A scandal involving explicit audio recordings and allegations of sexual impropriety has engulfed one of Nollywood’s most recognizable faces, prompting veteran actress and evangelist Eucharia Anunobi to take the extraordinary step of pursuing legal action across two continents.
The 60-year-old minister, who transitioned from a celebrated acting career to full-time ministry nearly 14 years ago, is now locked in a bitter public dispute with Psalm Okpe, the founder of Fresh Oil Ministry International Church and the same cleric who once ordained her into ministry.
At the heart of the controversy is a leaked audio recording that has circulated widely on social media, capturing what appears to be a private conversation between Okpe and another clergyman identified only as Martins. In the recording, the two men can be heard making graphic sexual remarks about alleged past relationships with Anunobi and another church leader, Chikere Nwafor.
The conversation, which sources describe as “vulgar” and “deeply inappropriate,” also reportedly contained unverified allegations of homosexual conduct involving another male pastor, adding further fuel to a rapidly spreading scandal that has shocked Nigeria’s Christian community.
The recording’s authenticity has not been independently verified, but Okpe himself has acknowledged its existence and issued a public apology, calling the content “disturbing” and admitting he was “very embarrassed by those vulgar words.”
Anunobi’s response has been swift and unequivocal. In a scathing Instagram post, she condemned her former mentor as “a monumental global shame” and categorically denied ever having been romantically or sexually involved with him.
The actress-turned-preacher was particularly emphatic about her claim of maintaining celibacy since entering ministry, a cornerstone of her public persona and teaching ministry.
“I want to state here categorically that in the almost 14 years since I have been midwifed into ministry, I have been celibate and have been keeping myself for the man that will be deserving of my new virginity,” Anunobi declared in her statement.
She acknowledged having been in relationships during this period, including engagements that lasted “several years,” but insisted that none of these relationships had been consummated.
“That is not to say that I have not been in courtship or not been engaged. Oh, I have been engaged for several years. I have been in courtship all this time,” she explained. “But none of these men can come out and say they have had penile penetration with me. None of them can say they have had sex with me. That is why I boldly preach righteousness.”
Beyond the public denials, Anunobi has taken the fight to the courts. Her legal team has been instructed to pursue defamation charges against Okpe, with petitions being filed to law enforcement agencies in both Nigeria and the United States.
“I am not going to allow that to be swept under the carpet because that malicious, vile statement has left me in emotional trauma,” Anunobi said, describing the psychological toll the allegations have taken on her.
She further alleged that the scandal represents the culmination of years of threats from Okpe to “destroy” her ministry, suggesting a deeper pattern of conflict between the two religious figures.
“My lawyers have been instructed to start the process of writing a petition to the Nigerian police force and the US Security and Immigration Department against Psalm Okpe for defamatory accusations,” she announced, challenging Okpe to substantiate his claims in court.
“I have instituted a legal action so that he can come and prove how he dated me for five years and six months,” she added, referencing specific allegations apparently made in the leaked recording.
For Anunobi, the stakes could hardly be higher. The actress built a successful career in Nollywood before transitioning to evangelical ministry, where she has cultivated a following based largely on messages of moral purity and righteous living. Any proven allegations of sexual impropriety would fundamentally undermine that platform.
The scandal also highlights ongoing tensions within Nigeria’s Pentecostal church movement, where allegations of sexual misconduct by religious leaders have become an increasingly visible concern in recent years.
As the legal process unfolds, the case promises to test not only Anunobi’s reputation but also the credibility of religious institutions and the protections available to public figures facing defamation in Nigeria’s rapidly evolving media landscape.
Neither Okpe nor representatives of Fresh Oil Ministry International Church have issued further statements since the initial apology, and it remains unclear whether the cleric will mount a legal defense or seek to resolve the matter privately.
The Nigerian Police Force and US immigration authorities have not yet commented on whether they have received or will act upon Anunobi’s petitions.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
Veteran Nollywood actress and evangelist Eucharia Anunobi is suing her former spiritual mentor, Pastor Psalm Okpe, for defamation after a leaked audio recording surfaced in which he claimed they had a five-year sexual relationship.
Anunobi categorically denies the allegations, insists she has maintained celibacy throughout her 14-year ministry, and has filed legal petitions with Nigerian and US authorities. The scandal threatens her reputation as a preacher of moral purity and exposes troubling dynamics within Nigeria’s religious leadership.
