On Monday, April 28, Nkechi Harry-Ngonadi, a Nigerian entrepreneur, started an important conversation when she shared that a Nigerian stylist, identified as Ejiro, had gone missing after allegedly falling prey to a prayer group, Abba’s Heart Ministries, which is believed to be a cult.
Harry-Ngonadi followed up on her claim with a video showing Ejiro and two other women who are believed to be members of the prayer group. According to Harry-Ngonadi, the video was captured in January 2025, after Ejiro and the two group members travelled from Lagos to Abuja to warn her family against looking for her, stressing they had no reason to do that since she “wasn’t missing.” The two group members were also heard denying a woman believed to be Ejiro’s sister the right to see her in private.
What is Abba’s Heart Ministry, and how did Ejiro get involved?
Abba’s Heart Ministry is a prayer group founded by Joy Solomon. The specific date of this group’s establishment is still unclear, but it is believed to have started in 2020 and convened every Wednesday at 9 p.m.
Photo image of Joy Solomon. Photo: Arise TV
Ejiro reportedly joined the group when she came across some of Joy Solomon’s prophecies that appealed to her. Shortly after, she allegedly paid over $300 to join the group’s Bible study academy.
Ejiro’s family says her life has taken a downward spiral since then. According to Ejiro’s brother, Ovie Daniels, Ejiro started following some of the ministry’s unconventional instructions, which included shutting down her business, moving out of her apartment, and cutting off her family and friends.
In Daniel’s words, “I noticed there was this secrecy about them [the ministry]. Ejiro could be in a Zoom meeting with Joy Solomon and the rest, and if you pass by, she will cover her system and phone.
“I remember asking her why it was so secretive, and I was also asking who this Joy Solomon was and the rest. She would say things like she’s a prophetess in the Bible. They were also living in isolation.“She wasn’t listening because those people were speaking to her. She wouldn’t pick up calls or show up for family gatherings. One day, we went to her house in Abuja, where she was staying, and we found someone else living in the house, Taiye Adekanmi”.
The group’s social media accounts have been deactivated, and Joy Solomon has yet to debunk these claims.
Where is Ejiro now?
On Thursday, May 1, a few days after news of her alleged disappearance went viral, Ejiro went live on Instagram to debunk the claims made by Harry-Ngonadi and her family. According to her, the group never instructed her to disable her social media accounts (she mentioned that Instagram deactivated her former accounts), change her phone number or shut down her business. She emphasised that she chose to distance herself from her family because of “family issues” and wanted to “start her life over.” In response to the allegations that she was selling her properties and giving the proceeds to the group, she said, “Let’s assume that the allegations of me giving out my things are true, how is that anybody’s business?”
She also confirmed that Joy Solomon is still the “prophet over her life” and anybody who truly wanted to reach her could have done so via email. However, Ejiro’s family members are still not convinced that her actions are normal. On May 2, barely 24 hours after Ejiro’s Live video, her sister-in-law, Funmi Ovie Daniels made an Instagram post saying the family are still praying for her safe return and believe that God will make it possible.
Are there others like Ejiro?
Taiye Adekanmi, the man accused of staying in Ejiro’s house, has publicly claimed that Joy Solomon and the group encouraged him to start a full-time ministry, quit his job, and give out his properties to “people who needed them” after which he was encouraged to move to an AirBNB and a motel.
He also added that there were certain instructions from Joy Solomon he refused to obey, which would have led him down Ejiro’s (and others’) path if he had followed.
Since Taiye’s explanation, other social media accounts have come out to accuse Abba’s Heart Ministry, including Taiye Adekanmi himself, of brainwashing and “possessing” their relatives.
Screenshot showing a social media user’s accusation against the prayer group.
Are security operatives involved?
As Ejiro mentioned in her live video, the police have been involved in the past, but they were forced to step down since there is no law preventing Ejiro from cutting ties with her family. At the time of publication, there are no indications that the police are still investigating this case. However, Ejiro’s family members have continued to make it clear that they are still searching for her and are determined to expose the ministry allegedly responsible for her disappearance.
Margaret Aladeselu
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