In a recent statement via his official X account, human rights activist and politician Omoyele Sowore has criticized the actions of Pastor Olumide Emmanuel, stating that the pastor failed to address serious issues he raised during a recent episode of Honest Bunch Podcast about prosperity preaching, instead responded in a way he described as harsh and dismissive.
”Rather than engage the substance of the argument, he resorted to anger, curses, and theatrics. But in doing so, he confirmed exactly what I said. He openly admitted that churches raise capital from poor members to build elite institutions such as schools, only to later separate those institutions from the church so they can survive.
In plain language, that means the people who paid for these schools are deliberately excluded from them. That is exploitation. In any serious economic system, this is at least sweat equity. When people contribute their money, time, and belief, they have a stake in what is built,” he wrote.
In his post, Sowore explained that the discussion focused on how some churches handle money contributed by members and claimed that many followers give large amounts with the hope of spiritual or financial rewards, but do not benefit in return, he said this system allows wealth to move from ordinary people to a small group of leaders.
He argued that the situation creates inequality within religious institutions, according to him, while some church leaders build schools, businesses, and other projects, many members struggle to meet basic needs and added that this pattern has been normalized and defended using religious teachings.
The activist pointed to church-owned assets such as private jets, schools, and businesses, he said these are often presented as signs of success, but questioned whether they truly benefit the average member and noted that many followers cannot afford access to these services, despite contributing financially.
Sowore raised concerns about living conditions among some worshippers, he said there are cases where members lack basic support, including housing, while religious organizations continue to expand their assets and described this gap as unfair and called for greater accountability. Read_More…