Recently, President Muhammadu Buhari signed into law the new Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) and this has generated a lot of reactions from Nigerians, especially from churches and NGOs.
This type of law is not new to many developed nations of the world but why having loud outcry in Nigeria, from most especially, the church commanders with their brigadiers?
The richest churches in the world are:
- Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints- $67.0 billion.
- Catholic Church – $30 billion +.
- Catholic Church Australia- $20.9 billion.
- Catholic Church Germany- $25.0 billion.
- Church of England $7.8 billion.
- Opus Dei (part of the Catholic Church) Italy- $2.8 billion.
- Church of Scientology- $2.0 billion.
NOW OBSERVE THAT IN THE ABOVE MOST RICHEST CHURCHES, THERE IS NO Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Winners, Christ Embassy, Synagogue, No EVEN Pentecostal church at all.
List of the richest pastors in the world:
- Bishop Oyedepo – $150 Million.
- Bishop TD Jakes – $147 Million.
- Pastor Chris Oyakhilome – $50 Million.
- Pastor Benny Hinn – $42 Million.
- Pastor Adeboye – $39 Million.
- Pastor Creflo Dollar – $27 Million (He used to be #1).
- Pastor Kenneth Copeland – $25 Million.
- Evangelist Billy Graham – $25 Million.
- Prophet TB Joshua – $10 Million.
- Pastor Joseph Prince – $5 Million.
Observe again that none of the four (4) richest churches mentioned above have their leaders on this list of the Richest Pastors.
- The Pope is not there.
- The Arch Bishop of Canterbury is not there.
- The Bishop of Opus Dei is not there.
- The Director of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is not there.
“`NOW OBSERVE AGAIN.“`
“Six” out of the “Ten” Richest Pastors are blacks, with “their congregation being predominantly black” .
“Four” out of the “Ten” richest Pastors have their churches in Nigeria, the poverty capital of the world, the 147th most corrupt nation of the world, the home to the second deadliest terrorist group, the most unsafe place to give birth to in the world.
Observe as well that the Richest Churches are situated in countries where their accounts are regulated by the law of the land.
- USA
- Germany
- Australia
- Vatican City
- England
These are amongst the safest, less corrupt and most prosperous Nations.
What a Paradox!! Jesus Christ fed the multitude, but in Nigeria the multitude feed the Men of God and General Overseers.
For those of you who don’t know what CAMA means, in concise terms this is what it entails as detailed below:
When you register your business or organization as a charity or NGO, it means that whatever funds that comes in and goes is for the public and NOT for your personal use. You are accountable to the public. In exchange the government exempts you from paying tax. That is how it works.
Also, the government has the power to monitor and regulate such tax exempt organisations to make sure that the funds raised are for the public as stipulated and not misappropriated or diverted for personal use.
This is how it works globally, including the UK, US, Germany, Canada, etc.
Religious organisations and their businesses worldwide also register as charities and NGOs and that is why no church, mosque, etc. or any of their establishments pays tax.
Now it is the duty of the government to regulate these bodies who don’t pay tax by making sure that the funds they generate rightly goes back to the public and not for personal gain.
This is the reason why CAMA was created.
Now the question is why are only the Pentecostal pastors shouting? Why is the Catholic Church not complaining? Why are the rest Orthodox and Presbyterian churches not complaining? Because I don’t get it, these same pastors shouting here all have branches abroad and they dutifully obey the laws there like lambs but when they come to Nigeria they want to be lawless.
These same pastors rejecting CAMA now have all been involved in fraud due to misappropriation of funds in the UK.
- Ashimolowo was sanctioned by the UK government over fraud. CAMA was what gave him out!
- Oyedepo is banned from entering the UK because of fraud and diversion of church funds. CAMA was what gave him out!
- Pastor Chris Oyakhilome also…
These people know that once you implement CAMA here as is obtainable in the UK and the rest, they are finished and that’s why they are fighting and kicking. This is why rather than fight the law through the right channels using legal means, they employed the best way they know how – religious sentiments! It works on their members like charm! They claim it’s an attack against the church as if the lawmakers who signed the bill into law after the 1st, 2nd and 3rd reading are all pagans. Nonsense.
Well, I’ve got news for these folks and their compatriots… CAMA is here to stay and asides wailing your lungs out, there’s absolutely nothing you can do.
If you don’t like it go and create your own country!
