A civil society group, Anti-Corruption Network (ACN) has called for downward review of the tuition fees being charged by the Universities owned by the Churches in a way that members that are poor would be able to afford the fees.
In a statement issued on Wednesday and signed by the Executive Secretary of the Anti-Corruption Network, Dino Melaye, the group condemned in strong terms, what it described as the extravagant lifestyles of some Nigerian pastors.
The ACN cited the fees being charged by the private Universities funded by various Churches, insisting they are out of the reach of common members of the church who contributed money to build the institutions.
“School fees in most supposedly mission schools is mouth watering and not for the poor. Bowen University N650,000 per semester, Covenant University N640,000 per semester, Benson Idahosa N500,000 per semester, Joseph Ayo Babalola University (JABU) N450,000 per semester, Ajayi Crowther University N350,000 per semester, Madonna University N350,000 per semester.
“All of these universities were built from the tithes and offerings of the common worshipers who obviously now cannot afford to send their wards to these schools they built with their sweat.
“The Church must wake up from slumber of ‘orishirishi’ seeds in churches. Sow a seed, special offering seed, first fruit seed, redemption seed, thanksgiving seed, harvest seed, tithes, pastor’s birthday seed, church building seeds, evangelism seed, father’s day seed, mother’s day seed, children’s day seed, pastor’s cake seed, seed for the poor, olive oil seed, books seed, CD & DVD seeds, etc.
“All these seeds germinate to become luxurious houses, cars, servicing of body guards, women and purchasing of private jets, while the donors perish in abject poverty and penury.
“Their wards are in public schools while government and oil thieves and politicians send their children to schools built by the barber, bricklayer, mechanic, hair dresser, tomato seller, civil servants, artisans and unemployed.
“May God have mercy on these so called Men of God, whom we now address as daddy and their wives as mummy not minding their ages. They have Different P A’s including the one who carries the Bible,” Melaye, a former member of the House of Representatives stated.
