Not long ago, Pastor E.A. Adeboye of The Redeemed Christian Church of God made a comment concerning the payment of one-tenth of income by adherents. Meanwhile, adherents have always been divided over this, with some saying a tithe is necessary while others say it is not. In a video online, Adeboye says, among other things, that religionists who don’t pay one-tenth of their earnings won’t make heaven. There was another video online where he apologised for saying this, yet added that his followers ought to pay more than 10 per cent of their income, which affirmed that he thought tithes should be paid.
Not long ago, too, a text posted online was attributed to Bishop David Oyedepo, founder of Living Faith Church, saying manna – loosely meaning “free things” – still falls from heaven. Now, a popular saying is that manna does not fall from heaven. I shall place this popular saying against Oyedepo’s comment and express my view about it, as well as Adeboye’s comment on tithe. Now, I observe this: Public debate on religious issues seems to be basically about opposing sides looking for validation for what they already believe. Once they find a public figure expressing their view, they promote it as what is right and claim the opposing view is wrong. In the event, neither side listens and digests what the opposing side says. Instead, everyone looks for more validations, and the debate drags on.
Also, I observe that many involved in such debates, especially online, are peripheral religionists, nominal, people who essentially do not engage in the main assignment that Pentecostals believe is their primary task. They simply come in on the side of the preacher who is saying what they like to hear. As for the preacher they don’t like and who expresses the opposing view, he is condemned and dismissed without any attention paid to what he has to say. Regarding the tithe, it is important to note that the injunction to pay, which is written and quoted by Adeboye as the basis of what he says, is what some religionists reject. This is because, to them, “Tithe is not in the New Testament.” Note also that the same passage calls those who do not pay tithe “robbers” or thieves. I shall return to this point. First, I give a backdrop to this piece, and wherever I pause, I shall continue next Friday.
The backdrop is to state it once again that a public commentator has the task to interrogate issues that are in the public space, including religion. Just as political leaders and other celebrities could have their comments interrogated, so could the comments of traditional or religious leadership be interrogated. This is important as public commentators or journalists, especially columnists, are the eyes and mouthpieces of millions of citizens. No one is spared from the pen of those whose role it is to interrogate public issues, and, surprisingly, some Nigerians think they can do anything, but such should not be commented on by others. In civilised settings, when public figures express their views, fellow citizens give them feedback. Whatever is said that affects the public is the concern of the public commentator.
A public commentator does not owe a public figure the duty of blind loyalty to the point that they should not comment on what such public figures say. Followers of the public figure may be under an obligation to say nothing, but the public commentator is not. The call that any observation regarding what a public figure says should be made privately to such a public figure cannot apply also. Why? The public figure speaks in public for all to hear, and everyone is thus influenced one way or another. So, feedback should also be expressed in the same public space so as to influence others one way or another. In any case, the duty of the public commentator is to the public. His professional or objective responsibility is to inform, educate, enlighten the public, and possibly to move a debate forward or correct a wrong impression already given.
I find it strange that some religionists, in particular, consider it an affront that what they say in our public space is interrogated by others. Meanwhile, the originators of their religions did not stop others from expressing their views. One originator, in particular, noted the criticisms his contemporaries levelled against him, and he went on to further explain his actions. It was because he wanted people to understand him better. But in Nigeria, many religionists think they are above being interrogated, making some of us wonder whose followers they really are. Here, this intervention regarding tithe and the matter of manna is not a debate about religion or the adherents. I comment to provide better clarity as well as enlighten readers.
Let’s adopt a logical approach, contextualising and drawing inferences, as I proceed to interrogate the debate surrounding tithe. This is important as it seems to me that a much-needed level of reasoning in any debate is missing in how the tithe controversy is approached. In any case, it is commonly said, whatever we make, let’s make sense. In the recent past, I made a comment online that ran thus: As a religionist, do you believe you should give? Do you think you should give it to the Creator you worship? For all that your Creator means to you, do you think he is worthy of 10 per cent of what you earn? If you think so, then give. Do not bother to call it a tithe. Just give. However, if you do not think your Creator is worthy of your money or someone else will ‘eat’ it, do not give. But leave those who believe they should give. No one is forcing anybody. Drop the debate and focus on your act of worship.
But not Nigerian religionists many of whom often leave the substance of their religion to debate shadows. Now, over the years, my observation of Adeboye, who believes in tithing, is that he leads exactly how anyone who leads religionists should. Is it about how a leader should lead followers who are from diverse political and ethnic backgrounds? He is a good example. He has not left what his holy book says he should preach for what some call “alternative message”. He is ever for what ”is written”, and I imagine only his true followers understand the importance of doing what “is written”. Adeboye says whoever does not pay tithe will not make heaven. Then, after criticisms, he said he withdrew the comment. I do not think he needs to withdraw his comment. Why? His comment is correct, from my perspective.
My reading is that Adeboye withdrew his comment out of respect for adherents, his desire to maintain unity. Real leaders do not divide their followers in the effort to prove they are right. That is humility. Adeboye knows any unending controversy may take the attention of adherents away from what matters to him the most – winning others over to his faith. He withdraws his comment as he does not have a direct passage in his holy book to back his view on tithe and making heaven, Nonetheless, I sense he knows he can draw inferences from several passages, including from the specific passage on tithe that some reject for being “in the Old Testament”. Note that the other time when Adeboye had a passage to counter the claim by some that there was no reference to tithe in the New Testament, he used it, thereby clearing any doubts among his followers.
I think Adeboye believed what he said about tithe and heaven was right. Why? I saw online something he said about obedience. It is, therefore, clear he believes that if a passage in the holy book he uses orders religionists to pay tithe and they do not, they disobey and risk not making heaven. In a post online in January 2025, Adeboye was quoted as saying: “When you read the scriptures and come across something that God forbids or that would attract a curse from Him, you should stay away from such a thing. For example, He said in Malachi 3:8-10 that those who do not pay their tithes are robbing God, and they will attract a curse on themselves. Even without the promise of overflowing blessings for paying your tithe, the curse alone should make you pay your tithes faithfully.”
Credit:Punch