Canada-based Nigerian woman, Stephanie Otobo, who had some years ago allegedly had an amorous relationship with Apostle Johnson Suleman, the General Overseer of Omega Fire Ministries, has again levelled some allegations against the clergyman in a recent video.

Otobo, who was recently interviewed by a blogger, Maureen Badejo, explained that she made the confession in Suleman’s church under duress as she was already tired of the court processes, particularly with the transfer of the case from an incorruptible judge to another.

According to her, the suit in Nigeria had a strain on her finances as she had to move to and fro the country and Canada incurring expenses over flight tickets, accommodation among others.

She alleged that Phrank Shuaibu, a media aide to Suleman, approached her and asked that the case be settled if only she could make an open confession in church stating that her initial confession was false which she agreed to.

She said,

People are nailing me for going to the church to apologise, I want you to know that I’m in my 20s, something just happened. I was lost, I was going to court for more than 2 years and I couldn’t stay in Nigeria because I was going to Canada, I flew back from Canada to Nigeria 16 times, people are just seeing that part and they weren’t seeing what I was going through.

Everything happened suddenly, first of all, I’m the destitute, I had no money but he had the money to pay off everyone including my friend that I was living with to call immigration on me and she did it. I was desperate to get out of the situation, people paid me money but I didn’t take the money before I went to the church.

It all started in 2017 when a friend told me about him that I should just place a call across and he will tell me the name of my husband. So, I texted the name of two different men because at that point, I just wanted to get married, settle down but Apostle Suleman called me himself and asked me why I didn’t come to meet him personally while he was in Canada for a program.

I said I was not interested in seeing him that someone told me to just call and he will tell me the name of my husband. That was how he started telling me he was tired of his wife but because of the Pastor thing, he cannot leave her but I was like, I don’t have the time.

He told me God sent him to me and because I grew up in Nigeria, in a Christian home, so I believed him. That was how the manipulation started. I’ve had bad experiences with him (Suleiman), he gave me something to drink at the hotel that almost killed me.

She further alleged that the relationship started but the clergyman had told her to stop her career and she would have none of it. This, she said, brought about a misunderstanding between them.

Afterwards, Otobo and a young man had flown in to Nigeria from Canada to meet with Timaya in relation to her music career. She said Suleiman kept calling and threatening, which made thr young man with her query the pastor if he wanted to have her killed.

Meanwhile, Suleman had allegedly sent the police after the duo but after two weeks of futile search, Otobo’s account got frozen which made her pay a visit to the bank where she was arrested alongside the young man and taken to the police station where bail was denied them for three days.

She said the case was in court for two years after a media adviser to Apostle Johnson Suleman, the General Overseer of Omega Fire Ministries, Phrank Shaibu influenced the transfer of the case to another court.

They succeeded in getting the case transferred from the initial court under this female Judge who refused to collect bribe from them. They wanted the judge to jail us but the woman refused, but later when I noticed they had transferred the case to another court, I knew that was it. Phrank approached me and said we should settle the matter and I gave in.

I was tired of coming to Nigeria because of this issue. The Canadian government was also after me like why am I traveling so frequently. When Phrank approached me, I was like okay, so he took us to Abuja and lodged us at this popular hotel. It was at the hotel Phrank told me what to say. I even have the recording of where he was talking.

Then they took me to Auchi with an entourage to the church where I made the confession. I wanted to say the truth in the church but I was scared so they would not kill me.

I was wondering why the wife was supporting that kind of thing because she was right there. I even came in through the back of the altar, I wanted the spirit of God to see that they were bringing me in to the house of God to lie. I was invited to lie. I went to speak to the Pastor upstairs first, that’s why I came in through the back of the altar.

Justin Nwosu

Justin Nwosu is the founder and publisher of Flavision. His core interest is in writing unbiased news about Nigeria in particular and Africa in general. He’s a strong adherent of investigative journalism, with a bent on exposing corruption, abuse of power and societal ills.