In a harrowing tale that has captivated and enraged many across social media, a 28-year-old Nigerian woman, Victory Oyakire—fondly called Vicky—has spoken out against years of alleged brutal domestic abuse at the hands of her ex-husband, Pastor Godfirst Omiunu, General Overseer of the Fruit of Restoration Ministry (Miracle Land) in Warri, Delta State.
But instead of receiving justice, Vicky says she’s now facing threats of arrest, intimidation, and police harassment—all allegedly orchestrated by the very man who left her bedridden and crippled.
Marriage Turned Nightmare
A native of Ekpoma, Edo State, Vicky once believed she had found love in the arms of a “man of God.” But that illusion shattered just seven weeks into their marriage. In a viral video filled with pain and vulnerability, she recalls the moment her nightmare began.
> “It started the day I was watching Big Brother Naija. He said a pastor’s wife shouldn’t watch that. Before I could explain, he beat me—punched me in the face and kicked me in the stomach. I didn’t even know I was pregnant then. I lost the baby that day.”
Despite the trauma, Vicky said she returned to him after pleas from his family, believing he would change. But the abuse only escalated—from beatings to starvation, psychological torment, and death threats.
> “He mocked my sickle cell condition and told me he’d kill me and blame it on that. He starved me, choked me, insulted me in private, then pretended to adore me in public. In church, he called me ‘my beautiful wife.’ At home, he called me pig, mugu, goat.”
The young woman detailed a chilling double life: While Pastor Omiunu preached righteousness from the pulpit, Vicky says he lived a life of infidelity, even engaging in explicit acts with church members.
> “One church woman used to wash his boxers, buy him Viagra and condoms. He claimed he was using porn and sexting to ‘learn new skills.’ He compared my body to other women’s, mocked me for not being ‘his spec,’ and emotionally shattered me.”
Friends, family, and even strangers have asked why she stayed.
> “He told me no one would marry a sickle cell patient. That I was secondhand because I had a child. That no one would believe me because he’s a pastor and I’m nothing. I wore a mask. I smiled in public. I was dying inside.”
Vicky said she hid her suffering from everyone—until it was too late. By the time she confided in her father, she could barely walk. Now, she is completely bedridden.
Three years later, the consequences of the abuse have left Vicky permanently disabled, dependent on her aged parents, and unable to afford treatment.
> “I’m a French graduate. I wanted to teach, travel, work. Now I can’t even attend therapy. My dreams are frozen. My daughter, the only surviving child from the pregnancies, turns three this August. The other two pregnancies were lost to beatings.”
Her ex-husband, she says, only began sending ₦20,000 monthly after child services intervened.
Despite everything, Vicky chose to speak out. But that decision, she claims, has brought even more danger. According to her, police officers visited her home in a bid to arrest her for “defamation” and “inciting violence” for naming her ex-husband in her video.
> “They told me I’d go to jail, and to delete my videos. I explained I never asked anyone to harm him—I posted that video to calm people down. I just wanted to tell my story. They didn’t care. They only wanted me to be silent.”
Since then, she has received anonymous calls, allegedly from police operatives, warning her to take down the content or face arrest.
Now, Vicky is appealing to civil society groups, legal advocates, women’s rights organisations, and well-meaning Nigerians.
> “I never wanted to go public. But the intimidation is getting worse. I will not take down my story—it is all I have left. I want justice, not revenge. I want to walk again. I want to raise my daughter in peace.”
She firmly denies inciting violence against Pastor Omiunu, stating:
> “I didn’t ask anyone to hurt him. I just told the truth. He did this to me, and now he wants to punish me for surviving. If my parents hadn’t taken me back, I would have died.”
Efforts to reach Pastor Omiunu were unsuccessful. He did not respond to calls or messages.
When contacted for comment, the spokesperson for the Delta State Police Command, Bright Edafe, requested Vicky’s full name but has not issued a formal response as of the time of this report.
Vicky’s story has reignited conversations around domestic abuse, clergy impunity, and the systemic failure to protect survivors in Nigeria. While her physical body may be broken, her voice is now a rallying cry—for justice, accountability, and change.
She may be bedridden, but she is not silent. And she is not alone.
If you are a legal advocate, NGO, journalist, or supporter willing to help Vicky, please consider amplifying her story and demanding justice from the relevant authorities.
PIONEER NEWS 