ANALYSIS: Faith, Funds and the War Against Corruption
By Kabir Abdulsalam,
Over the years, I have watched how quickly a generous donor can become a celebrated figure in a religious gathering. A few words of appreciation, a special seat and public prayers for the benefactor can sometimes follow a large donation.
There is nothing wrong with generosity. Giving is deeply rooted in both our faiths and our culture. But I have often wondered what happens when we become so grateful for the gift that we stop asking questions about the giver.
That question returned to me after EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede warned religious organisations against accepting unexplained wealth and diverting tithes, offerings, zakat and other funds into private businesses.
His warning is not simply about money in churches and mosques. It is about the relationship between faith, wealth and the social respectability we give to those who possess it.
In Nigeria, meanwhile, there are questions around whether the source of wealth can sometimes be less important than the size of the donation, religious institutions face a difficult responsibility and how to welcome generosity without becoming a safe haven for questionable wealth.
Speaking at the second 2026 Council Meeting of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) in Abuja, Olukoyede cited a striking example of a public servant building a mosque worth more than his earnings over many years. He also referred to a ₦550 million donation, questioning the practice of simply saying “God bless you” without asking reasonable questions about its source.
The point goes beyond corruption among politicians and public officials. It touches on how society gives legitimacy to wealth.
Someone may acquire questionable wealth through public office, fraud, money laundering or other illicit means. But once that money is turned into a mosque, church building, scholarship or charitable project, public perception can change. A person who might otherwise attract suspicion can suddenly be celebrated as a generous benefactor.
This is where religious institutions have a particular responsibility.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo made a similar point in 2017 when he told a convention of the Victory Life Bible Church in Abeokuta that some church leaders “celebrate and venerate” people whose sources of wealth are questionable and accept offerings without asking questions. His concern was that the church could inadvertently give moral approval to corruption by celebrating unexplained prosperity.
Nearly a decade later, Olukoyede’s intervention suggests that the question remains unresolved. But there is an important distinction.
A large donation is not, by itself, evidence of a financial crime.
A successful businessman may legitimately donate ₦550 million. A wealthy family may finance a mosque. A congregation may raise substantial funds for a church project. A philanthropist may build a school or hospital through a religious foundation.
The problem begins when institutions deliberately avoid reasonable questions even when a donor’s wealth appears inconsistent with what is publicly known about the person.
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Accountability should not turn every wealthy worshipper into a suspect. But religious status should not place donations beyond scrutiny either.
The EFCC chairman’s warning may be less dramatic but is arguably more important. Religious organisations, he said, must not mix institutional funds with the private finances or businesses of their founders and leaders. Tithes, offerings, zakat and other funds entrusted to religious organisations should not become personal financial resources.
This is where basic financial governance matters.
Separate institutional and personal accounts should be standard. Major expenditures should have proper approval processes. Organisations should keep reliable records, conduct periodic audits and establish clear rules on conflicts of interest. Where substantial donations are involved, there should be a process for identifying the donor and establishing that the funds have a legitimate source.
None of this diminishes faith. If anything, it protects religious institutions from the consequences of failing to ask questions early enough.
The principle of stewardship is hardly new. Christianity places considerable emphasis on responsible stewardship, while Islam attaches particular importance to the proper administration of zakat and charitable giving. Transparency can therefore be seen not simply as an external demand but as part of the responsibility that comes with handling resources entrusted by others.
There is also a wider social consequence.
When questionable wealth is celebrated, it can gradually distort the values of a community. Young people who repeatedly see extravagant wealth honoured may stop asking how it was acquired. The message becomes simple: the result matters more than the process.
That is why the religious response to corruption cannot end with sermons condemning corrupt politicians. It must also confront the prestige attached to unexplained wealth.
The EFCC, however, must approach the issue with equal care. Religious identity should neither provide protection from legitimate investigation nor become a reason for suspicion. The same standards should apply to churches, mosques, traditional institutions, charities, foundations, businesses and individuals.
The test should be evidence. Where there is evidence of diversion, fraud, money laundering or another financial crime, religious titles should offer no protection. Where there is no evidence of wrongdoing, legitimate wealth and philanthropy should not be treated as criminal simply because they are substantial.
Nigeria has spent years building laws and institutions to fight corruption. But corruption is also a question of culture.
Religious institutions occupy a unique place in that culture. They shape attitudes, confer social respectability and influence how millions of Nigerians understand wealth, success and responsibility.
That influence carries a burden. The question is not whether religion should receive wealth. It is whether wealth should receive unquestioned religious legitimacy.
That is the accountability challenge facing the mosque, the church, the state and society.
Kabir is a Public Affairs analyst, wrote in via [email protected]
