Sam Adegoke, Chris Okafor: Pastors who stepped back amid sexual controversies

For pastors, scandals involving relationships with women can extend beyond their personal lives, often putting their ministries, marriages and public reputations under intense scrutiny.

Apostle Sam Adegoke of Elijah Generation Church in Akure, Ondo State, is the latest Nigerian pastor to step back from public ministry after a controversy involving his past relationships with women.

Adegoke, who recently got married, publicly acknowledged that he had sexual relationships with women before his marriage. He apologised to the women involved, his wife, family, church members and others who had trusted him as a spiritual leader.

He said he had stepped back from public ministry and social media for several weeks to reflect, seek counsel and address issues from his past.

The pastor also said he was receiving pastoral and professional counselling and would continue to submit himself to spiritual, pastoral and professional accountability.

His decision has similarities with the case of Pastor Chris Okafor, who temporarily stepped aside from pastoral duties in January 2026 amid a separate controversy involving allegations from actress Doris Ogala, his former wife and others.

Sam Adegoke admits past sexual relationships

Adegoke’s controversy came into public view after his recent marriage and subsequent statement addressing his past.

In the statement, the pastor acknowledged that he had been involved in sexual relationships with women before getting married.

He said the fact that the relationships happened before his marriage did not excuse his conduct, adding that his actions fell short of the standards he was expected to uphold as a Christian and minister.

Adegoke apologised directly to the women involved, saying he regretted his actions and recognised that they could have caused hurt or harm.

He also apologised to his new wife, family, church members, colleagues and others who had trusted him.

Rather than announcing a permanent departure from ministry, Adegoke said he had stepped back from public ministry while he reflected on his conduct and worked through the situation.

He also asked the public to pray for him, not for his actions to be excused, but for him to have the courage to confront his past, make amends where necessary and demonstrate genuine change.

Chris Okafor steps aside amid controversy

A similar development occurred in January 2026 when Pastor Chris Okafor, founder of Mountain of Liberation and Miracles Ministries, announced that he would temporarily step aside from pastoral duties.

The announcement followed growing controversy involving actress Doris Ogala and Okafor’s former wife, Bessem.

Ogala had alleged that she was involved in a long-term relationship with the pastor and accused him of making promises of marriage before eventually marrying another woman, Pearl, in December 2025.

Bessem also made allegations against the cleric, including claims of physical abuse, while denying adultery allegations that Okafor had made against her. The claims were disputed and generated a wider public controversy.

Against that backdrop, Okafor announced during a church service that he would not preside over services for the four Sundays in January.

He said the period would allow him to rest, pray, have a personal retreat and spend time with his new wife.

The announcement came shortly after he publicly apologised to Ogala during a church service. Punch reported that he knelt before his congregation while apologising for what he described as past mistakes.

Unlike Adegoke, however, Okafor did not publicly acknowledge all the allegations made against him as established facts.

The controversy later escalated, with the Lagos State Police Command inviting him for questioning over allegations including rape and other sexual offences. The police said an investigation had been ordered.

Okafor subsequently returned to church duties in February 2026 after the month-long period away from the pulpit.

Timi Adigun also stepped away from ministry

Another case that bears similarities to Adegoke’s situation dates back to 2020.

Timi Adigun, a pastor at The Ark Church in Lagos and coordinator of the MINE Teenage Ministry, apologised publicly after allegations concerning his conduct with female church members.

Adigun acknowledged that he had engaged in what he described as inappropriate behaviour with women over several years.

He said his conduct contradicted the sexual-purity message he preached and apologised to the women involved, his wife, family and members of his ministry.

Adigun, however, denied having sexual intercourse with any of the women and said none of them was a minor.

He also disclosed that he had stepped down from ministry and church in October of that year, although he continued holding a fellowship for people who wanted him to teach them.

He said he expected to return to the pulpit later.

His case therefore differs from Adegoke’s in an important respect: while Adegoke admitted having sexual relationships before marriage, Adigun acknowledged inappropriate behaviour but specifically denied sexual intercourse.

What connects the three cases?

The three cases occurred in different circumstances, and the allegations or admissions should not be treated as identical.

But they share one significant feature: the private conduct of pastors became a public ministry issue.

For Adegoke, the issue centred on his admission of sexual relationships before marriage and his decision to withdraw temporarily from public ministry.

For Okafor, the controversy involved allegations concerning relationships, marriage promises and other serious claims, followed by a temporary withdrawal from pastoral duties.

For Adigun, allegations about inappropriate conduct with women led to a public apology and his earlier decision to step away from his church and ministry.

In each case, the pastor’s response became part of the story.

Adegoke said he would submit to accountability and counselling. Okafor described his January withdrawal as a period for prayer, retreat and rest, while Adigun apologised and said he had stepped away from ministry.

The cases also show why allegations involving religious leaders can attract attention beyond the individuals involved. Pastors often occupy positions of trust, while their public teachings on marriage, sexual morality and personal conduct can make controversies involving their private lives particularly significant to their congregations.

For Adegoke, the next stage will be whether the temporary withdrawal he announced results in a return to public ministry and what form that return takes.

For now, he says he is taking responsibility, seeking counsel and working towards what he describes as genuine transformation.