Friday, October 21

THE MOST RICHEST PASTOR IN NIGERIA


Excited by the richest people in Africa list in Forbes, Nii Thompson has compiled a list of the five richest spiritual leaders in Africa: "Never mind deferring gratification. That is now the preserve of Tibetan monks, an endangered species!"
Bishop David Oyedepo
Affiliation: Living Faith World Outreach Ministry, aka Winners Chapel
Estimated net worth: $150 million

Chris Oyakhilome
Church: Believers' Loveworld Ministries, a.k.a Christ Embassy
Estimated net worth: $30 million - $50 million

Temitope Joshua
Church: Synagogue Church Of All Nations (SCOAN)
Estimated net worth: $10 million - $15 million

Matthew Ashimolowo
Kingsway International Christian Centre (KICC)
Estimated net worth: $6 million - $10 million

Chris Okotie
Church: Household of God Church
Net worth: $3 million -$10 million
Forbes: The Five Richest Pastors In Nigeria

Cory Doctorow

Upcoming appearances
* Oct 26, Torino: VIEW conference
* Nov 8, Berlin: evening reading (TBD)
* Nov 9, Munich: evening reading livestreamed in cooperation with www.lovelybooks.de (TBD)
* Nov 18-20, Philadelphia: PhilCon
* Nov 22, Washington DC: Public Knowledge/New America Foundation event (TBD)

Recent books:
* Context (essays)
* With a Little Help (short stories)
* For the Win (YA novel)
* Makers (adult novel)

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  • i like that he's conveniently sofa'd over the emergency exit
  • "Bishop David Oyedepo, is now the richest man in Africa according to Forbes"

    I don't think that's what the article is saying..
  • Duh. Brain-o. Thanks!
  • matthew 6:24 and 21:7. looking at oyedepo's church building also 6:6.

    .~.
  • Three Christian, one ambiguous, probably Christian and one Jewish. There don't appear to be any Muslim organizations in the top five. Jesus appears to lead the big money.
  • social_maladroit Moderator 06/11/2011 11:02 AM
    "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

    -- a Jewish carpenter
  • Drive through any ghetto in America, and the nicest cars all belong to drug dealers and religious leaders, both peddling the same species of lie: Your problems have an easy-one-size fits all solution.

    I personally drove through Inglewood, Ca. when I had this realization. Then I wondered who drove the nicest cars in my neighborhood, and what they did to "earn" them. What are they peddling?
  • Does he keep his money in 2 trunk boxes full of cash at a warehouse near the Lagos airport?

    (or insert some other, equally lame 419 joke)
  • "Please send me $2000 so I can get the soul of the ex Minister of Finance of Nigeria into heaven."
  • Drive through any ghetto in America, and the nicest cars all belong to drug dealers and religious leaders...I personally drove through Inglewood, Ca. when I had this realization.

    So on your personal drive through Inglewood you interviewed the drivers of the nicest cars and they told you they were drug dealers and religious leaders?

    Tells us about it in detail. It would be sad if your great true insight were dismissed as ignorant fantasy. You need to back it up with your extensive research.
  • "At the heart of every fortune is a crime."

    Not strictly true, with plenty of super-talented hard-working people doing great work after years of investment (surgeons), and then making some large. But true often enough that it's worth looking closely. (*waves at Facebook*)
  • Fela already told us all about this little problem, back in 1977:

    "I waka any village anywhere in Africa
    Pastor's house na 'im dey fine pass
    My people dem dey stay for poor surroundings
    Pastor’s dress na 'im dey clean pass
    Be it hard for my people for dem to buy soap
    Pastor na 'im dem give respect pass
    And dem dey do bad-bad-bad-bad-bad-bad-bad-bad-bad-bad-bad things."
  • The range of discussion just keeps getting narrower and narrower.
  • B-b-b-but he didn't literally mean the eye of a needle, but rather some gate in Jerusalem, where camels had to duck down to enter! God wants you to be rich! Good old Prosperity Gospel. Where Jesus tells you there's nothing more moral than defunding the poor to pay for tax cuts for the ultra rich.
  • i like that he's conveniently sofa'd over the emergency exit


    His Co-Pilot told him it was cool.
  • mattmcnaught Moderator 06/11/2011 08:38 PM
    This is a really interesting list. I've been following Temitope Joshua (usually known as TB Joshua) for several years now. And the fact that he is obscenely rich in a country of massive poverty is just the start. The guy is a cult leader, considered infallible by his disciples, and there are many accusations that he is a serial sexual abuser.

    I'm from the UK and a lot of friends of mine (I grew up in an evangelical church) went out to visit his church, the Synagogue Church of All Nations (misleading name- no Jewish connection) in about 2000. A number of them, after several visits, decided to stay on as 'disciples' of TB Joshua. Many are still there, having cut off relationships with their family and friends back home.

    A few of my friends have left the church now. All of them came back talking of classic cult-like psychological conditioning, violence, isolation and humiliation. Some claim to have suffered sexual abuse for years (and I believe it, given that they have absolutely nothing to gain from saying this.)

    Even more disturbing than this is his 'healing' ministry. Literally tens of thousands come for healing every week, often from all over Africa (many take out loans or use life savings for the journey). A great number return having been told they've been healed, but there is very little evidence that they actually are (and a lot of evidence to the contrary). This is particularly disturbing in the case of AIDS patients, one of his specialties. How many more people have contracted AIDS because of his false claims of healing? A lot, I'd wager.

    This blog presents ex-disciple testimonies and collects information about the guy:
    http://tbjoshuawatch.wordpress...
  • Nice reflection, but the quote doesn't refer to money, houses, cars, and wealth like we perceive it in our culture. There is a much more interesting,yet subtle interpretation.
  • Anyone can claim to be a Christian.
  • I can always tell the degree of a mans piety by the openness of his books.
  • They all be Xtian. How can anybody believe any of that crap... or any of the rest of Judeochrislam. I'd sooner be an animist: "I talk to the trees" (in Eckles-type voice).
  • Yo guys forgot something: Some of them were rich before became pastors. Church itself cannot produce 150million.
  • http://nakedlaw.avvo.com/2010/...

    You can get really rich off the church and donations.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P...
  • The "Synagogue Church Of All Nations" is not Jewish. All of the organizations are Christian.
  • On behalf of Prophet T.B. Joshua and The SCOAN:

    We have been informed of the many recent articles on the internet stating that Prophet T.B. Joshua is one of Nigeria's richest pastors. We have a few words to say on the issue.

    First, we do not understand how those involved came to their conclusions. There are many who are wealthy in Nigeria and around the world and there is nothing at all wrong with having money. Money is a gift and the richest have that blessing. But we are not among them.

    Since the inception of this ministry we have given out all we received from God's generous hands. We have made it our daily habit to give to those in need – the widows, widowers, physically challenged, little people, fatherless and rejected in society. All of this can be seen on Emmanuel TV – a station established to change lives, change nations and change the world by examples of how to spend more on others and less on ourselves.

    We therefore cannot be categorized among the wealthiest in Nigeria because what money we receive is not accumulated but rather given out to those who need it most. Apart from money, assets that classify one among the wealthiest are not in our possession. For example, houses around the world or private jets. It is true, we do not own a private jet – not that there is anything wrong with owning one. They are a blessing and can be used to further the Gospel. But we do not own one.

    In the light of these truths, we ask that the articles stating us among the wealthiest pastors in Nigeria be retracted, please. We are simply not among.

    There is not enough to keep for tomorrow. As it comes, we give it for the needy.

    Please take your time to do your investigation on the facts we have given to you. What you publish is true, if we keep the money or save the money. The money is given to the needy.

    We are definitely not among the wealthiest in Nigeria. Take note, we are not against the wealthy or the richest or having private jets, assets or houses all over the world. We are definitely not among because there is not enough to keep.

    Please put your record right for posterity and for the good name of your site.

    The SCOAN
  • "There is not enough to keep for tomorrow. As it comes, we give it for the needy."

    For an official statement this is pretty lame. First, the original post on the Forbes blog mentioned TB Joshua's spending on humanitarian projects- this is an entirely separate issue. $10-15 million is the amount that he keeps for himself.

    If you want to defend TB Joshua, start by telling us 1) how he acquired this massive PERSONAL wealth in the first place and 2) how the church and its humanitarian projects are audited to ensure that funds are not misused ot lost to corruption.
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