A member of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) has ignited a significant debate online after revealing and condemning the monthly salary paid to a zonal pastor in Abuja. The member, identified as Ucee Harmony, expressed his profound displeasure upon learning that the pastor receives N80,000 as his monthly stipend.
How the Salary Revelation Came to Light
According to Ucee Harmony, the disclosure happened during a church service in November 2025. A zonal pastor from Abuja visited Ucee's local parish to give a testimony. During his speech, the pastor mentioned that his official salary from the RCCG headquarters was 80,000 Naira per month. Ucee, a songwriter and long-time RCCG member, was taken aback by this figure, which he described as "meagre" for a full-time pastor with a family to support in Nigeria's capital city, Abuja.
In an exclusive chat with Legit.ng, Ucee confirmed his story and elaborated on his concerns. He questioned the entire financial structure of the church, wondering why pastors, whom he believes are "called by God," are treated as salaried employees. His primary grievance centers on the practice where individual parishes remit offerings, tithes, and seed sowing funds to the RCCG headquarters, only for the pastors to then wait for a centrally paid salary at the month's end.
Core Criticisms and the "Business" Allegation
Ucee Harmony's criticism, which he first shared in a Facebook post on November 23, 2025, goes beyond the specific salary amount. He raised fundamental questions about the modern church's operational model. "Pastors are they no longer called and ordained by God? If they are called by God why are they recruited and turned to employees to daddy GOs?" he asked in his post.
He further argued that if parishes primarily function as revenue collection points for the headquarters, then the church risks being perceived as a purely commercial venture. "If so, church is now a full time business. Nothing spiritual, nothing special. Just business and a means of generating income, revenue to the oga at the top a.k.a Daddy G.O," Ucee wrote. He suggested that RCCG, led by Pastor Enoch Adeboye, should allow pastors to have more control over the finances generated by their own congregations to better cater to their needs and those of their parish.
Broader Context and a Related Incident
This incident touches on ongoing discussions about transparency, welfare, and the financial administration within large religious organizations in Nigeria. The debate emerges against a backdrop of economic hardship in the country, making the adequacy of a N80,000 salary in an expensive city like Abuja a point of public sympathy and concern.
In a related development, the report mentions that a previously suspended RCCG pastor, Idowu Iluyomade, has started his own church in Lagos named "Family Fellowship." Iluyomade was suspended in 2024 following public backlash over his wife's lavish 60th birthday party, which was held shortly after the death of prominent church member and businessman Herbert Wigwe.
Ucee Harmony maintains that his decision to speak out is in his character to address perceived wrongs. His post has sparked widespread reactions, forcing a conversation about the economic realities facing religious leaders and the distribution of church resources in contemporary Nigeria.
