Outrage as Pastor Iren Dismiss Sexual Abuse in Viral Sermon Clip

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

A viral sermon clip featuring Apostle Emmanuel Iren, the founder and lead pastor of Celebration Church International (CCI), has sparked widespread backlash across social media after the clergyman made statements that appear to minimise the reality of sexual assault, particularly against women.

In the 56-second video shared by X user Ojay on April 24, Pastor Iren claimed, “In this ministry, 9 out of 10 cases where the woman claimed she was sexually assaulted turned out to be false.” He then suggested that once consent is given in any prior intimate interaction, allegations of sexual assault lose validity. “You kiss him, he kiss you, they both kissed, but she’ll say no, he assaulted me, wahala,” he added, drawing laughter from the congregation.

Many feminists and social commentators have condemned the remarks as not only irresponsible but deeply harmful to survivors of sexual violence. By implying that prior intimacy equates to indefinite consent, Iren’s statement reflects a dangerous misconception that has long been used to delegitimise survivors’ experiences and silence women seeking justice.

On X (formerly Twitter), users expressed outrage and disappointment. “Pastor Iren just basically told his male members that if they’ve ever had consensual sex with a woman, they can assault her,” tweeted Imoteda. “That was such an irresponsible, disgusting, despicable statement to make but am I surprised? Absolutely not.”

Uloma, another X user, called the moment “an awful, diabolical thing to say,” noting how the audience’s reaction—laughter—underscored the normalisation of rape culture in some religious spaces. “And of course, his sheep are seated there, laughing,” she added.

Critics also pointed to a deeper concern about how such statements from positions of authority might translate into real-life consequences for women within and beyond the church community. Ore Akinde wrote, “Only the gods know how many cases of rape and assault he has ‘settled’, how many women he has silenced, how many he has accused of lying—.”

Other users, like Wickedsous, expressed resignation and frustration with women who continue to support such leaders. “All the women going to this man’s church I have no pity or empathy for you. I will not move an inch. I will watch and ignore.” 

The original poster, Ojay, also further quoted “Nigga goes on to say it’s good for the falsely accused, because they’re kissing women in the church—as if kissing is a one person activity. Beware of the things and people you listen to,” while Kiki Mordi also stated “All I hear is defence for an incoming accusation.”

Pastor Iren’s remarks reinforce a troubling pattern in religious institutions where male leaders often perpetuate rape myths, dismiss survivors’ voices, and shield abusers through coded language and public ridicule. His attempt to discredit survivors not only endangers women within his congregation but also adds to the pervasive societal barriers that discourage victims from speaking out.