OMOVIGHO DONALD, as the founder of Omovigho Donald Foundation, shares with ELIZABETH IKEGIMA how a fateful encounter in 2015 set her on a mission to rescue prostitutes and transform lives of not a few in Edo State, Nigeria.
WHILE EVANGELIZING with two friends in Orerokpe town, Delta State one blessed day, Omovigho stumbled into a brothel. Her friends quickly retreated, but she saw an opportunity.
“Joy lighted up within me,” she recalls, “as I had always wanted to minister to prostitutes with the hope of getting them converted to Christ.”
Undeterred by the sight of nearly naked women, Omovigho began sharing God’s word, moving from room to room. This marked the beginning of her mission. Her first convert, Mercy, at the Maxmiller Brothel.
Mercy, initially resisted but eventually surrendered her life to God after attending the Living Faith Church’s annual programme, Shiloh, in December 2015.
This early success inspired Omovigho to continue her work. When she started studying Science Laboratory Technology at the University of Benin (UNIBEN), she gathered a group of like-minded young women and expanded her outreach to other brothels in Benin, including Edokpolor, Togate, and White House.
Omovigho’s compassion extended beyond spiritual support. She once took in a prostitute who had been sexually assaulted and discovered she had contracted HIV/AIDS. Despite the challenges, Omovigho provided care and support, driven by faith and compassion.
A particularly striking experience was her encounter with the chairlady of a brothel where she had planned to quit prostitution if God would bring back her missing son.
Not long after few short prayers, the son returned home from Abuja, apologizing and bringing gifts. Yet, the chairlady initially refused to change her ways. But the preacher woman continued to pray fervently for the brothel to be transformed into a place of worship.
Her prayers were eventually answered, and the brothel became a worship center, leading the chairlady to finally surrender to Christ too.
But it wasn’t all a smooth sail as there were resistances faced from brothel managers like a man called “Baba Mayowa”, who perceived her as a threat to their business. Persisting in prayer, she eventually witnessed his transformation when he fell ill, sought help at Living Faith Church, and surrendered to God.
Another remarkable story is that of a woman called Mummy Ijeoma. At the initial stage, she refused Omovigho’s ministry, but not too long thereafter, she shared her tragic story of losing everything and turning to prostitution.
Through visionary assurance and support, Mummy Ijeoma later left the brothel and found a new life, eventually working at Kingdom Heritage Model School and supporting her children’s education.
Omovigho, now married to Pastor Donald and a mother, continues her mission through the Omovigho Donald Foundation.
She said there is need for volunteers and financial sponsors to expand her work, offering hope and transformation to more women trapped in prostitution.
She also noted that interested kingdom supporters can contact her via email at omovigho.buzunu@yahoo.com or connect with her via Instagram at Omovigho Donald Foundation.
