Two women, Kelechi Ibe, now 39, and Onyekachi J. Eze, now 40, have publicly accused Obiajunwa Onukogu, the founder and General Overseer of Living Christ Mission, widely known as Daddy Hezekiah, of molesting them when they were minors during church conventions in the 1990s. The women submitted separate written testimonies detailing their accounts, choosing to speak after years of silence, according to a report by Daily Post.
Allegations of Abuse During Church Conventions
According to their accounts, the alleged abuse occurred during the 1990s when both belonged to a church group called the "Princess of Daddy Hezekiah," which catered to young girls attending conventions in Port Harcourt, Onitsha, and the church's headquarters in Nkwerre, Imo State. The women explained that parents typically departed after the opening days of conventions, leaving their children under the supervision of church officials for the remainder of the events.
They alleged that they were repeatedly called to Onukogu's private quarters under the guise of chastity confirmations, where they say they were subjected to inappropriate sexual touching as minors. They further alleged that he warned them not to breathe a word of what happened to anyone, including their own parents or fellow group members, which left them too frightened to speak for years.
Victims Describe Lasting Emotional Damage
Ibe said the alleged abuse started when she was approximately 12 or 13 years old and took place across multiple church conventions. She said the truth eventually surfaced when she and her sister, also a former group member, began comparing their individual experiences after both had left the church. Eze alleged her ordeal began during a church visit to Onitsha and continued after she joined the same group in Port Harcourt.
After speaking with each other, the two women said they discovered striking similarities between their separate accounts and believe other former group members may have had comparable experiences. They identified several individuals they said had also come forward, naming Nkechi Nwofor, Angela Michael, Sopuruchukwu, Nkiru Arum, Vivian Nmezi and Ihegboro Chibuzo among them. Both women described lasting emotional damage resulting from the alleged abuse and expressed hope that their decision to speak out would give other survivors the courage to do the same.
No Official Response Yet
Onukogu and Living Christ Mission had not issued any official response to the allegations at the time of the report. The women stated that Daddy Hezekiah warned them to stay silent. Legit.ng also reported that Pastor Chris Oyakhilome had lashed out at the viral controversy brewing in the Christian music sector, reacting to the disagreement between Timi Dakolo and Pastor Femi Lazarus over whether gospel singers should charge for their services.
