Media personality and Big Brother Naija star Pere Egbi has spoken out in defence of Pastor Chris Oyakhilome following renewed public debate over a viral video showing congregants allegedly rising and walking after prayers by the cleric.
The video, which has circulated widely on social media in recent days, has sparked mixed reactions, with some viewers expressing awe and others voicing skepticism.
Amid the controversy, Egbi says his personal experience with Pastor Oyakhilome leaves him in no doubt about the reality of divine healing.
“I’m seeing the video of ten people getting up and walking after Pastor Chris told them to get up, and I’m also reading some strange comments about it,” Egbi said. “But I encountered him many years ago, long before the church became what it is today.”
Egbi recounted an encounter from the early days of Christ Embassy, when Pastor Oyakhilome was yet to establish the now-popular Healing School.
According to him, the incident occurred during a Monday programme known as Faith Clinic, at a time when the church was considerably smaller.
“At the time, I was on a healing line because my left hand had complications from surgery,” he explained. “There were still lingering issues from the procedure.”
He said Pastor Oyakhilome approached him during the service, held his left hand, fixed his gaze on him, and spoke just one word.
“He didn’t pray a long prayer. He simply held my hand, looked at me without blinking, and said, ‘Healed.’”
Egbi says the impact of that moment has lasted for years.
“Fast forward to today—my left hand remains healed,” he stated. “I’ve shared this story before. People who follow me closely have heard me say it.”
While acknowledging that public figures and religious leaders are often subjected to scrutiny, Egbi insists that personal experiences should not be dismissed outright.
“There are many reasons why I believe God heals through Pastor Chris,” he said. “You cannot take that experience away from me. I do know what I know.”
As debates over faith, miracles, and modern Christianity continue to play out online, Egbi’s account adds a deeply personal dimension to the conversation, one rooted not in viral clips, but in a lived experience he says has stood the test of time.
