Femi FalanaA Lagos constitutional lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN) has described the practice where the leaders of Churches would build universities with the contributions from Church members but are prized out of reach of such members as sinful, illegal and unjust.
The lawyer encouraged Christians to form the habit of challenging pastors who divert contributions and funds from their congregations to build universities which the children of the same congregation cannot attend.
The practice is “a sin, illegal and unjust,” Falana said, adding: “If you set up a school and the poor people, who contributed those funds, cannot attend those institutions because you set up those schools for the children of the rich, you are bound to be made to account.”
The lawyer spoke today as part of his keynote address at the Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders annual general convention held in Oregun, Lagos. The convention had its theme as: “Institutionalizing Probity & Accountability in Governance: Perspectives and Methodologies.”
Falana went on: “Some Nigerian pastors are under investigation because they had registered as charities and, a charitable organization cannot siphon funds to do business. This is why some respected pastors cannot travel to the UK today because they have been indicted.”
He warned that those who are using church funds to establish universities will soon render accounts.
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