Ope Pelemoh is only trying to tarnish my image – GWR star, Chidinma Okafor

Guinness World Record (GWR) holder in crochet, Chidinma Modupe Okafor, has denied an allegation of backstabbing made against her by the owner of Movee Express Africa, Ope Nimbe Pelemoh.

Pelemoh who is the former Head Marketing & Sponsorship Manager for AYSHOW had earlier accused Okafor of using him to attain stardom.

Okafor broke the world record for the longest crocheting marathon, setting a new record of 72 hours. The 30-year-old created a white dinner gown during her three-day “crochet-a-thon,” more than doubling the previous record of 34 hours and 7 minutes, set by Alessandra Hayden (USA) in 2021.

Pelemoh in an interview with The Guardian said his company, Movee Exp Bulding Africa gave Okafor the necessary financial support in her quest to set a new GWR in crochet but after attaining stardom, she decided to turn her back on him.

The Guardian thereafter reached out to Chidinma who, however, countered the allegation, with the new Guinness World Record holder in crochet denying that she used Pelemoh in attaining stardom.

She said Pelemoh spent some money to help her actualise her GWR dream but it wasn’t up to the amount being specified by the Movee Exp Bulding Africa owner who is only trying to tarnish her image.

READ ALSO: 22-year-old seeks N20m for kidney transplant

Can you please tell us your own version of the story about what exactly transpired between you and Pelemoh? He said he spent millions of naira in helping you set a new Guinness World Record in crochet.

If Ope wants to press charges, he should go ahead but he needs to bring the proof of the money he said he spent. I think that is where we will start from.

This is because I don’t understand what he said he spent money on. My parents are not dead, so I don’t understand how he spent money on me.

He has been fighting me tooth and nail but I have just been quiet, acting like a fool but that does not mean that I am a fool but as they say, empty drums make the loudest noise.

I don’t make noise but there is nowhere he hasn’t spoilt my name and integrity. However, I know people who know me intoto will know what to believe, that is one thing I know.

I am not a troublesome person. If I were, from the first time he started all these nonsense, I would have taken a step but I don’t need it. What I am after is just how to make my life and career better.

He called someone to say he spent ₦2 million, he called another person and said it was ₦2.5m, he told somebody it was ₦3m and has also said he spent ₦3.5m. Where are the proofs? What is going on?

What and what did he spend on? I got a free venue for my Guinness World Record attempt from Goge Africa, so I didn’t spend money to get a space.

My parents paid the media people who came to cover my event. I was given ₦600,000 for the press conference we held in January 2024.

AXA Mansard gave me ₦200,000 and one food company gave us ₦400,000 which we used in organising the press conference. So, what did this guy spend money on?

In other words, are you saying that he didn’t spend money on you to achieve your Guinness World Record feat?

I am not saying that he didn’t actually spend any money, he spent but it couldn’t have been more than ₦200,000 and why I say this is maybe when we wanted to upload the video on GWR, he dropped some money.

You know that video was long, so he spent about ₦50,000 and he also sent money to a guy working on the video. You are dating somebody, common, I don’t know why he is acting childish.

Were you guys dating each other like he told us?

I wouldn’t even want to go into all of those things as they are not necessary to me. What I am actually after is hearing him accusing me wrongly and that he spent money on me. I want the proof of what he spent.

Goge Africa gave me free venue, Yeye Wool gave me free wools and my friends were always around to support me.

Yes, he supported me with his time and everything, I value it so much which I will always be saying thank you to him and I have always been grateful to him, I have never been ungrateful.

Did you sign a contract with Pelemoh and his company that they were sponsoring your GWR attempt?

We never signed any contract. There was never any document that we signed. Even he claiming to be my manager, I did not sign any contract with him saying ‘Ope Nimbe Pelemoh, you are my manager ‘. There was nothing to that effect.

I was also sent a website link saying “How Movee Express Africa sponsored Chidinma Modupe Okafor to set new Guinness World Record in crochet” and I was wondering how they sponsored me.

He is just trying to give himself accolades and I am so disappointed in that website who posted such story and backdated it, where he said he would do anything to support my GWR attempt.

A story I never saw since December 2023 and all of a sudden, they posted it and backdated it to December 16. How come? But like I said, I am just keeping my cool and I am just being very calm because I don’t need dramas in my life.

I have hustled all my life, I have tried all my best to reach this level in life and nobody as long as that person is not Jesus Christ can bring me down.

There is nobody that will say a thing in my life and it will come to pass as long as God has not said it, I am not scared. Imagine Ope calling my best friend and saying all manner of things to her.

Sometimes, I wonder and ask if he doesn’t know that he is only degrading himself. Tell me which organisation will want to work with a man that rants his mouth more than a woman.

I really wonder if he ever thinks about his reputation because if he does, he wouldn’t be doing all these things he is doing.

He and I had a misunderstanding but everybody was so calm and for two months, he never reached out to me. All of a sudden, when he saw the stardom, he started coming out to say he spent his money on me.

Even the press conference we held, we paid the media companies about ₦130,000, so how did he spend ₦3.5m? Is he trying to hype himself?

I was not able to show appreciation to the companies and individuals who supported me because they never gave me any contact and everyone of them will feel that I am so ungrateful.