Senior Pastor of Dunamis International Gospel Centre, Dr. Paul Enenche, has turned down a ₦30 million donation from Kebbi State Governor, Nasir Idris, during a church crusade in the state.
The donation was announced by the Commissioner for Social Duties, Zayyanu Umar Aliero, at the Kebbi Healing and Deliverance Crusade. “Our Governor, His Excellency Dr. Nasir Idris, has graciously approved the donation of the sum of 30 million naira to this gathering,” Aliero told the crowd.
But Pastor Enenche declined the offer and asked that the funds be used for charitable causes instead. “If there is anything like orphanage, if there is anything like that, at your discretion, please apply this amount of money to it. No. It will not be received,” he said.
Explaining his decision, Enenche stressed the importance of keeping government and church finances separate. “We are one of those who believe that government money should be used for government projects and government things should be used for government things; and church money should be used for church things, not mixed together,” he said. “That is what we did, that is what we do. As small as the Glory Dome is right there, government money is not in it. From land to the building to everything.”
He also recommended that if the government insists on giving to religious causes, it should go through official Christian bodies. “This is so that we can retain our dignity as a body of Christ; retain our dignity as a church, and say what we need to say when we need to say it.”
Commissioner Aliero responded with appreciation, saying, “They didn’t accept it because whatever he is doing, he is doing it for the sake of God. We appreciate and we thank him for what he is doing in our state.”
