By Michael Ofulue, Osogbo

A Nigerian cleric has called on affluent citizens to extend their generosity to the poor during the festive season, emphasising that such gestures are essential to bring hope and relief to citizens grappling with economic hardship.

The Presiding Bishop of Sufficient Grace and Truth International Ministries, Bishop Seun Adeoye, made the appeal in a statement issued in Osogbo.

He urged wealthy individuals to use their resources for the benefit of others, stating that their riches were not solely for personal enjoyment but to uplift those in need.

Bishop Adeoye, who also serves as the International Communication Director of the Worldwide Anglican Church (WAC), further admonished affluent Nigerian pastors to prioritise helping the downtrodden over self-serving multi-billion naira projects that have little impact on people’s lives.

In his statement titled “Let Us Be That Good Samaritan,” the cleric expressed concern that many Nigerian pastors have deviated from the true gospel of Christ, pursuing worldly recognition instead.

“It is sad to realise that out of 10 richest pastors in the world, eight of them are Nigerians. But it is unfortunate that rather than use their wealth to help the poor around them, the majority of them are living in affluence and engaging in ephemeral projects.

“It is a shame that our big pastors showcase their wealth and even compete with each other. They build walls around themselves and clamour for people’s worship to massage their egos. Let’s note that our days are numbered.

“In the midst of hunger and sufferings, our rich pastors are busy planning to ride the latest cars and even fly in jets around the world. The wealthy pastors are struggling to build ‘one-in-town’ cathedrals as if God wants to live in a house built by men,” he said.

Quoting from the Book of Luke Chapter 10, verses 33 to 37, the cleric asked whether pastors understood that God allowed wealth to flow into their hands because of their positions as shepherds.

“The last instructions to Peter by our Lord Jesus were, ‘Feed my sheep,’ and not ‘Acquire worldly wealth.’ And Christ’s expectations from the Church are, ‘Feed the hungry, help the widows, lift the hands of the weak, clothe the naked, and more.’ We are to bring people into God’s Kingdom by our deeds and not by flaunting our wealth. Repent, sirs!”

Bishop Adeoye, who is also the spokesman of the World Bishops Council (WBC), Africa, challenged other wealthy and influential Nigerians to share their resources with the needy, stressing that the level of poverty in the country demands urgent attention.

According to the cleric, wealthy individuals are custodians of God’s resources, and it is sinful to hoard such wealth for themselves and their families without sharing with the less privileged.

“Just like the big pastors, we also have thousands of big men and women. I wish to let us know that the Almighty has no record of how much we possess in our bank accounts or how big our investments are, but how many people we are able to help and lift out of poverty,” he said.

He also encouraged those already engaged in philanthropic efforts to intensify their gestures, noting that many Nigerians are enduring significant hardship due to the nation’s economic downturn.