Former CAN President Ayo Oritsejafor has opened up about his secret, multimillion-dollar battle with cancer, revealing the grueling four-month treatment in the United States that cost him $120,000 and brought dramatic displays of loyalty from his associates.
In a video shared online, the founder of Warri-based Word of Life Bible Church provided a behind-thescenes account of the health crisis that threatened his life several months ago.
The cleric disclosed that the journey tested not only his faith and finances but also the devotion of his inner circle.
According to Oritsejafor, after US doctors delivered the cancer diagnosis, they advised him to return home for three months before commencing treatment, deeming immediate intervention as potentially risky.
He returned to Nigeria and attended his church’s major programme, “Jubilee,” while secretly enduring intense pain.
“I was in pain, but I was still doing my best for God. There was cancer in my body. I was laughing, I was smiling,” Oritsejafor recounted.
Following the church programme, he traveled back to the US for treatment. Despite being advised against it, an associate identified as Bayo insisted on accompanying him.
Upon arrival, tests confirmed the cancer had not spread to his bones, and the medical team began months-long surgeries.
However, a complication arose when doctors discovered another unexplained medical condition. An older physician intervened to cancel plans for an additional surgery, warning that it would be fatal, and prescribed antibiotics that successfully cleared the infection.
Throughout the intense treatment, Oritsejafor remained in strict isolation, with visitors required to wear full protective gear. His associate, Bayo, defied hospital protocols, refusing to leave his side or wear the gear, and slept on the floor.
When ordered to leave, he reportedly told doctors, “This is my pastor. I can’t leave him and go anywhere.”
The pastor’s health gradually improved, and he was declared fully fit by the end of treatment, although he lost significant weight.
During recovery, he was placed on a special diet requiring him to eat six times daily and was permitted to eat anything he craved.
He admitted to indulging heavily in pork, a dietary choice the doctors later explicitly cautioned against, clarifying the instruction did not include the meat.
Oritsejafor stated that he spent approximately four months in the US for cancer treatment, culminating in a total medical bill of $120,000. He returned home expressing gratitude for his recovery.
