Popular Lagos prophet practising polygamy gives reason for marrying 3 wives

• The leader of the Vineyard of Deliverance Ministry, Prophet Joseph Apata, explained why he has multiple wives
• He recounted how his journey to becoming a prophet was torrid, even losing over 70 per cent of his congregation
• Prophet Apata said God's instruction and inspiration backed his decision to take a second and third wife

Legit.ng journalist Segun Adeyemi has over 9 years of experience covering political events, civil societies, courts, and metro

The general overseer of the Vineyard of Deliverance ministry, Prophet Joseph Apata, recently shared the reasons behind his decision to have multiple wives.

Hailing from the Ebira tribe in Kogi state, he reflected on the beginning of his polygamous journey in 1999 when he married his first wife, Pastor Margaret Tani Apata, who was initially a member of his congregation.

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Prophet Apata, as quoted by Punch, said:

"She was about 22 years old when we wedded. I met her in 1998. She started attending my church when we were still worshipping under the tree.

"She was an orphan and an undergraduate. God told me to marry her and see her through school. After we married, we struggled a lot and experienced lack and poverty."

He shared that the situation didn't improve as time went on, so he sought divine help.

He said God guided him to take another woman as his wife.

Prophet Apata said:

"I called my first wife and told her that I wanted to marry the widow as my second wife. We had five children then; three girls and two boys. My first wife got me arrested and I was taken to the police station.

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"I told the police officers the same thing, that I must obey God. The police told her that I was adamant and she was free to divorce me. As for me, I don’t believe in the court, I pay my wives’ bride prices and bring them to church for blessing. My first wife chose to remain with me."

Marriage to second and third wives

The well-known clergy shared that following his marriage in 2011 to his second spouse, he achieved millionaire status, Premium Times reported.

Nonetheless, he acknowledged that opting for another marriage came at a high price, causing a 70 per cent decline in the church congregation.

He said:

"About 70 per cent of our members left the church because I took a second wife. But God then added more members. When people saw that I had become a millionaire, they started coming back to the church, and I started seeing the crowd again."

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When asked about the reasons behind marrying a third time, he explained:

"In my first wife’s family, they don’t normally live long. When she got sick and everybody was afraid, I told God that I didn’t want her to die.

"So, God told me to bring in a third wife and he would make me a billionaire and my first wife would not die."

“Dollar would go to N2,500”, Prophet Ritabbi shares prophecy for Nigeria

In another report, prominent Nigerian cleric Prophet Ritabbi disclosed “what God showed” him in 2024.

Legit.ng reported that Ritabbi predicted further hardship for Nigerians as the world welcomes the new year.

The cleric said government schools would shut “because there would be no money to pay teachers.”

Source: Legit.ng