Dora Chichah, the wife of Rev. Fr. Daniel Okanatotor Oghenerukevwe, a suspended Catholic priest from the Diocese of Warri, Delta State—has shared the remarkable story of how she met her husband.
Reports indicate that Rev. Oghenerukevwe was suspended by the Catholic Diocese of Warri for “allegedly contracting a secret marriage in the United States without completing the formal process of being released from his priestly vows.”
The Diocese explained that Oghenerukevwe had officially requested to be relieved of his canonical obligations on the 30th of November, 2024.
However, they clarified, “We reached out to him, asking for the required documents to begin the process, but the priest went on to marry without completing the procedure.”
Photos of the wedding, held in Dallas, Texas, quickly went viral, sparking widespread reactions.
During a live testimony session at Pastor Jerry Eze’s Streams of Joy International Church in Dallas, Dora recounted her inspiring journey.
In a video reposted on the 20th of January, 2025, by Catholic missionary priest Fr. Kelvin Ugwu, Dora introduced herself as a single mother of three who had prayed fervently for a husband for over nine years.
“What God cannot do does not exist. We dey pray, e dey show,” she declared. “My name is Dora, and I’m giving my testimony from Streams of Joy, Dallas. Indeed, the Lord has shown me mercy. Since 2020, I have been on this altar, believing God for a life partner. I’m a single mother of three and I have been believing in God for over nine years for a divine settlement. I kept on praying. I said, God settle me.”
Dora described a pivotal moment during Pastor Jerry’s prophetic declarations in July 2021:
“In July 2021, Pastor Jerry said the Lord has heard you; he said the Lord allowed all that has happened to take you to your wealthy place. He is your salvation. In your waiting time, He will build your character. I kept praying. Anytime Pastor Jerry says, ‘Women in their 30s, women in their 40s, receive your husband,’ I would dance and pray, believing God.”
In 2024, Dora said she heard God clearly instruct her to relocate to Dallas, Texas. It was there she reconnected with Daniel, a man she had known during her childhood.
They exchanged contact information, and their connection deepened.
“He told me stories about how he has been praying for four years for discernment in his vocation. And in my own case, I had been praying too. He said he had been fasting for three months, asking God to give him the woman for him,” Dora revealed.
Their relationship progressed rapidly.
“In three months, we had gone through the marriage class. Within three months, we did the traditional wedding; we did the court. And the white wedding in Streams of Joy, Dallas,” she said.
While Dora did not address her husband’s priestly status during her testimony, the video included images of their wedding.
Meanwhile, reports revealed that a woman identifying herself as Daniel’s biological sister, Mary Okanatotor, defended the marriage, describing it as the best decision for her brother.
“He did not do a secret marriage as he wrote to the Diocese to inform them of his decision,” Mary stated in a social media post.