Why prominent Nigerian pastors divorce…

Clerics and marriage counsellors cite doctrine, ministry demands, incompatibility, social media and changing attitudes as reasons prominent Nigerian pastors divorce, as at least eight such marriages ended between 2012 and 2026.

Divorce among prominent Nigerian pastors is drawing fresh debate after the remarriage of Fountain of Life Church Senior Pastor Jimmy Odukoya, with clerics and counsellors citing doctrine, ministry demands, incompatibility and social media, Saturday PUNCH reports.

The newspaper gathered that at least eight marriages involving prominent Nigerian pastors ended in divorce or separation between 2012 and 2026. They include Chris Oyakhilome, whose divorce from Anita was finalised in 2016; Chris Okotie, who separated from Stephanie in 2012; Joshua Iginla, who announced the breakdown of his marriage to Yemisi in 2020; and Olumide Emmanuel, who spoke publicly in 2023 about the collapse of his first marriage.

Former Christian Association of Nigeria president Rev. Samson Ayokunle said the Bible permits separation but not remarriage. “The Bible doesn’t support divorce. What the Bible supports is separation. If it may involve their lives, they can separate, but they cannot remarry because marriage is for life. In Matthew 19, Jesus said it himself,” he said. Evangelist Alaba Akande said: “The major ground is adultery.” Apostle Lawrence Achudume blamed a shallow understanding of Christianity: “They don’t understand the sacrificial part of Christianity.”

FamilyLife Nigeria counsellor JeNom Makama said: “The reason why many pastors are divorcing today is that an average pastor focuses more on working for God rather than working with God, and in that process, that predisposes them to temptation.” He also cited growing acceptance of divorce among Christians, women’s economic independence, and counselling that urges wives to endure troubled marriages.

Counsellor Ibrahim Olalere said: “Most religious leaders, in many cases, discover after marriage that their spouses are not as religious as they expected.”

Nigerian Bar Association Ikirun branch chairman Abdulkareem Azeez said such cases are underreported because parties often settle amicably.

Achudume urged: “Pastors must come up and be real.” The church did not respond; its phone lines were switched off.