Former President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and founder of Word of Life Bible Church, Ayo Oritsejafor, has opened up about his intense and private battle with an aggressive form of cancer.
In a video message shared with his congregation, the prominent cleric revealed that he endured severe physical and emotional pain in silence, continuing to preach and interact cheerfully with members without disclosing his condition.
Reflecting on the experience, he recounted how doctors delivered a grim prognosis, saying the cancer had spread and offered little hope. Despite this, he returned home and maintained his usual activities—dancing, supporting others, and serving in ministry—while battling the illness.
Oritsejafor disclosed that he later travelled to the United States for treatment, where he spent about four months receiving specialised care at a cost of approximately $120,000. He noted that he deliberately chose to appear strong and healthy in public as part of his personal approach to life.
He said the experience transformed his perspective, adding that although he recovered and returned to Nigeria, another individual he knew who was battling a similar condition at the same time passed away abroad.
The cleric urged his congregation not to celebrate his recovery in a way that compares him with others who did not survive, attributing his healing to divine mercy and a renewed commitment to serve more faithfully in ministry.