Prophet sues church worker for snatching his wife and children

A prophet sues his church worker who snatched his wife and claims his children for failure to pay her dowry.

A pastor sues his church worker for snatching his wife and four children in Akure, Ondo State, reports the Vanguard.

Prophet Theophilus Ayodeji Obayan also risks losing four children from his marriage to Prophetess Lilian Obayan and her new love.

Obayan accused Lilian of ditching him to marry one Prince Abua Obi, a former church worker in their Ministry.

She thereafter allegedly changed their children’s surname to Obi after changing the name of their church, the Court heard.

Consequently, Obayan prayed the court to dissolve his 23-year marriage to Lilian and grant him custody of their four children.

He told an Akure Customary court that he founded Divine Prophetic Solutions Prayers Ministry with headquarters in Lagos.

“My wife and I have a ministry in Lagos with a large congregation. But at present, she is married to Prince Abua Obi, a junior worker in our church where both of us led as shepherds.

“My lord, Prince Abua Obi is legally married with children. He and his wife are both workers in our ministry.

“The couple used to revere us, such that they call my wife and I, Daddy and Mummy.

“But to my surprise, my wife started an illicit affair with the man and she is married to him now. She re-registered the Church in 2019 and even changed my children’s surname to Obi.

“My wife went ahead to change the name of the church we co-founded from Divine Prophetic Solutions Prayers Ministry to Peace of Jerusalem Revival Ministry in the same location.

“I have run to God and the court to seek justice on this matter. Let her leave me, but she should not take my children away from me.”

Lawyer to Prophetess Lilian however argued that Prince Obi does not regard Lilian as legally married to Prophet Obayan.

The lawyer argued that Obayan did not fulfill the conditions for valid traditional marriage contract, going by Igbo culture.

“In Ibo land, it is their custom that if bride price has not been paid in any relationship, they don’t see the man as husband and father of his children,” the lawyer said.

She listed the elements of valid Igbo marriage lacking in the previous relationship as “the treaty, concept of parental agreement, handing over of the bride and payment of bride price.”

Prophet Obayan’s counsel brought other witnesses to testify that there was indeed a marriage ceremony between Obayan and his wife.

Presiding Magistrate Segun Stephen Rotiba adjourned to October 10 to rule on whether the Prophet will forfeit the children to his estranged wife for failure to pay dowry to her family.