Overcomers World Outreach, the church where Nollywood actor, Solomon Akiyesi attempted to marry another while still legally married, has responded to the incident that happened yesterday. See their statement below, written by Chika Moses, who is a journalist and the daughter of Bishop N.E. Moses, the General Overseer of the Overcomers Church.
What was meant to be a day of celebration – the wedding ceremony of one of our members Uloma Agwu to Mr. Solomon Akiyesi at the Overcomers Church World Outreach in Aguda – was sullied by an ugly incident. Immediately following the praise and worship session and before the officiating commenced, a woman who claims to be the lawful wife of the groom disrupted the ceremony. She was accompanied by people who sought only to wreck havoc in the church. They were unruly and violent.
We regret the ugly series of events that followed this brash display. At the Overcomers Church, we do our due diligence to ensure a couple set to wed is right in the eyes of the law and in the eyes of God. To the best of our knowledge, Mr. Akiyesi, was unmarried. The Overcomers Church World Outreach regrets that the woman who disrupted the wedding chose such a time to do so. There is no ideal situation here, but it would have been right that she bring the case before church officials in a manner befitting a house of worship. This was not the case.
The groom, Mr. Akiyesi, has apologized to the Church, his bride-to-be, Ms. Agwu, and family and friends that gathered for the wedding. “This happened because I tried to cut corners,” he said. He admits he did not properly dissolve his previous marriage to his first wife and says he is determined to do what is necessary to rectify the awful situation. We apologize for the ugly scene this caused at our Church and apologize to those who witnessed it. It is not exemplary behavior and not who we are as a Church.
The General Overseer of the Overcomers Church World Outreach, Bishop N.E. Moses, addressed the congregation after order was restored.
Bishop Moses prayed for the couple, Mr. Akiyesi and Ms. Agwu, but he did not legally wed them – no documents were signed so as not to disobey the law. Mr. Solomon Akiyesi and Ms Uloma Agwu will not be legally joined together until the matter is properly settled by lawful authorities.
Our Bishop has urged us to take a lesson from this and be careful of the decisions we make in life, so the consequences don’t hurt us in the future. It is a lesson we take well.
We stand by Ms. Agwu. She has been a dedicated member of the church and we will continue to support her and Mr. Akiyesi. It is our hope and prayer that in all of this, God is glorified and His house of worship above reproach.
Chika Moses
Media Representative,
Overcomers Church World Outreach