Chris Okotie bans Journalist from Church after publishing Story

The journalist is Biodun Kupoluyi, the publisher of E24/7 Magazine. He is alleging that the senior pastor of Household of God, Chris Okotie, has barred him from attending his church after he wrote a story alleging that Rev Okotie is dating an undergraduate named Miss Naomi Hoffman.

He granted an interview to Encomium magazine this week, telling his side of the story. See it below...

I received the news from a man claiming he's representing the church that he has been directed by the pastor of the church and members of Household of God church that I should not come and worship with them. His reason, he said, was premised on E24-7 magazine's expose - pastor Chris finds new love, says I will not get married again, but may opt for surrogacy soon. I found it shocking that a day after the publication hit the streets, his media department sent a release out and it confirmed our story. He actually made those statements and we reported it. I think he did not think anybody could have known about his romance with the girl, Naomi. He was caught off guard..but as a journalist, I owe our teeming readers that responsibility. I feel fulfilled, though I will miss his theatrics, his stage performances and verbosity.

My perception of the church and my respect for the man has changed. He is not a serious preacher of the gospel. The job of a good shepherd is to seek a lost sheep, not to ban a sheep or send away a sheep from the fold. It is only in our environment that these kind of things happen. Because I worship in a church, I can't write the story of the pastor even if the pastor is doing what is wrong? But the pastor and the church will hail me if I praise him or do a PR story for them.

Despite the ban, if journalistic duties calls I will go there. In fact we were there the following week after I was barred. It was the week he claimed Christians can do tattoos and plastic surgery. We went with a whole crew, looking forward to a show down. I'm a free citizen. I can not be cowed. And I stand by my story on Naomi. That is not disputable!