NIGERIA’S BUSINESSMEN IN CASSOCKS

The brazen display of opulence by the clergy of the Pentecostals contradicts Jesus’ teachings of humility, writes O. JASON OSAI

In an OP-ED titled “Clergies and Discordant Divinations”, the author held thus: “From posh palatial parsonages, platforms and pulpits of Pentecostalism, prosperity-preaching parasitic predator pastors and a plunderous pack of peripheral priests painstakingly and pontifically proselytize while practically pickpocketing and perpetually pauperizing the people”.  (THISDAY December 10, 2022:12). The same author had earlier written that “the greatest hoaxes in humanity are embedded in the mortars and concretes of the obelisks, towers and domes of institutional religion”. (Daily Times, June 12, 2017). Contributing to this deposition, Professor PLO Lumumba, a prime protagonist of Pan-Africanism, laments that “the Bible is now the greatest instrument for creating false industries”; a tax-free Industry built on free labor. Lumumba adds thus: “that is not to be celebrated; rather, it is to be frowned upon”.

            When highly revered men of God peddle falsehoods from the pulpits including the blatant lies that “you won’t make heaven if you don’t pay tithe” and “God asked me to increase fees of [my] university”, one is inclined to agree with the author who concluded the above P-laden paragraph with the damning accusation that the clergies are “pickpocketing and perpetually pauperizing the people”.

            As hard, harsh and judgmental as the above is, the truth remains that the brazen display of opulence by the clergy of the Pentecostals has  become a cause for serious concern; it contradicts Jesus’ teachings of humility. In an unnecessary show of extravagance and opulence bordering on arrogant exhibition of wealth, a religious organization videoed  the travel of its General Overseer (GO) from Lagos to Abuja and published it in the social media. In Lagos, the GO was escorted to a blue and ash Rolls-Royce, which took him in a motorcade to Murtala Muhammed International Airport, where he boarded a private jet. Upon his arrival at Abuja, he was received by a lead pastor and his wife and then chauffeured to Transcorp Hilton Hotel in a white Rolls-Royce and ushered into a presidential suite to ensure the standard of his “posh palatial parsonage”. Incidentally, in a writeup on X, a church slammed this as “INSANE VIP Arrival in 3 Rolls-Royces & a Private Jet!”.

            Another recent display of opulence by the clergy, which also attracted wide criticism, is a milestone birthday celebration of the founder of another Pentecostal church. In a video, one GO of a Pentecostal church after another came calling clad in regalia of royalty, such that departs drastically from the humility associated with men of collar. And they all rolled in in various models of Rolls Royce and other exotic cars and gifted the celebrant with two latest models of Rolls Royce. Haba!!! Talk of “prosperity-preaching parasitic predator pastors”.

            Excesses such as captured in the above  anecdotes have stirred a lot of hitherto unthinkable reactions from the laity and the public.  Writing in social media, Uwem Jay says that “Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey, [which] symbolizes humility, patience and hard work. But today, we are on Rolls-Royce, private jet and presidential suite, which symbolize power, wealth and affluence”. Tee Mac Iseli, the ace flutist, opines that “this lifestyle is not how a true Pastor should live, taking into consideration the poverty level in Nigeria”. For Renny Nwosa, “The colonial masters brought the church with the good news, free education and medicare. But our own brothers took over and kept all the money to themselves”. Daniel Ikechukwu refers to them as a “bunch of pulpit criminals”. These contrast with the recent case in which Pope Francis was gifted a Lamborghini worth $200,000 by the car company and, after appreciating the gift, the Pope directed that the car be sold and the proceeds given to four charity organizations. The celebrant and recipient of two Rolls Royce should take cue from this Christlike humility.

            Reacting to the prevalent phenomenon of priestly complacency and complicity in the face of prevailing fraudulence and decadence in governance in Nigeria, Dele Farotimi, a passionate advocate for the birth of a new and better Nigeria,  refers to clergies as “Religious traders [who] are busy profiting from the misery of the people”. Farotimi further laments that “clerics were invited to Aso Rock where the lesser ones were given ten thousand dollars while the bigger ones were given twenty” for the purchase of their conscience and silence. Similarly, in the poem titled “The Death of a Nation” (TELL, June 19, 2023), the author wrote inter alia thus:

Your priests preach prosperity

And pay no heed to salvation

As the essence of piety

Gets only a casual mention

Urchins and clowns

In cassocks and gowns

Masquerade as clerics

In return for meager fix

From a political behemoth

Who relishes the carnage and rot

He and his ilk have wrought

Incidentally and refreshingly, Pastor William Kumuyi, General Superintendent, Deeper Life Christian Life Ministry, has reacted to the phenomenon of “parasitic predator pastors and a plunderous pack of peripheral priests” who exploit the gullibility of the masses in the name of God. Known for his message of piety in stead of prosperity, Kumuyi  advised pastors against “milking their congregation through the message of sowing seed”. Hear him: “Instead of the prophet that has millions…looking for the widows who their children are not in school and sponsor them…We only have [prophets] that take from the widows and render them poorer and they are getting richer and richer”.

            In the satirical OP-ED titled “In Jesus Name Ltd”  (TELL June 19, 2023), the author asked thus: “Why should such organizations be exempted from taxation?” During a trip to Germany in May 2019, this author attended church service in one of the suburbs of Dortmund in the State of Northern Westphalia just to satisfy his curiosity regarding organized religion. This was especially so because Germany is the country of Martin Luther (1483-1546), the seminal figure of the Protestant Reformation whose followers became known as Lutherans. There, two things struck this author: one, the very scanty population of worshippers in a humongous cathedral and two, there was no collection of offering; no trays were passed around or kept in a strategic location for people to drop their offering, tithe, thanksgiving, etc. On inquiring, he was told that Christianity has lost its hold of old and that offering, tithing, etc., are illegal in Germany. Rather, what happens is that ten percent is deducted from the salary of every individual that indicated Christianity as their religion in their employment forms. The sum of the deductions is deposited in a fund from which all churches in Germany share based on set parameters. Amazing!!!

            The Nigerian-Romanian broadcaster and radio talk show host, Ifedayo Olarinde aka Daddy Freeze, holds that there are five churches in every street in Christian Nigeria and seven on his street. And most of the “owners” of these churches have been referred to as “Crooked Crooks in Cassocks”. Thomas R. Dye defines public policy as “what governments decide to do or not to do”. Implicit in this concise yet comprehensive definition is that if government plays blind to any issues and situations in society, it means acquiescence hence public policy.

            In view of the above, it is hereby suggested that while the issue of taxing the Houses of Worship may be contentious, the German Model of tithing, thanksgiving and offering should be studied and considered for implementation in Nigeria. That way, only persons truly called by the Holy Spirit would be in Priesthood and the feverish and frenzied proliferation of Pentecostal churches will be a thing of the past .

Prof Osai writes from  

Port Harcourt