ONE of the most fascinating things about history is that it depends on who is telling it...or writing it...or recounting...or, in more contemporary language, "spinning it". History is not a science in that it is not exact. Unlike algebra, or is it arithmetic, where 2 + 2 is always 4, the sum total of a historical event depends on who is doing the calculation or, can we say, calculus.That is why history is actually his story: the story, as told by the one telling it. The teller recounts the events complete with his biases, inflections and idiosyncrasies.

This is why every time I read a news story or listen to a news broadcast, I know that I am listening to someone telling a story the way he wants it to be heard not necessarily the way it really is.Recently, I had cause to reflect on this again. The news everywhere was about the renowned television evangelist, Rev. Chris Oyakhilome. He, certainly, is a news-maker. The amount of newsprint that has been spent on reporting on this man of God must certainly have sent many a publisher smiling to the bank.

The amount of internet searches and downloads on him are every blogger’s dream. Anything, and I mean anything, that can be written about him has been written. Even the brand of his toothpaste or if he prefers dental floss to toothpick would send many publishers dashing to the proverbial copy-room to publish an exclusive. They just can't write enough about him, not because of the desire to inform or educate the public but pecuniary advantages.The news space has been awash about a private marital cause between Rev. Oyakhilome and his spouse taking place in a London court. Marital causes, in our day, are a commonplace. It is not news; neither is it out of the ordinary. 

In journalism, however, it is not news that a dog bit a man. Unusual? Yes, but not out of the ordinary. However, in journalism, it is news that a man bit a dog! So when news is slow and a dog bites a man in a dog-man skirmish, the question is how do we make some money from this? Eureka: the man actually bit the dog. Not only did the man bite the dog, it wasn't the first time he has bitten a dog. Actually, biting dogs runs in his family. From infancy, the children are trained to bite dogs. Once, the story gets on social media, it goes viral and takes a life of its own. You will be amazed to know how many people, worldwide, have actually met a man who, not only bites dogs for a living, but comes from a family who does.

Only through social media do you meet people who have fraternised with the weirdest of the weird.Since the news of Rev. Oyakhilome's marital cause proceedings began, it is like everyone has some salacious information to share about the man of God. From the "Achebe-esque" village wag to the proverbial Everyman and his dog, people have gone to town recounting and recalling one supposed misdemeanour or the other of the man of God. One of the theatrics from this theatre of the absurd is that neither the stories nor their incarnations are even included as a ground in the marital cause.

The stories are completely fabricated and totally distorted. These stories have also been expanded to include his church, Christ Embassy, and the stories all seem to cloak the church as if it is one big cult or something. It is quite amazing and unbelievable that a church, reportedly so dubious, would be growing at such a tremendous rate after almost 30 years. Unlike smaller churches or organisations or even corporations that have been riven with splits, disaffection andfactions, Christ Embassy has grown from one single Nigerian individual into a worldwide movement numbering several millions people.

That is quite an achievement for any nationality, not to talk of a Nigerian.Let us look closely at this Nigerian leader of our contemporary age. His organisation has broadcast a miracle Tv program for over 10 years. He has published 3 volumes of miracle healings from testimonies of people healed by him in USA, UK, Italy, Spain, Canada, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Ghana, the Netherlands, Australia, Croatia, Romania, Egypt, India etc., and not one person has ever come forward to declare that his testimony was staged, coerced, purchased or falsified. Not one in over a decade! Yet all these testimonies come complete with pictures, names, addresses and videos of the testifiers.

Is this the man or an organisation that has come under so much unprovoked attack as being immoral or dubious?I know where Rev. Oyakhilome's "fault" lies. His "problem" is very obvious. It is the coat of many colours. For the uninitiated, the coat of many colours was a tunic that the venerable Israelite (Jew in modern parlance) Jacob made for his son, Joseph. Joseph was his favourite child. He was born to Jacob in his old age by his favourite wife, Rachael. The tunic was beautiful and colourful and showed to all and sundry that Joseph was the favourite and favoured son of his father. There was only one slight, wee-bit of a problem. Joseph was not the eldest son, nor was he the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th or even 11th of the children. The older children didn't like it. And that was natural! Nobody would.

There's something about favoured people that are junior to us that unconsciously rubs us the wrong way. In school, in the office, in the choir, in just about every aspect of life, the story is the same. That's just how favour is: it doesn't play fair.Many people look at Rev. Oyakhilome as an upstart even though his organisation has been in existence for about 3 decades. He began preaching in 1980, and that, by any means, is quite a long time. Maybe, it has to do with his youthful and extremely good-looking visage. But then, that has to do, not with him, but his mama, papa and the good Lord.

The Coat of many Colours at work again surely. In almost 30 years, Christ Embassy has produced well over 2 million members worldwide, 3 satellite Tv stations, 2 internet radio stations, the world's best read devotional (translated monthly into over 350 languages), flagship Tv programmes that are shown on terrestrial Tv stations in over 150 nations worldwide, numerous internet applications that are amongst the most downloaded worldwide on mobile devices, a universally renowned Bible, the world's largest production and distribution network of Christian audiovisual resources, including those most unique of gifts:miracles of healing. As the biblical Nicodemus said to Christ "...no one can do these miracles except God is with him".

All these manifest the Coat of many Colours that the Father of all human spirits has cloaked this His favoured son with.When a few (and this is true) people see these about Rev. Oyakhilome, it rubs them the wrong way. The depraved are stung with an undying determination, borne of envy, to cast Rev. Chris Oyakhilome in the matrix of someone with the feet of clay, like the rest of creation! What better opportunity can there be than now, even if in doing so, a few malicious and slanderous stories are fabricated along the way and some distorted anecdotes are thrown in for good measure.

Remember that in order to hang a dog, you must, first, give it a bad name. However, something very unique but odd (in the context of the Nigerian/African) is that in 30 years, Rev. Oyakhilome has not had any of his core leadership break away to set up their own organisation. Not even one major departmental head has had to go his own way. If the things being written about him or about the church are true, how do we explain the unity of follower-ship and purpose?

Everyman and his dog, as I said earlier, have had their say on this matter. I have also spoken. I have told HisStory as I have seen it and analysed it.My conclusion, from merely reading the grounds of the marital causes proceedings and the stories in the media about Rev. Oyakhilome are that these stories are all major fabrications and distortions.

The reason for it? Someone, somewhere, is intent on rewriting history because of the Coat of many Colours. In my literature textbook, in secondary school, (King Solomon's Mines), the warrior, Ignosi, tells Sir Henry Curtis "You and me, we be men". As you hear and read anything called news, remember that you are a member of the genus called Men (as opposed to creatures of baser intellect). And as a man, use your intellect, to know that the news provider is influencing you to see the world and its people his way, not necessarily in truth.

Rich4god: Una no fit let pst chris rest... Everywhere na so so chris chris..

try69: @op

I would love to understand somethings here..

Did pastor anita really file for divorce?

If yes,

On what grounds?

Thanks

I ask because I believe pastor chris and every other influencial person will be talked about on social networks when something goes wrong..

Now, what is the point of this thread? Or.. Was it not the same media that put christ embassy where she is today?

Donxavier: Gombs

Please kindly answer these simple questions. Did Rev Anita file for divorce in the UK. Yes or No
If No?
Why did PST Chris say in his communion address that you blind followers shouldn't ask why why is Rev Anita doing this but pray for her? Why did he say she wasn't spiritually matured? Why did he insinuate that she's not called? Lastly he said Christians shouldn't divorce but it doesn't mean one can't take the step and that if he goes to court it doesn't mean he wants go there but he's been led there.
Do you guys think we are all fools like you deluded gullible Chris followers?

amdman:

God, not the media, is responsible for the placement of Christ Embassy in such a privileged position. CE was blacklisted by the media (at least in Nigeria) way back in 2001, yet it has blossomed in the most unexpected manner.

Gombs:

Reminds me of when Jesus was asked whether he's the king of the jews...Jesus' answer is as same as mine to the above bold. Go read Mark 15:2

As for the rest of your post...save it for the media!

try69: @op

I would love to understand somethings here..

Did pastor anita really file for divorce?

If yes,

On what grounds?

Thanks

I ask because I believe pastor chris and every other influencial person will be talked about on social networks when something goes wrong..

Now, what is the point of this thread? Or.. Was it not the same media that put christ embassy where she is today?

Donxavier:

Did Rev Anita file for a divorce? At least Jesus wasn't arrogant enough not to give an answer. He replied pilate

Donxavier:

Did Rev Anita file for a divorce? At least Jesus wasn't arrogant enough not to give an answer. He replied pilate

Gombs:

My answer is in Mark 15:2... are you sure you don’t have reading disorder?

Gombs:

My answer is in Mark 15:2... are you sure you don’t have reading disorder?

Eruditor: See what I think: if I don't like someone, I won't find myself always wanting to discuss the person or trying to get information on the person.

I think most of this people who ask these questions are actually fans but Jealousy is not helping them see clearly. You know, they are seeing something they admire but instead of celebrating God for it they criticise.

So we are not irked by your questions. Just make sure you make them with civility and you just might get the response you need.

Donxavier:

Bro's,
You guys should just answer the questions as truthful as you can. No need for long stories. Did Rev Anita file for a divorce? Is it a fact?

trustman:
They have been taught to only 'confess' positive things. So if an answer will appear to be 'negative' they are stuck. Should they say it as it is and make a negative confession or should they seek an escape route that will appear not to be a lie? That is their dilemma.

Donxavier:

Lols.
The whole thing is all a sham. It's so sad. They have twisted and turned everything. It's almost like a cult following. I weep for this set of so called 'believers'

trustman:
Indeed it's so, so sad. Reminds one of when Jesus Christ saw the multitude like sheep without a shepherd. He then began to teach them. Their religious leaders had turned them in some other direction that was not toward God. The same is happening today; many have 'men of God' but what are they fed with? Chaff, junk, rubbish. They need to be retaught the sincere milk of the Word.

...and that would be?

Donxavier:

Great. But Jesus was actually telling the truth and he gave an honest answer. He wasn't being sacarstic. Is your reply also in Jesus' Spirit and Character?

Donxavier:

Lols.
The whole thing is all a sham. It's so sad. They have twisted and turned everything. It's almost like a cult following. I weep for this set of so called 'believers'

Donxavier:

Lols.
The whole thing is all a sham. It's so sad. They have twisted and turned everything. It's almost like a cult following. I weep for this set of so called 'believers'

Oduduwaboy: People like the OP always like to feel persecuted. Nobody has the time for that rubbish but you must know that in the 21st century when you enjoy the limelight when the goings are good, you can not be spared from the same public scrutiny when you begin to mess up in any area of your life. Presently,according to available evidence media reports Pastor Chris has goofed big time and he along with his followers will feel the full weight of public oppobrium for a long time to come.

Gombs:

Point is he didn't need put up a defence of whether pilate was true or not! If you want a direct answer to your question, meet the media to get you 'informed'

Donxavier:

He spoke the truth so he didn't need a defence. It's a very simple matter. Did she file for a divorce? Even your Under fire Jerry curl preacher didn't deny the fact, so what are you saying

Donxavier:

He spoke the truth so he didn't need a defence. It's a very simple matter. Did she file for a divorce? Even your Under fire Jerry curl preacher didn't deny the fact, so what are you saying

trustman:
You can see that it's playing out just like I said. Admitting anything 'negative' will go against their 'positive confession'. So even in the face of obvious facts they are 'frozen'. Do they let their 'yes' be 'yes' and 'no' be 'no' or present the reality as taught them? That is their dilemma. It is the tragedy of the WoF followers.