Apostle Sam Adegoke of Elijah Generation Church in Akure, Ondo State, has apologised to women with whom he had sexual relationships before his marriage and announced that he has stepped back from public ministry to reflect and make amends.
Adegoke, who recently got married, disclosed this in a statement released on Monday, where he accepted responsibility for his past conduct and apologised to the women involved, his wife, family, church members and others who had trusted him as a spiritual leader.
The pastor acknowledged that he had engaged in sexual relationships before marriage, describing his actions as something he deeply regrets.
He said he had withdrawn from public ministry and social media in recent weeks to reflect on his past, seek counsel and address the issues surrounding his conduct.
Adegoke stressed that the fact that the relationships occurred before his marriage was not an excuse for his actions, which he said fell short of the standards he was expected to uphold as a Christian minister.
He said he had been seeking God, receiving pastoral and professional counselling and examining his behaviour as part of the process.
The cleric also apologised to the women involved for any hurt or harm he may have caused, as well as to his wife, family, church colleagues and others who had placed their trust in him.
According to him, his decision to step away from public ministry was intended to give him time to address his conduct and make necessary changes.
Adegoke said genuine repentance should be reflected in changed behaviour, accountability and a willingness to accept the consequences of one’s actions.
He added that he would continue to submit himself to appropriate spiritual, pastoral and professional accountability during the process.
The pastor also appealed to the public to pray for him, saying he wanted the humility and courage to confront his past honestly, make amends where appropriate and work towards personal transformation.
He expressed regret over his actions and pledged to move forward with greater integrity, responsibility and accountability.
Following the development, Adegoke and his wife reportedly disabled comments on their respective Instagram accounts.
