Nollywood actress Doris Ogala has filed a N1 billion lawsuit against cleric, Pastor Chris Okafor, over an alleged breach of promise to marry.
The actress made the development public on Wednesday after sharing a formal demand letter issued by her lawyers, Synergy Law Partners, on her social media pages.
Ogala had, a few days earlier, sparked controversy online after accusing the pastor of planning to marry another woman despite what she described as years of an intimate relationship with her.
She expressed that she had feelings of suicide due to the issues she was facing.
In a series of social media posts seen by Dockaysworld, she alleged that the relationship involved deep emotional and sexual ties, and accused the cleric of sharing her private videos, influencing her to terminate a pregnancy, and contributing to personal tragedies, including the death of her brother.
According to the legal notice dated and addressed to Pastor Chris Okafor of Grace Nation – Liberation City, the actress claims the relationship began in 2017 during a period of marital distress, when the pastor allegedly offered pastoral support alongside a clear promise of marriage.
The letter states that the alleged promise was reinforced through introductions to the pastor’s family, including his children, and appearances together at family functions, which her lawyers say created a legitimate expectation of marriage.
Ogala further claims she relied on the promise to her detriment by leaving her troubled marriage and entrusting the cleric with N45 million in a single transaction.
Her lawyers argue that the pastor’s public announcement of his engagement to another woman amounts to a clear breach of the alleged agreement, causing severe emotional, psychological, and reputational damage.
Meanwhile, photos circulating online suggest that Pastor Chris Okafor has gone ahead to marry his fiancée in a semi-private ceremony, despite the ongoing controversy surrounding the allegations and the legal action.
The suit also alleges that the actress has been subjected to intense online harassment and victim-shaming, as well as the malicious circulation of her nude photographs without consent.
The demand letter cites life-threatening health consequences, including panic attacks and suicidal thoughts, allegedly arising from the fallout of the matter.
Ogala is demanding N1 billion as aggravated and general damages and has given the cleric 21 days to comply, failing which legal action will be instituted in court.
