Affiliation: Living Faith World Outreach Ministry, aka Winners Chapel
Estimated net worth: $150 million
David Oyedepo is Nigeria’s wealthiest preacher. Ever since he founded the Living Faith World Outreach Ministry in 1981, it has grown to become one of Africa’s largest congregations. The Faith Tabernacle, where he hosts three services every Sunday, is Africa’s largest worship center, with a seating capacity of 50,000. Oyedepo owns four private jets and homes in London and the United States. He also owns Dominion Publishing House, a thriving publishing company that publishes all his books (which are often centered on prosperity). He founded and owns Covenant University, one of Nigeria’s leading tertiary institutions, and Faith Academy, an elite high school.
Last year, the charismatic preacher was at the center of a $35 million money laundering case in which he was accused of siphoning funds from his church to foreign banks. Pastor Chris pleaded no wrongdoing and the case was eventually dismissed. His church, Christ Embassy, boasts more than 40,000 members, several of whom are successful business executives and politicians. Oyakhilome’s diversified interests include newspapers, magazines, a local television station, a record label, satellite TV, hotels and extensive real estate. His Loveworld TV Network is the first Christian network to broadcast from Africa to the rest of the world on a 24 hour basis.
3. Temitope Joshua
Church: Synagogue Church Of All Nations (SCOAN)
Estimated net worth: $10 million – $15 million
Nigeria’s most controversial clergyman is also one of its richest and most philanthropic. T.B Joshua heads the Synagogue Church of all Nations (SCOAN), a congregation he founded in 1987, which accommodates over 15,000 worshippers on Sundays. The Pastor has remained controversial for several years for his inexplicable powers to heal all sorts of incurable diseases, including HIV/AIDS, cancer and paralysis. For miracle-craving worshippers, it’s the perfect seduction. The church currently has branches in Ghana, the United Kingdom, South Africa, and Greece. In the past three years, he has given over $20 million to causes in education, healthcare and rehabilitation programs for former Niger Delta militants. He owns Emmanuel TV, a Christian television network, and is close friends with Ghanaian President Atta Mills.
4. Matthew Ashimolowo
Kingsway International Christian Centre (KICC)
Estimated net worth: $6 million – $10 million
In 1992, Foursquare Gospel Church, a Nigerian church, sent Ashimolowo to open a satellite branch in London. But Pastor Matthew had other ideas and decided to set up his own church instead. Today, his Kingsway International Christian Center is reportedly the largest Pentecostal church in the United Kingdom. In 2009, the church posted profits of close to $10 million and assets worth $40 million. Ashimolowo earns an annual salary of $200,000, but his real wealth comes from varied business interests including his media company, Matthew Ashimolowo media, which churns out Christian literature and documentaries. Ashimolowo’s representatives did not respond to a request confirming his net worth and ownership of all these assets.
5. Chris Okotie
Church: Household of God Church
Net worth: $3 million -$10 million
Pastor Okotie made his first success as a popular pop musician in the 80s. He found the light, embraced the bible and set up the Household of God Church, one of Nigeria’s most flamboyant congregations. His 5,000 member church consists predominantly of Nollywood celebrities, musicians, and society people. He contested and lost Nigerian presidential elections for the third time this year under the Fresh Party, a political party he founded and funds. An automobile lover, he owns a Mercedes S600, Hummer and Porsche among several others.
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Topanga meets world! Danielle Fisher has graduated college at the ripe age of 31 and we could not be any prouder! It’s never too late to be a learner slash winner! On her Tumblr, she shared: “I am officially a college graduate! I took my last two undergraduate finals today and I am so happy, [...]
Hollywood welcomed a new crop of little ones this year, making lots of our favorite stars moms for the first time. Charlize Theron adopted a baby boy and Drew Barrymore added Olive to her family. Beyoncé Knowles celebrated the arrival of Blue Ivy, Anna Paquin gave birth to twins, and even more ladies welcomed babies, so we want to know – who is your favorite new celebrity mother of 2012? Best of 2012: Who Is Your Favorite New Mom of the Year? Beyoncé Knowles – Blue Ivy brings this singer so much joy. Charlize Theron – Motherhood to Jackson makes her even hotter. Jessica Simpson – She might not be a new mom to only Maxwell for long. Megan Fox – Noah’s birth brought extra sex appeal to this star. Hilary Duff – Little Luca looks good on her hip. Sienna Miller – Baby Marlowe is seeing the world with her mom. Drew Barrymore – Olive lights up Drew’s life. Anna Paquin – She’s got twice the mom power with twins.
Ewan McGregor shares the big screen with Naomi Watts in The Impossible, the tragic tale of one family’s real-life survival story during Thailand’s 2004 tsunami. We recently caught up recently with Ewan to chat about the film, due out Dec. 21, as well as his experience playing a dad to three young sons. During our interview, Ewan also shared a story about Angelina Jolie and what it means to have her support behind this “special” project, which hits select theaters today.
Turns out it can…if you know how to spend it right.
We often hear it, but how true is the phrase 'Money can't buy happiness'? Is there a correlation between the two, and if so, what can we learn from it? It turns out, if you think money and happiness are exclusive, you simply aren't spending it right.
The Simpsons is getting a new writer — Aaron Sorkin! Only the Social Network scribe won’t be working behind the scenes… he’ll be acting in a cameo role! So will the writer be doing one of his famous “walk-and-talks” on the show? Nope! He won’t even have legs! No, the West Wing creator will reportedly just play a [...]
So You Think You Can Dance, you are… SAFE! For one more year at least! Fox has decided to renew its reality dance competition show for a tenth season despite flagging ratings. But will they try something crazy to bring in viewers? New judges? Different format? Hunger Games-style eliminations? The show’s ninth season hit a low, averaging only 6.8 million [...]
The newest member of the "Mob Wives" crew has really been there all along. Love Majewski has been just off-camera during the first three seasons of VH1's addictive mob opera, set on Staten Island. She has known and hung out with most of the "wives" for more than 20…
Perfection! Rose McGowan is donning her witches robes once more… but not as sassy, urban Wiccan Paige! The seXXXy actress has been cast to play the younger version of Regina (the evil witchy Queen)’s mother Cora (an even MORE evil witch!) in an “origin” episode, to premiere during the second half of Once Upon a Time’s [...]
