The long-hidden cancer battle of Ayo Oritsejafor has now come to light after the prominent cleric shared an emotional and deeply personal account of his health crisis.
Speaking through his official Instagram page, the founder of Word of Life Bible Church revealed that he kept his severe diagnosis away from most members of his congregation while enduring months of pain, medical complications, and expensive treatment behind closed doors.
During the most difficult stages of the illness, Oritsejafor said he continued preaching and appearing before church members despite suffering intense physical pain.
Although he did not disclose the exact type of cancer, the cleric described the condition as severe, revealing that it left him bedridden for months and required enormous medical expenses.
According to him, he often had to smile and laugh publicly while silently battling pain.
“I was in pain, but I still had to smile and laugh with people in church,” he said.
The cleric added that he eventually travelled abroad for treatment after the pain became unbearable and was later informed that the cancer had spread to other parts of his body.
Explaining the timeline of his treatment, Oritsejafor said doctors initially delayed surgery, forcing him to return home before travelling back overseas months later.
In a video shared online, he recalled attending the church’s Jubilee programme in Nigeria while still in severe pain.
“I was singing and dancing publicly while going through pain,” he recounted.
He later travelled abroad again after his condition worsened.
As treatment progressed, doctors reportedly carried out further tests to determine whether the cancer had spread to his bones.
According to the cleric, one of the doctors — who was also a minister — became emotional after the results came back negative.
“He danced and told me to dance too because the cancer had not spread to my bones,” Oritsejafor said.
Despite signs of improvement, the pastor said his condition later deteriorated after he developed a severe infection that left doctors deeply concerned.
He explained that he suddenly experienced breathing difficulties and was rushed back to the hospital, where medical personnel discovered an unfamiliar and dangerous infection.
According to him, doctors considered emergency surgery, but the risks were extremely high.
An elderly doctor reportedly advised against the operation, warning that he might not survive it.
Instead, the doctor developed an antibiotic treatment. While the first medication failed, a second treatment eventually worked and marked the beginning of his recovery.
Reflecting on the ordeal, Oritsejafor described the period as one of strict isolation, saying people were warned not to enter his hospital room without proper protection because of the severity of the infection.
He also revealed the staggering financial burden of the illness.
“I spent over $120,000 (N160 million),” he said.
