:PWao a whole MR PRESIDENT come 2015, when a child lies they say its bad but when an elder lies you must not say its a lie, I'm yet to see any atitude or behaviour of okotie that is Jesus like or even sample of Man of God

[quote author=GraceBestowed] LOL! Oh my!!! On a real, though; whatever happens, disrupting a service is unacceptable!! [/quote
What do u mean by this? What of master deny not the wages of your servants?....He's cursed

some pple are biblical illitrate...who are the levites in the bible? Are they the pastors or those working in the temple that are suppose to collect tithes?...Also, a man's gift make way for him...so what is wrong in been paid to play in the church full time?...Masters withold not the wages of thy servants...A work man is worthy of his wages Is dt nt in d bible? Why are pastors quoting it to suit theirselves alone? the big question is Y shd a pastor be paid when he's also working for God? Instrumentalist are servants of God worshiping God with their talent same also is a pastor delivering d message of God bth deserve to survive n be encourage to eat from the proceed from the gift to the church....pls, we shd read our bibles well cos those who work in d church in bible fed from the shew breads in the temple..

Please let us consider this:
1.The man may have spent time and resources to learn how to play piano.
2.He probably does not have any other job apart from this.
3.Usually,men of God pay instrumentalists for their services.
4.If they are really good,they(MOG) usually promise them better packages to keep them.

Not minding,I feel the guy crossed the line by distrupting the church service but who knew his mental state as at that time.

An average Christian knows that a church volunteer does not receive payment. But in the absence of competent volunteers, an outsider may be engaged to play piano for a fee. That is another matter entirely. So this fellow needs to prove that he was not a volunteer, but an employee who expects and is deserving of payment. But what will puncture this argument is this: If you are indeed an employee and you were not paid the first month, what were you still doing there in the second month, third month, all through 14 years! Sentiments apart, this chap has no case. I may not like Okotie as a person, but I cannot side with this man, who appears to me to be seeking to blackmail Okotie and or his church.

SlyIg: I think ive read this guy's story here before.
And i want to be very careful so as not to give an unfair judgement over the matter. Thats why i just want to end my comment here. Thank you.

The Judge in charge of the case!

naijathings: chrch business... 39milla for pianist abi the guy na John Legend?

i tire o

Aqva: Even if he was a volunteer, doesn't it make sense to motivate him by giving stipends? Even if d man is trying to fleece Okotie how much is it compared to what Okotie has fleeced his sheep? So called MOG's enjoy receiving but find it hard to give. Double standards.

This is some of the things you look at and realize that Christianity in Nigeria is laced with FRAUD!
Infact Religion in Nigeria, in general.
We are VERY RELIGIOUS (Church/Mosque everywhere!)but we have NO IOTA OF SPIRITUALISM IN US! (Wickedness and Evil everywhere)
In essence, we practice the kind of Christianity Jesus Christ himself will declare as "You workers of Iniquity"!

SIMPLE THING:
1) Okotie makes money from this Church, as a Pastor and from the music produced in the church (which also attracts members => Marketing!). We know Okotie is by this means, a Multi-Millionaire.

2.) Pianist and other "musicians" in the church are humanbeings as well.
They need Shelter and food and need to make a life for themselves. If the church can FINANCIALLY BENEFIT "Pastor Okotie", why not this folks?

3.) Even if there was NO -WRITTEN AGREEMENT to pay the man a sum of money for his services (and this is contestable as the man said Okotie promised to pay his rent and give him money for his services and remember, they actually paid for a few months!)
Does it not make SENSE to even a Non-Christian (not to mention a so-called "Man of God"!) that he should reward the man for "his contribution" (musically) to the wealth of the church, which made Okotie a Multi-Millioniare?

4.) What does it take to say, "For all the 14years you spent with us and worked for this "Ministry", take 5million Naira as PENSION!
Did Pastor Oyedepo not "PAY-OFF" certain Pastors in his church, for their services? Why is Okotie different or is he just a "deep-seated" Rogue and Opportunist?
Where is "the Christian" in this MOG called Okotie?

5.) If the man is thus pushed into a situation where he is wretched (and having worked for somebody for 24years of h is life?) is it a crime to ask the "employer" (on behalf of Gawd!) to "settle the man, once and for all?

WHY ARE WE SO WICKED TO ONE ANOTHER ......EVEN IN THE HOUSE OF GOD?
Jesus fed the hungry and healed the sick, HE did not PREY ON THEIR NAIVETY!

Okotie is a disgrace to Christianity!
I hope the Judge will find the "Wisdom" to see beyond the "Letters of the Law" (CONTRACT) and call Okotie the thief he is.
Even Federal and State Govt will give you "Pension" if you worked for them for over 10years ....or why do people carry Placard, if their Pension is not paid?

Na okotie go deliver you make alomo nor kill u one day.

slimur :
Somebody volunteer to work for u For 14years, u nor fit bless am wit small tin make d man take see front.. Nor b volunteer d Man of God volunteer to work for God 2 but e dey buy jet, cars, good clothes..live Good life... Lubbish

Person sow 14years of his life for u... Allow reap somethin na..


Abeg make I drink my alomo joor

@topic,

First, full disclosure. I was a member of Household for a long time and my judgement may be considered biased even though it is based on facts.

As at about 2 years ago, I know the minimum amount that Household of God pays to security guards with just a First School Leaving Certificate is N50,000 monthly. I don't know if any other institution in the country pays close to that for the services of people with that level of education.

Second. Household is the first Church I know in Nigeria that bought several brand new cars to give to long-term volunteers who have proven faithful in the Church and in need of the help. This has been ongoing for the past 20 years at least. Again, where else has that been done in the country?

Third. I know the Church raised an offering about 2 years ago for at least one of its leading worship leaders to help with their financial situation. The money was enough to buy a brand new car and offset other presing needs.

Fourth. Household established a Benevolent Department almost at the same time as the inception of the Church where pooor members are catered for on a weekly basis with provision of food, money, clothes and other essential needs. Same department overlooks and help the people that pass through to obtain employment and stand on their feet.

Fifth. We all know of the GRACE program where the Church gives out large sums of money yearly towards non-profit organizations.

Sixth. I was in present at the church on one night (about 10 years ago) when Okotie felt led to pay for somone's rent. At the end of the service, he wrote a check of N160,000 to meet the person's need.

The above is just to show that the accusation against the Reverend does not fit his lifestyle. He has always been a very generous man. Knowing the little I know of him however, I believe he will not stand for blackmail and sabotage which is what this is looking like.

I volunteered at the church and even rendered professional services without being promised or expecting a dime. I trusted God to bles me and he did. I don't know what this dude's problem is but he definitely is on the wrong track.

Some comments here just made me crazy. If anybody feels that playing piano or any other musical instrument is easy, let him or her start the training now. Playing intensively for 11 years, I know how much I have spent on materials not to talk of time spent on scoring, practicing, rehearsing etc songs. Instrumentalist need motivation for goodness sake. If this guy ihas been oppressed unjustly by the "MOG", hear me and hear me well, in no distant time, the tears of this young shall rise to heaven and heaven shall not be quiet.

esanland: Unfortunately most Naija preachers are corrupt and incompetent as naija politicians. If it was a country where there is accountability okotie would have be in d public eye, investigated and Pianist would get justice.

Sentiment at side the pianist has been used exploited and taking advantage of for 14 years by by okotie, it is a shame that okotie who promises naija masses heaven on earth when he run as a presidential aspirant couldn't even faithfully pay his piano player.

God is watching u okotie, and he will pay everyone according to their. Okotie should no that he is just a man and that no one is going with the world. He can afford to bride police with tithes and offerings oppressed the masses but God dey see u okotie.
New York

I'll advise you to sharpen up your communication skills before coming to speak to the Servant of the Most High !

Tayo-D:
@topic,

First, full disclosure. I was a member of Household for a long time and my judgement may be considered biased even though it is based on facts.

As at about 2 years ago, I know the minimum amount that Household of God pays to security guards with just a First School Leaving Certificate is N50,000 monthly. I don't know if any other institution in the country pays close to that for the services of people with that level of education.

Second. Household is the first Church I know in Nigeria that bought several brand new cars to give to long-term volunteers who have proven faithful in the Church and in need of the help. This has been ongoing for the past 20 years at least. Again, where else has that been done in the country?

Third. I know the Church raised an offering about 2 years ago for at least one of its leading worship leaders to help with their financial situation. The money was enough to buy a brand new car and offset other presing needs.

Fourth. Household established a Benevolent Department almost at the same time as the inception of the Church where pooor members are catered for on a weekly basis with provision of food, money, clothes and other essential needs. Same department overlooks and help the people that pass through to obtain employment and stand on their feet.

Fifth. We all know of the GRACE program where the Church gives out large sums of money yearly towards non-profit organizations.

Sixth. I was in present at the church on one night (about 10 years ago) when Okotie felt led to pay for somone's rent. At the end of the service, he wrote a check of N160,000 to meet the person's need.

The above is just to show that the accusation against the Reverend does not fit his lifestyle. He has always been a very generous man. Knowing the little I know of him however, I believe he will not stand for blackmail and sabotage which is what this is looking like.

I volunteered at the church and even rendered professional services without being promised or expecting a dime. I trusted God to bles me and he did. I don't know what this dude's problem is but he definitely is on the wrong track.

I am HAPPY that you are a member of that Church which means you have "First hand Knowledge" of Pastor Okotie.
I'll understand if you are biased since religion is a thing of the heart,...so called "Opium of the mind".
Disclosure: I am a Christian too but NOT a member of Household.

Now, you listed a lot of things the Church have done, over the last 20years (and they are lofty things!)....
.....and BASED ON THOSE THINGS, you CONCLUDED THAT THE "ACCUSATION DOES NOT FIT" the LIFESTYLE of PASTOR OKOTIE!

Let us appeal your LOGIC since your assertion is based on "Logical reasoning".
I have a few question which punctures (or appear to) that assertion:

1) If the Pastor pays "security guards as much as 50K monthly", we can then infer that it is TRUE that NOT EVERYONE working for the church, works or is expected to work for FREE. => (which implies) This man is within his rights to ask to be paid for services rendered? Was this man (accused) paid for his 14years service to the church? TRUE or FALSE.

2.) The Church bought cars for "long term serving volunteers" as you said. Was this man EVER given a car TRUE OR FALSE?
or is 14years of service not long enough to be considered "long term volunteering" (assuming he was just a VOLUNTEER, ..and not entitled to a salary?)

3.) If the Church regularly raises offering to offset financial problems of "members/volunteers" ....How come someone who plays your Keyboard for 14years does not QUALIFY for such offerings, knowing that he was being EJECTED FROM HIS HOME, which he says the same Church promised to pay for ab-initio? Was he not ejected from that apartment? (try read the initial story when it broke and was posted on Nairaland earlier, where the man laid out his complaints against Pastor Okotie and what led him to take the "extra-ordinary measure" of bringing his case to the Church service, when he had no other option left).

4.) The Church established a Benevolent Department, right? Where were they or what did they do, to ameliorate the trauma this man went through when he was being ejected from his house (and we hear that Pastor Okotie rented another flat for him and his wife + ki(s) BUT IN THE NAME OF OKOTIE"S BROTHER )
Did this man who served the Church and Okotie for 14years, BENEFIT FROM SUCH BENEVOLENCE? TRUE OR FALSE

5.) Has this man EVER benefited from you "Grace program" TRUE OR FALSE ....or what DISQUALIFIES HIM from benefiting, during his 14yeras in service of the church and Okotie?

6.)That YOU VOLUNTARILY CHOSE to offer service (professional and otherwise) to the church for FREE, TODAY, dies not mean that it will still be free tomorrow or that VERY OTHER PERSON WHO IS NOT IN THE SAME FINANCIAL POSITION AS YOU HAS TO DO THE SAME.
if you are builder (with no other source of earning a living and feeding your family), try offering your service for 14years to the church and lets see whether "manna" will fall from heaven to feed your family.

If the ANSWER to the questions above are FALSE (and l know they are false since even you cannot say the man has benefited in anyway, from the Church's "Grace or Benevolence" program and neither was he PAID ANY SALARY, like the Security Guards) THEN PASTOR OKOTIE NEEDS TO ASK GOD FOR FORGIVENESS AND PAY-OFF THIS "ORDINARY MAN". You cannot humiliate and oppress "man", while claiming to serve God who is a spirit.

Finally, you mention the issue of "BLACKMAIL": Please tell us, How does ASKING FOR YOUR ENTITLEMENTS from a "man of God", to be considered blackmail? If you tried ALL PEACEFUL MEANS and the MOG rebuffed you, PROTESTING OPENLY to draw attention to your case MUST and SHOULD NEVER be considered blackmail!
I guess it is the same "Oga at The Top" syndrome that is at play here!

"How can one little, Piano player openly challenge the ALMIGHTY Jerry-curled Pastor who sits on top of Multi-Millions of Naira and controls the life of Millions of People"? Just imagine the audacity! Teach him a lesson, we must

Truly, "BLACKMAIL" must have assumed a new definition,....with this man of Gawd!

Wolves in Sheep Clothing.
If the Courts of the Land cannot judge them rightly, can they overcome the wrath of God?

Lastpage.

Pastor, pay the "little man" and stop muscling him for his sweat! Remember God's word:, "Do not deny a laborer, his sweat"

talk2s:

I'll advise you to sharpen up your communication skills before coming to speak to the Servant of the Most High !

I guess that is the only thing you could defend, in this show of shame that the man of God has plunged himself into?
Communications skill my left foot.

Focus on the "message", not just the 'communications skill' .....like even you can do better, huh?

manny4life: Wahala dey o, what's our churches turning into?

Business centers.

Pastor,pay the guy's money ooo

I am certain that there is enough wisdom and enough money at the Household of God to compensate this disgruntled pianist. Afterall, those who serve at the altar are entitled to eat from the Altar. This is a matter that should be settled out of Court, in Church, xtian brother to xtian brother, in love.

browncool: I had thought playing piano for church is to the Glory of God and not beneficiary purpose

yes na, if it is truely a house of God.not when the church is a LTD one na!the money must go round.d man no want okotie to buy jet?

lastpage:
I guess that is the only thing you could defend, in this show of shame that the man of God has plunged himself into?
Communications skill my left foot.

Focus on the "message", not just the 'communications skill' .....like even you can do better, huh?

Likewise U, work on ur communication skill,
and stop joining de band wagon to speak of a man of God in that manner.
Ur claim of christianity not withstanding, other than add credence to ur position earlier on, it opens u up to ridicule as one who belongs to a fold but lacks knowlege of de modus operandi and vivendi of that fold.
I've 4gotten how such a one coul be called...

I see the "lastpage" fellow is tring to hard to convince us that Okotie is at fault....Well done! am feel strongly that the guy in question is lastpage.
Anyway, does this guy have a written contract? if no i dare say It is stupid for anyone to start a job without a written contract.
It is foolish for anyone to continously do a job for 14 good years without been paid.

I believe at some point this guy had it all good with Okotie....it could not have been that bad for 14years. I am sure there are a few missing lines.........this issue is not really abt the money, sometime happen that made a good relationship go bad, and someone is trying to prove a point..........

While Okotie may not have been perfect through all this..This Guy's story does not seem logical enough.

However,If this fellow can demostrate to the court that he has a written contract,or show Witnesses who can prove beyond reasonable doubt that Okotie is manipulating and exploiting workers, he may have a case. But not in this world will he get an inch close to 39M, daz a complete joke.

whatever happens with the judgement,My advise to the guy, In the future, before you start any job, get a written contract.
Its common sense.....Be wise!

vislabraye: I don't know what agreement they had together but paying musicians salary for playing in church is unheard of.

Tomorrow, the ushers will come and demand for money. Don't forget the cleaners and the technical guys.

my friend works in a church which I am not going to name here. He works as the light controller for the lights on the stage and he earns 130,000 per month. He works only 4 days a week and about 6hours on each of the four days except Sunday when he has to work through all the events of the day. Church wey pay pass bank.

@lastpage,

I am HAPPY that you are a member of that Church which means you have "First hand Knowledge" of Pastor Okotie.
I'll understand if you are biased since religion is a thing of the heart,...so called "Opium of the mind".
Disclosure: I am a Christian too but NOT a member of Household.

Really! You are a christian and you classify christianity as an opiate that numbs the mind? I don't know what sort of christianity you rctice but mine frees me to think and enhances the soundness of my mind. You must be following another Gospel!

Now, you listed a lot of things the Church have done, over the last 20years (and they are lofty things!)....
.....and BASED ON THOSE THINGS, you CONCLUDED THAT THE "ACCUSATION DOES NOT FIT" the LIFESTYLE of PASTOR OKOTIE!

Absolutely. Does it seems to you that it fits? Or in your opiated mind, do you consider an accused guilty simply because of another's accusations? Is that what you have learnt from your brand of opiated "christianity?"

Let us appeal your LOGIC since your assertion is based on "Logical reasoning". I have a few question which punctures (or appear to) that assertion:

I have not asserted anything. I have only laid out facts which can be corroborated by simple investigation. What I am certain can't be corroborated is the accuser's assertion that he is owed salary that runs into millions.

1) If the Pastor pays "security guards as much as 50K monthly", we can then infer that it is TRUE that NOT EVERYONE working for the church, works or is expected to work for FREE. => (which implies) This man is within his rights to ask to be paid for services rendered? Was this man (accused) paid for his 14years service to the church? TRUE or FALSE.

First, can you even coroborate the fact that this guy worked at the church for 14 years? If I humor you and accept that premise, then I would ask that you produce the contract agreement that stipulates how much the guy should be paid per month. Have you ever heard of something called a contract and/or an employment letter?

2.) The Church bought cars for "long term serving volunteers" as you said. Was this man EVER given a car TRUE OR FALSE?
or is 14years of service not long enough to be considered "long term volunteering" (assuming he was just a VOLUNTEER, ..and not entitled to a salary?)

For our information, no volunteer was ever promised to be paid in cash or i kind. Those who received the gifts did so at the discretion of the Pastor not because they earned it from a contract arrangement. ANd by the way, I know dozens of people who have served even longer and never received a dime from the Church.

3.) If the Church regularly raises offering to offset financial problems of "members/volunteers" ....How come someone who plays your Keyboard for 14years does not QUALIFY for such offerings, knowing that he was being EJECTED FROM HIS HOME, which he says the same Church promised to pay for ab-initio? Was he not ejected from that apartment? (try read the initial story when it broke and was posted on Nairaland earlier, where the man laid out his complaints against Pastor Okotie and what led him to take the "extra-ordinary measure" of bringing his case to the Church service, when he had no other option left).

Again, you ere on the point of assuming someone is guilty because another made an accusation against him. Do you know the meaning of the word "volunteer"? Does it in anyway connote remuneration on the part of the recipient for the sacrifice of time, efforts, talents and resources by the volunteer?

4.) The Church established a Benevolent Department, right? Where were they or what did they do, to ameliorate the trauma this man went through when he was being ejected from his house (and we hear that Pastor Okotie rented another flat for him and his wife + ki(s) BUT IN THE NAME OF OKOTIE"S BROTHER )
Did this man who served the Church and Okotie for 14years, BENEFIT FROM SUCH BENEVOLENCE? TRUE OR FALSE

Stupid question. You have to go to the benevolence department to receive their help. The question you have to ask is if the guy ever approacjhed the department for help and was denied when they actually saw the need.

5.) Has this man EVER benefited from you "Grace program" TRUE OR FALSE ....or what DISQUALIFIES HIM from benefiting, during his 14yeras in service of the church and Okotie?

Your question betrays your lack of knowledge of what the GRACE program is all about. The benevolence dept takes care of church members while the GRACE program is primarily an outreach effort.

6.)That YOU VOLUNTARILY CHOSE to offer service (professional and otherwise) to the church for FREE, TODAY, dies not mean that it will still be free tomorrow or that VERY OTHER PERSON WHO IS NOT IN THE SAME FINANCIAL POSITION AS YOU HAS TO DO THE SAME.
if you are builder (with no other source of earning a living and feeding your family), try offering your service for 14years to the church and lets see whether "manna" will fall from heaven to feed your family.

You are showing the signs of an opiated mind again. If I no longer want to offer my services free of charge, I simply withdraw it. I can not retroactively ak to be paid for servces I offered freely as a volunteer. Are you learned at all?

If the ANSWER to the questions above are FALSE (and l know they are false since even you cannot say the man has benefited in anyway, from the Church's "Grace or Benevolence" program and neither was he PAID ANY SALARY, like the Security Guards) THEN PASTOR OKOTIE NEEDS TO ASK GOD FOR FORGIVENESS AND PAY-OFF THIS "ORDINARY MAN". You cannot humiliate and oppress "man", while claiming to serve God who is a spirit.[quote]Wow. First, can you prove that the guy actually worked in the church for 14 years? Second, was he ever promised or got a contract to be paid for his services? If he has a contract or was an employe of the church, I would be the first to say that contract needs to be honored. Without that, the guy is just blowing hot air.

[quote]Finally, you mention the issue of "BLACKMAIL": Please tell us, How does ASKING FOR YOUR ENTITLEMENTS from a "man of God", to be considered blackmail? If you tried ALL PEACEFUL MEANS and the MOG rebuffed you, PROTESTING OPENLY to draw attention to your case MUST and SHOULD NEVER be considered blackmail!

Stop using big words if you don't know their meaning. entitlements give the notion that you have a contract that guarantees certain remuneration based on a predetermined milestone. Where is that agreement?

I guess it is the same "Oga at The Top" syndrome that is at play here!

No. An oga at the top does not believe in the rule of law. The church did the right thing by charging the guy to court for his unruy behavior. Okotie didn't slap him or assault him. Okotie ignored the guy until he became physically aggressive. That is what is called following the rule of law.

"How can one little, Piano player openly challenge the ALMIGHTY Jerry-curled Pastor who sits on top of Multi-Millions of Naira and controls the life of Millions of People"? Just imagine the audacity! Teach him a lesson, we must

Even men, as little as we are challenge God, talkless of His servant. The guy needed to be restrained and Household went the right way by following the rule of law.

Truly, "BLACKMAIL" must have assumed a new definition,....with this man of Gawd!

I see you are a mocker. You really don't deserve all the time I have spent responding to you. Mockers are seldom rational beings, especially when they opereate under the influence of opium, which you confessed you are.

Wolves in Sheep Clothing. If the Courts of the Land cannot judge them rightly, can they overcome the wrath of God?

And of course, God follows your lead in determining who should be the recipient of His wrath, right?

Lastpage. Pastor, pay the "little man" and stop muscling him for his sweat! Remember God's word:, "Do not deny a laborer, his sweat"

Talk about using the scriptures unscripturally. Jesus didn't say a laborer is worthy of his labor. He said a laborer is worthy of his HIRE. Was this guy hired by the Household of God Church? I'm sure the answer to that is a capital NO!