The controversial tax debate: SHOULD CHURCHES PAY OR NOT?

Daniel Anokwuru

If there is one establishment, that gets almost everything for free, it is the Church. The choir, musicians and ushers, are doing the work of God. But the lavish lifestyles of most Nigerian clergymen, among whom are General Overseers, who own private jet, fleet of cars and different investments, have elicited concerned citizens wonder why churches should not pay tax, whereas private industries that employ and reduce the rate of unemployment in the country,  are taxed by government without mercy, not minding if the firm is making profit or loss.

Nigeria’s rich clerics are provided private security by the Nigeria Police Mobile Force, yet the Force complain of shortage of manpower.

It is worrisome that most of the clerics whose duties  are winning souls for God, are the ones living large. Pastors in the past, are meant to live modest lifestyles that would transform lives positively. But today’s pastors and their wives live lavishly. The churches in Nigeria today, are much less evangelistic than they were in the past. They preach more of prosperity than salvation  to justify their lifestyle. In many of our churches today, the congregations are winning no souls for Christ; they are winning donors for their pastors.

Most senior clerics in Nigeria do not want to speak the truth of the gospel for fear of offending others. Political correctness and submission too, are common among them.

In the midst of current economic challenges, and Nigerian government, seeking alternative sources of revenue, the most interesting and, perhaps, most controversial, is the option of taxing big religious institutions. church business is booming and very lucrative today. A lot of argument has been raised, concerning churches not paying tax. Most Nigerians believe that they should pay tax like banks and other companies, saying that is the only way to prove that they are patriotic citizens of Nigeria.

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“Of course, they should pay tax. It is even written in the Bible that we should give to Caesar what belongs to him. Even Jesus paid tax. It’s not only because of their money, but also to keep a check on their attitudes and control the rapid growth of fraud and fakery,” Mr. Obinna Echefu, an automobile engineer, said.

According to Mr. Patrick, a member of a Pentecostal church, both churches and Mosques should pay tax because they have the money. He said: “Yes both churches and Mosques should pay taxes because they are also collecting Idamewa, (tithe) from the church members and Owo-adura (prayer money) from mosques or Muslims at occasions. Since most of the churches and mosques refuse to help the society voluntarily, unless government repairs the road, leading to the area of their churches or Mosques, they won’t do it. So, they should also pay taxes then. Even in Europe, some churches pays taxes as well, so why not in Nigeria. If the mosques and churches are not paying tax to the government, maybe it must be an oversight. Use what you have to serve God and community.”

Mr. Paul Elochukwu, a hotelier, said he is paying different taxes, salaries and utility bills from the little profits he makes from his business. He queried why churches should be exempted from tax.

“Businessmen, operating churches, owning private jets, universities and hospitals, are hiding behind serving God to avoid paying tax. While they can live a lavish lifestyle, and not follow the lifestyle of God. They must pay tax. In Nigerian context, I think they must pay tax, given the lucrative business it has become, especially those that attract huge followers and their pastors are living like kings. Churches are now made a business organisation. They are not above the law, as far as the world is concerned. Do I have a private jet? But I pay all manner of government levies. How many people are employed by the church, what is their contributions to the masses?”

In the past, human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Femi Falana, had called for payment of tax by religious organisations, maintaining that the Catholic Church and the Anglican Church have remained largely conservative with respect to the commercialisation of religion. Falana had said in an interview, “Some of the prosperity churches have to pay tax because they are smiling to the banks. For example, the Pope doubles as the Head of the Roman Catholic Church worldwide and a Head of State, but he flies the Alitalia Airline, the Italian commercial Airline. That goes for the head of the Anglican Communion. The Archbishop of Canterbury. But today, there is a craze among the leaders of the prosperity churches, for private jets, at home and abroad, they pay prohibitive fees for parking the jets at local and international airports. Since they earn fat incomes, they should pay tax to the state for development. It is unjust and illegal to tax poor congregants while multi-billionaire pastors or bishops are not subjected to any form of taxation. Many of us attended missionary schools and received treatment in hospitals founded by churches. The fees were largely cheap and affordable. But today, the secondary schools and universities established by prosperity churches charge tuition fees on commercial basis. There is nothing religious in those centres of commerce. It is so bad that the children of the poor members of the congregation, who are even exceptionally brilliant, are driven away from such institutions on ground of poverty.”

In Nigeria, you do not need a prophet to reveal to you the richest clergy men in the country. Their investments and lifestyles are there to expose them. The Forbes magazine is also there. Some of the notable men of God in the church industry, well known for their achievements are, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, the Founder of Christ Embassy International. According to Forbes report, he is Worth $30 million. His Love world TV Network, is the first Christian TV network, to broadcast from Africa to other parts of the world.

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Bishop David Oyedepo, Founder of Living Faith Worldwide, known as ‘Winners Chapel’, has two universities, Covenant University in Otta, Ogun State, and Landmark University in Omu Aran, his home town.

Pastor Temitope Balogun Joshua, the General Overseer of Synagogue Church of All Nations, has a $60 million aircraft and is the owner of popular Emmanuel TV. Men like Pastor Enoch Adeboye, Daniel Olukoya, Mathew Ashimolowo, cannot be left out, when we talk of rich men of God in Nigeria, the number is endless.

Judging from the lifestyle of some Nigerian clerics, one would believe that they are richer than the government. They tour different countries in search of pleasures and relations, in the name of evangelism.

But Nigerian clerics, have disputed the view of the masses, saying that Churches must not pay tax, because it is not profit oriented.

According to Bishop Abraham Okoh, Bishop of Apostolic Christian Network (ACN), and Founder, Kingdom Fire International Ministry, Lagos, Churches that own schools and hospitals can only pay tax from the schools and hospitals, if they are profit oriented.

He said: “If  a  church has a university or a hospital, the school and hospital should pay tax and not the church. The church is non profit making like every NGO. But if the two establishments are for free, if they do not charge fees, if it is established to help the poor, then it is tax free because it is not for profit making.”

Adding his voice to the controversy, Apostle Josia Aroviethe, maintained that any property, acquired by a pastor is for the work of the Kingdom.

“Churches should not pay tax. Even the jets and cars are there to enhance the work of the kingdom,” he said.

Aroviethe, the founder of Holy ghost Power Bible Church International, added that taxing the churches, would not be proper because the church is strictly for the work of God.

But Mr. Chike Adogu, member of Parish Council, St. Anthony’s Catholic Church, Alaba International, Ojo, Lagos, shares a different views. He said that Pentecostal Churches should be taxed because the pastors live like kings.

According to him: “It depends on the foundation of the Church. Like in the Catholic Church, Pope does not own the church. He controls the affairs. He flies public airline. The lavish lifestyles associated with private churches is not same in Catholic Church. They control their account and do whatever they like with the money. The first five churches should not be taxed, because they are not the owners of the church. But the Pentecostal churches should be taxed.”

 

REACTIONS FROM MUSLIMS

As it is for the Christian faithfuls, so is the believe of the Muslims.

In his reaction, Alhaji Tiamiyu, in charge of S. A. Oba Bi Olorun Kosi Central Mosque, in Jakande Estate, Lagos, said that the Muslim Clerics are never known with lavish lifestyle. He maintained that religious groups, are treated in the same way like other charities and should not be taxed.

“If a group of people, get together to celebrate their faith, and they all donate money to buy, or rent a place to do it in, then it is very hard to think of any good reason why the government should tax them. Religious groups are treated same way like other charities”.

Another Quran teacher, Alfa, Isiaka Akanni, said the mosque is not for profit making, and cannot be taxed. He stressed that they are more of Charities, and not known for profit making. “ We are tax exempted for a very good reason. If religious organizations should pay tax, that means they would be afforded a right to have a say in government and how resources are used. Not being taxed maintains the separation of religious organizations and politics. We can only pray and give advice to those in government. Mosques have no income, because it is nonprofit making. We are mainly involved in charity works. We do not live a lavish lifestyle “.