MFM founder Olukoya demands N550m from widow Yewande Roberts over sexual harassment claims and late husband's music dispute.
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Dr. Daniel Olukoya, the General Overseer of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries, is taking a tough legal stance. He is demanding N550 million in damages from Yewande Roberts over serious allegations of sexual harassment and abuse.
Roberts is the widow of the late MFM youth pastor and gospel artist, Tope Roberts. She is also the daughter of former Nigeria Football Federation Technical Director, Olatunde Disu.
The trouble started after Roberts took to social media to accuse the prominent cleric and his church of grave misconduct. She claimed the church had unlawfully held onto her late husband's intellectual property for years.
In a formal memorandum dated June 1, Olukoya's lawyer, Jude Ehiedu, fired back. The legal document described Roberts' claims as false, malicious, and completely defamatory.
The church explained its side of the story. According to the letter sent via WhatsApp, MFM provided financial and welfare support to Roberts and her child after her husband passed away.
However, things went sour when Roberts demanded the release of musical works her late husband recorded under the church. When the church refused to hand over the materials, she allegedly took her grievances online.
The legal team specifically tackled her allegations of sexual misconduct. They denied claims that Olukoya sexually harassed Roberts or ignored sexual misconduct by church officials.
Olukoya's lawyers argued that these publications painted the cleric as morally corrupt and unfit to lead. They also claimed the church was wrongly portrayed as a haven for predators, causing them public ridicule and emotional distress.
The clergyman is not taking it lightly. He gave Roberts a seven-day ultimatum to meet his demands. She must retract all statements, publish unreserved apologies in two national newspapers, and permanently delete all related content online.
If she fails to comply, the church will head straight to court. They are seeking N500 million in general damages and an additional N50 million in aggravated damages.
Despite the tough stance, the church left the door open for peace. Olukoya's legal team noted they are still willing to resolve the dispute out of court through negotiation.
But Roberts has a very different version of events. According to an earlier report by SaharaReporters, she shared a deeply troubling account of her time in the church.
She said she joined MFM seeking prayers and counselling for childhood spiritual encounters. When she met Olukoya, she alleged that he asked if she was a virgin, leaving her confused.
Roberts claimed the cleric subjected her to physical and emotional abuse disguised as deliverance. She alleged that during office prayers, he would slap her womb, insert his hands into her ears, and strangulate her neck.
She also accused Olukoya of inappropriate physical contact. She claimed he once hugged her in a way that made her uncomfortable and pulled her bra from behind as if to remove it.
Roberts stated she kept quiet for a long time because she feared no one would believe her. Now, the dispute has boiled over into a fierce legal battle that could rock the religious community.
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