LAGOS DECEMBER 22ND (URHOBOTODAY)-In another evidence that ‘there is no business like church business’, the Pastor of the Household of God Church International, Chris Okotie, recently bought a Rolls Royce Coupe, the 2014 Bespoke Edition, to mark his 30 years as born-again Christian and 27 years as a pastor.
According Okotie’s close aide, the pastor spent N120m on the luxury car and had earlier spent N33m on a Range Rover Autobiography to mark a milestone of his church.
According to the Sunday Punch newspaper, the aide, in a text message, said, “Pastor Okotie just bought a Rolls Royce Coupe, 2014 Bespoke Edition at N120m to mark his 30 years as a born-again Christian and 27 years as a pastor. He had earlier bought a Range Rover (Autobiography) 2014 Model for N33m, reputed to be the costliest SUV in the world to mark this ministry’s milestone.”
Checks on the Internet showed that the cheapest price of same Rolls Royce model is about N65m, but it could be more expensive if armoured.
Fifty-five-year-old Okotie was in the news recently for the controversial comments he made during a church service in which he claimed that “all Catholics will go to hell,” and referred to Pope Francis as anti-Christ.
In another development, a Nigerian entrepreneur has appeared on Dragon’s Den, a reality television programme in which budding entrepreneurs get three minutes to pitch their business ideas to five multi-millionaires willing to invest their own cash.
The eloquent young man who introduced himself as Pastor Jonah, wanted two hundred and fifty thousand pounds to start a new Pentecostal church, and promised returns of 500% within the first three years.
Producers of the series described the recently filmed episode as featuring the most incredible idea ever brought to the show.
They said of the Nigerian entrepreneur, “He was very confident and very smartly dressed in an Armani suit. He was charismatic and extremely knowledgeable of the Bible, and he appeared to have really done his research.”
His opening line was, “Brothers and sister, the Lord has brought me here today to tell you that there is no business like church business.”
In the episode which will air next season, the entrepreneur defends his business case by presenting data gathered from churches in Nigeria where he plans to setup his own church.
In a tense moment when he is being grilled by Theo Paphitis, he asks the Dragons a rhetorical question, “How many of you own private jets?”
“You don’t want to miss this one,” a member of the production crew told us. She however declined to comment on the outcome of the pitch, saying instead, “Let’s just say, the Dragons know a good investment when they see one.”
Source: Elombah