock up a church member without subjecting the case first to the church disciplinary and internal crisis management process?
Why is the man that preaches to others to be the first to forgive, be the first to run to the police just to intimidate me to give in to his ungodly demand?
After the harrowing experience my lawyer petitioned the Lagos state commissioner of police against SARS actions and continuous intimidation. The commissioner ordered SARS to transfer the case file to his office and summoned all parties to his office. Present at the meeting that took place in the conference room of the Lagos state Commissioner of police are Bishop Chris, his wife, lawyers, Pastor Ime Eno, me and my lawyer.
At the Meeting of Wenesday 26th April, superintended by the Lagos state deputy commissioner of Police, Alh Dasuki Galadanchy, Head of the Legal department CSP Yetunde Cardozo, after listening to the tape recording told him that he really harassed me. At that meeting even the SARS people who have been acting like an arm of ODM security became sober after hearing the tape recording and oral evidence. However, the Bishops comic side reared its head to the amazement of every one when he demanded from the police to ask me to apologize to him for recording his voice, after initially denying that the voice was his. At that point we were asked to go and settle the matter and report back to the police.
Rather than adhere to this instruction, the Bishop and his loyal servants and publicist has continued to sponsor evil reports against me. Linking me to everything missing in ODM since inception just to tarnish my image and maintain his false image before his church members.
WHY I RECORDED BISHOP CHRIS CALLS:
Many members and supporters of Bishop Chris have understandably raised this point. And I think it’s fair to address it.
I want to reiterate the fact that what happened to me was shocking and confusing. Here is a man I called Daddy, a man I regarded as a mentor and spiritual guide. But it did something to me. It removed the scale from my eyes and I started paying attention to some of the stories circulating in the church and started questioning some practices and actions. Below are some cases that proved to me that Bishop Chris has no value for relationships and considers everyone around him as disposable material.
DEACON EMMA OKOKORO’S CASE:
Dcn Emma was Bishop Chris loyal PA for 22years. He was fondly called Junior Bishop due to his dedication and commitment. Early last year, Dcn Emma suddenly disappeared from the church. After a few weeks of stories making the rounds that he left after the Bishop said to one Rasta man, his technician that Dcn Emma does not exist in his presence. To which the Deacon responded that he exist in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Emma was quoted to have said, that once the Bishop makes such utterance in anger something evil will happen to a person.
Rather than reaching out to Deacon Emma he came to the Church to announce that he just discovered from Deaconess Oyegun that Deacon Emma is a thief who has been stealing from him. He went further to tell a dumb founded congregation that Deacon Emma tried to Poison him. Nobody could reconcile what he said with the personality and unquestionable commitment of Deacon Emma.
DEACONESS ESTHER OGOS CASE:
Deaconess Esther Ogo was Bishop Chris’ Head of protocol who was unceremoniously dropped and replaced by a more pliable young man Daniel Egbo. Daniel Egbo was rapidly promoted to Deacon and Pastor within two years.
The story was that Deaconess Esther went against Bishop Chris’ instruction to book one Miss Tamie West on the same flight and the same hotel to Uyo. Miss Tamie west is Bishop Chris choir director who was known not to be in talking terms with the Bishops wife because she was romantically linked with Bishop Chris.
The story was that Deaconess Esther felt it was wrong to book Miss Tamie in the same flight and hotel with Bishop Chris considering the rumors surrounding their personal relationship. She decided to book Miss Tamie in a different flight and hotel with other staffs and ministers for the event.
This action did not go down well with the Bishop and Miss Tamie west. So on return to Lagos after the event Deaconess Esther was disgraced out of the department and replaced by inexperienced but loyal Daniel Egbo. The Deaconess was used to preach and practically ridiculed out of Manna Mountain [ODM]
MRS DOLAPO KWAKPOVWE, BISHOP CHRIS FIRST WIFE:
Bishop Chris regales his church members with the story of how he wanted to commit suicide because his wife left him and everybody deserted him. But his ongoing Divorce proceeding at an Igbosere court reveals that his wife Pham Dolapo Kwakpovwe left him for serial adultery having caught him on four occasions on their matrimonial bed with members of the Church then known as LIBERTY ARMY.
THE WOMAN THAT LOST A TOOTH AT THE STADIUM:
Every worshipper at ODM knows this story. A woman attended anointing service at the indoor spot hall of the National stadium; she failed during ministration and lost some tooth. The matter was not managed well and the woman went to court against him. Bishop Chris will preach with this woman on every occasion calling her a Gold digger, who wants to blackmail and extort money from him.
DEACON SOLOMON ALO:
The last straw was the public ridicule and humiliation meted on this loyal servant, a fine Christian gentleman who can lay down his life for Bishop Chris and his church. Deacon Alo was called all manner of names by the Bishop for daring to appeal to him to take it easy on mama, his wife who was crying, after another round of humiliation at a meeting. After the tongue lashing Deacon Alo was suspended indefinitely
I left the meeting knowing that nobody with the right spirit can survive under this man.
OTHER VICTIMS:
Time will fail me to talk about Pastor Chike and Pastor Patrick Nnadi, pioneer Pastor of Manna Mountain {ODM} church. Pastor Prophet Shekina Igho, Deaconess Ruth, amongst.
It is a fact that nobody leaves Bishop Chris of ODM without being tarnished as a thief, money grabber, and etc.
Having experienced all these contradictions, it became clear to me that if I keep resisting his advances I will be next in line on his casualty list. That is why I started recording his advances for a day like this when my integrity will come under attack|.
In conclusion, I wish to state as follows:
I did not steal any equipment from ODM
I did not blackmail or collaborate with anybody to blackmail Bishop Chris
I did not go to the police or the press with recordings of his sex demand, rather he is the one who took me to SARS, using Church money to induce SARS to intimidate into silence.
I did not clone his voice, if he is sure the voice is not his let him take necessary steps to prove it. I do not know of any technology that could clone a man’s voice for hours in a two way communication.
I never had access to Bishop Chris Phones. I don’t need his phone to extract videos that are sent through Whatsapp.
There is no roaring lion anywhere Bishop Chris Kwakpovwe is the Lion of intimidation.
Nobody is trying to bring him down; it’s just nemesis catching up with him in Gods appointed time.
Let members ask him why was I the only one arrested? You can go to Ogudu police station to verify this. Other members of the department came with him as his witness,
Why did he block the police from investigating Adewunmi, the private security company, the store where the equipment was kept and the CCTV cameras, if he is not just out to punish me for daring to resist his advances.
Why was my departmental Head, Deacon Patrick, kept in the dark about this persecution?
I have dozens of tape recording of his amorous calls at ungodly hours which will be made public soon for those who know him to judge.
It has never been about money, I only want to redeem my name and my family’S name which he has gone to great extent to tarnish without cause
He claims his members who are supposed to be spiritual are contributing money to fight this case to its logical conclusion instead of praying to the God of justice to reveal the truth to them. I want his church members to have the opportunity to know the kind of person he is.
I dare him to swear by the heavens that the conversation below is fake !!!
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