Popular cleric, Olumide Emmanuel, has responded to criticism over churches using offerings to establish schools that many members allegedly cannot afford, insisting such arguments ignore the realities of running large institutions.

Speaking in a recent statement, the pastor defended religious organisations, arguing that several churches have built infrastructure that governments have failed to provide over the years.

What he said

Emmanuel dismissed the criticism in strong terms, stating that church-led developments often outperform public sector efforts.

“Many of these pastors and churches that you are speaking against, what they are doing, your presidents and your governors have never done it,” he said.

He referenced church-owned communities such as Redemption Camp and Canaanland, noting that they enjoy stable electricity and better infrastructure compared to many parts of the country.

Why church schools charge high fees

The cleric explained that once church funds are used to establish a school, the institution becomes financially independent and must sustain itself like a business.

“When we carry church money to start a school, once we release that money into the school, the school becomes an entity,” he said.

According to him, such schools must generate revenue to pay staff salaries and maintain operations, rather than relying continuously on church offerings.

Ongoing debate

The comments come amid growing public debate on the accessibility of church-owned universities, a conversation recently reignited by Omoyele Sowore, who criticised the high cost of tuition in some institutions.

Emmanuel maintained that without financial sustainability, such schools would struggle to survive, insisting that the model is necessary for long-term operations.