See How Pastor Adeboye Of RCCG Was Criticised After He Asked Church Members To Donate Millions For New Auditorium

The founder and General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), pastor E. A Adeboye is not new to the world of criticism.

Back in 2013, the pastor was heavily criticised by activists and Nigerians after he asked his congregation to raise a multi-billion fund to build a new church auditorium.

At the 61st annual convention at the expansive Redemption Camp, along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, Enoch Adeboye, announced plans to build a new auditorium stretching three kilometers in length and breadth.

On the eve of the final day of the week-long programme, Mr. Adeboye appealed for donations for the new auditorium which would quadruple the church’s present auditorium which has an estimated capacity of about one million people.

“We need N1 billion from ten people. If you are one of them, please see my personal Secretary after we finish today,” Mr. Adeboye announced to the congregation.

“We also need N100 million from those who can afford it, if you are in that category. Please see my personal Secretary as well.

“Nonetheless, we need everyone’s involvement. If you can afford N50 million, N20 million, N5 million, N1 million to as low as N100, kindly make sure you participate.”

After the announcement, Mr. Adeboye sought to know the members who were “willing to join hands with our Father in the Lord to build a new auditorium to God’s glory.”

Debo Adeniran, Executive Director of Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL), said there was no way someone without a criminal record could afford such a donation.

“It is most inappropriate because there is nowhere the progenitor of such faith did such a thing. Jesus Christ never cajoled people to make unwarranted donations to the church,” said Mr. Adeniran.

“Nobody in one lifetime with no criminal record can donate such an amount,” Mr. Adeniran added.

Abiodun Aremu, Secretary of Joint Action Front (JAF), said that the church is already neck-deep in corruption and vanity.

“Church leaders are fraternizing with corrupt political leaders. The church is being used as an agent of exploiting the poor.

“When we call for a revolution, one of the institutions where the anger of the people would be visited is the church,” Mr. Aremu added.

When the RCCG’s General Overseer asked those willing to donate to indicate their interest, hundreds of hands went up in the air.

The church divided prospective donors into three groups – Category A Brethren would pay N1 billion; Category B Brethren would pay N100 million, and Category C Brethren would pay N50 million and below.

Categories A and B are expected to meet with Mr. Adeboye’s Secretary.

Church members and supporters of Mr. Adeboye defended such a mode of raising funds for a church project stating that the donations were voluntary.

A journalist, Jimi Disu on his blog also reacted to the news saying the project sets a ‘dangerous trends’.

“I should not bother myself with how a church raises money to finance projects but a dangerous trend is being set and we are made to believe if we cannot ‘donate’ a certain amount of money, we cannot see Daddy G.O’s personal Secretary,” said Mr. Disu.

“Such ‘privilege’ is for those that can donate handsomely for the work of God,” he added.

The previous year, the pastor had called on a new ‘covenant partner’ whom he said will enjoy three years of life span after the old set expired.

Mr. Adeboye said that the life span of the new set of partners would be for three years.

“I thank God for all my partners and I say, thank you for the past ten years.

“Now the Lord says to me, the new set of partners will be for only three years. He said after three years, we can review,” Mr. Adeboye said.

The 2012 set of “covenant partners” were divided into ten groups – the lowest cadre, Group One would contribute N100 monthly, while the topmost, Group Ten, would dole out N2 million and above every month.

What do you think about religious houses manipulating their congregation to donate money to build churches when there are other things crying for funds.

Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

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