OPM Pastor’s Statements on Tithes, Overseas Beneficiaries Spark Debate
Apostle Chibuzor Gift Chinyere, the founder and General Overseer of Omega Power Ministries (OPM), has drawn public attention over his statements concerning church members he has sponsored to travel abroad and the importance he places on their continued financial support for the ministry.
The cleric has used social media to publicise OPM’s empowerment programmes, including assistance with international passports, flight tickets, education and overseas employment. He has also repeatedly said that tithes and offerings collected by the church help finance its charitable activities and support for beneficiaries.
The issue raises questions about the relationship between religious giving, gratitude and the expectations placed on people who receive assistance from their churches.
However, the specific claim that Chinyere recently placed a curse on overseas beneficiaries for allegedly failing to remit their tithes has not been independently verified from the Facebook profile supplied to CentralNewsNG.
OPM’s Overseas Sponsorship Programme
Apostle Chibuzor has promoted several initiatives aimed at helping people access opportunities outside Nigeria.
In October 2022, reports by Legit.ng and Blueprint Newspapers said the pastor announced that OPM had provided international passports for 37 church members who intended to travel abroad for work or further education. The reports said the programme’s expenses, including travel-related support, were funded through church tithes and offerings.
The ministry has also publicised employment opportunities and educational sponsorships for beneficiaries seeking better prospects abroad.
More recently, posts attributed to Chinyere on social media have discussed groups of Nigerians preparing to work in Saudi Arabia, as well as young footballers receiving opportunities to attend trials in Europe. These posts describe the initiatives as being funded through OPM’s tithes and offerings.
The programmes have become part of the ministry’s public profile, alongside its reported support for vulnerable people and its free education and healthcare initiatives.
On its official website, OPM says contributions from members support its free schools, specialist hospital and other charitable programmes.
Pastor’s Previous Dispute With Happie Boys
Chinyere’s past dispute with the Happie Boys, two former security guards who became widely known after he sponsored their travel to Cyprus, provides a documented example of the controversy surrounding his relationship with beneficiaries.
In 2023, the two young men publicly complained about their circumstances abroad and accused the pastor of failing to provide the support they expected. The disagreement attracted widespread attention on social media.
Reports published at the time said the pastor acknowledged placing curses on the young men during the dispute. He reportedly explained that he had acted out of anger after becoming upset about their public criticism.
Chinyere later announced that he had forgiven them and lifted the curses. In a statement reported by New Telegraph in September 2024, he said they remained his children despite the disagreement.
The episode remains relevant to discussions about the expectations that can arise when religious leaders provide substantial financial assistance to individuals.
It is important, however, to distinguish that earlier dispute from the current allegation about overseas workers and tithe payments. The available historical reports do not establish that the pastor recently cursed a separate group of beneficiaries for failing to remit tithes.
Tithes, Gratitude and Financial Expectations
The issue also touches on a broader debate within religious communities about the meaning of tithing and whether beneficiaries of church-sponsored programmes should be expected to contribute financially after becoming established.
Tithing is a religious practice in which believers set aside a portion of their income for their church or ministry. Many churches teach it as a form of worship, stewardship and support for religious and charitable work.
In OPM’s case, Chinyere has publicly linked tithes and offerings to the ministry’s assistance programmes. The church’s website also invites members and supporters to contribute towards its educational, healthcare and charitable activities.
Supporters of such initiatives may regard continued giving as an expression of gratitude and a way of helping other people access similar opportunities.
Others may question whether people who receive assistance should face pressure to make ongoing payments, particularly if the original sponsorship terms did not establish a financial obligation.
These are different issues from whether a beneficiary chooses to donate voluntarily. A person may appreciate financial or educational support without necessarily agreeing to a continuing payment arrangement.
The circumstances of each sponsorship also matter. Assistance provided as a gift, a scholarship, a loan or an arrangement with agreed conditions can carry different expectations. Without details of the terms under which a beneficiary received support, it would be inappropriate to assume that every person sponsored by OPM has the same obligations.
Questions About Beneficiaries Living Abroad
For Nigerians who travel overseas for employment or education, settling into a new country can involve substantial expenses, including accommodation, transport, taxes, food and other living costs.
The ability to remit money to family members or organisations in Nigeria may therefore differ from one beneficiary to another.
Some people may become financially stable relatively quickly, while others may face difficulties securing employment, meeting living expenses or completing their studies.
This context is important when discussing expectations that overseas beneficiaries should continue contributing to the organisations that helped them travel.
A clear understanding of any agreed sponsorship conditions would help distinguish a disagreement over an explicit commitment from a dispute over voluntary donations.
It would also be necessary to hear from the people involved before drawing conclusions about whether a beneficiary deliberately refused an obligation, was unable to contribute or had a different understanding of the arrangement.
As of publication, CentralNewsNG has not independently established the identities of the people allegedly targeted by the latest statements, the exact words used in the reported Facebook post or the circumstances surrounding any alleged refusal to pay tithes.
What Has Been Confirmed?
Available media reports document OPM’s overseas sponsorship initiatives and the earlier controversy involving the Happie Boys. The ministry also publicly describes tithes and offerings as a source of funding for its social programmes.
What remains unconfirmed is the central allegation that Chinyere recently cursed overseas beneficiaries specifically because they failed to send tithes back to the church.
The Facebook profile supplied for this report does not, by itself, establish the wording or context of that alleged statement. A direct link to the specific post, a screenshot showing its date and text, or a reliable report reproducing the statement would be needed to verify the claim.
The distinction is important because an allegation about a public figure’s words should not be presented as a confirmed event without adequate evidence.
CentralNewsNG will update this report if the original post or additional verifiable information becomes available.
For now, the documented background highlights OPM’s overseas sponsorship activities and the pastor’s earlier public dispute with the Happie Boys, while the specific claim about a new curse over unpaid tithes remains unverified.
