Halima had in a statement shared on her Instagram account on Wednesday, admitted that her past statements were “false and hurtful”.
Nollywood Actress, Chioma Grace Ifemeludike, has berated her colleague in the movie industry, Halima Abubakar, for issuing a public apology to Apostle Johnson Suleman, the Senior Pastor and General Overseer of Omega Fire Ministries International, for her alleged defamatory remarks against him.
Ifemeludike questioned whether the apology wasn’t made under duress after years of trying to convince Nigerians that Suleman wasn’t who he claimed, with evidence that she actually had swollen stomach.
Halima had in a statement shared on her Instagram account on Wednesday, admitted that her past statements were “false and hurtful”.
She had alleged on social media in 2022 that she had a romantic relationship with Suleman, prompting threats of legal action from the cleric over “defamatory statements.”
The controversy took a new twist in 2023 when the actress claimed she had been pregnant three times with Suleman’s child.
Sequel to the allegations, the cleric went to court and in April, a Federal High Court in Abuja ruled in his favour, ordering Halima to pay N10million in damages for defamation.
The court also restrained her from publishing defamatory statements against the cleric.
However, on Wednesday, she took to her Instagram to tender an apology to Suleman, attributing her actions to poor judgment at the time, noting that the apology was motivated by “deep reflection and conscience.”
“I am writing to you today to acknowledge the falsehoods I made against you on social media and to offer my sincere apology,” the letter reads.
“After deep reflection and in order for my conscience to be in accord with God, I have realised the depth of the harm, pain, and distress caused by my lies.
“I admit that I made false allegations against you and also regret my actions and the damage I caused to you, your wife, Dr Mrs Lizzy Suleiman, your family, and the leaders of Omega Fire Ministries. With this letter, I humbly ask for your forgiveness, recognising that my apology cannot undo the harm, pain, and distress I caused.
“I ask you to find a place in your heart to forgive me, as I was not thinking clearly at that time. Sir, you have done a lot for humanity; please extend your hands of forgiveness to me,” she explained.
Ifemeludike, however, took to her Instagram on Friday to lambast Halima, querying “What is Halima Abubakar apologetic for?
“That she didn’t date him or he didn’t cause her all the health issues she dragged him for for years, including sharing evidence she actually had swollen stomach.”
The actress requested that Halima should tell them what exactly the apology was all about, retorting whether it was about “wanting to clean up a badly stained name…”
She insisted that giving some short lines of written apology after years of trying to convince them that “this man ‘ain’t’ who he claims isn’t enough.
“I hope the apology wasn’t done under duress,” she posited.
She wrote: “What is Halima Abubakar apologetic for? That she didn’t date him or he didn’t cause her all the health issues she dragged him for for years, including sharing evidence she actually had swollen stomach. We need to know what exactly the apology is; giving us some short lines of written apology after years of trying to convince us this man ain’t who he claims isn’t enough. I hope the apology wasn’t done under duress.”
Taking a sweep on Suleiman, the Actress asked, “Why would a self acclaimed man of God work so hard to clean up a mess he created himself?
“Instead of admitting his weaknesses abi practices, genuinely repenting and seeking the face of God (that’s if God knows him)…” she maintained