Mary Okanatotor, a family of a Nigerian reverend father, Daniel Okanatotor Oghenerukevwe who was suspended from priestly duties following his alleged marriage in America has disclosed the reason her brother dumped his celibacy vows.
TheNewsGuru recalls that the Catholic Diocese of Warri in Delta State suspended Oghenerukevwe from priestly duties after he married his wife, Dora Chichah, at the Stream of Joy Church in Dallas, USA,
The suspension was contained in a statement titled ‘Decree of Suspension’, dated Thursday, January 16, 2025, and jointly signed by, Rt. Rev. Anthony Ovayero Ewherido, and the Chancellor/Notary, Very Rev. Fr. Clement Abobo.
Speaking on the development, Mary, a woman who claimed to be the biological sister of the suspended Catholic priest, via a social media comment, maintained that the marriage was the brother’s best decision.
According to Okanatotor, her brother was inable to handle the loneliness as a priest, and this affected his mental health gravely.
She further stressed that the family was not physically present to support the priest when he was undergoing difficult challenges.
She wrote, “Thank you all for the comments, the said priest is my brother and it was the best decision for him because he had a lot of issues with his mental health for a long time and couldn’t deal with the loneliness.
“We, his family members, are not with him to give him support physically. Thank you for your encouraging words.
“This is a trying time for our family, but he who finds a wife finds a good thing.
“Secondly, he did not do a secret marriage as he wrote to the Diocese to inform them of his decision.
“Once again, thank you. For the sponsor of this post, may God bless you and reward you accordingly.”