Iginla Explains ‘Poor Pastor’ Remark, Says Wealth, Poverty Are Matters Of Choice

The Lead Pastor of Champions Faith Assembly in Abuja, Prophet Joshua Iginla, has reacted to the controversy surrounding the viral remark, “I can never follow a poor pastor”, arguing that people’s views were largely shaped by personal choices and perspectives.

Iginla made the comments in a video message titled “The Poor Versus the Rich,” which has continued to circulate widely on social media.

Speaking to his congregation, the cleric said the statement attributed to another pastor had been misconstrued, explaining that it simply expressed a personal opinion informed by life experiences.

He noted that while such a comment might have been unacceptable in the past, changing social realities and increased exposure have influenced how leadership and prosperity are perceived.

“What is wrong with the statement? It is his personal opinion,” Iginla said. “If you want to follow a poor pastor, follow one. If you want to follow a rich pastor, follow one.”

The pastor cited Proverbs 19:4 to support his argument that wealth naturally attracts people while poverty often drives them away, adding that the Bible itself recognises this reality.

He questioned the church’s attitude to wealth, asking why poverty is often spiritualised while prosperity is viewed with suspicion.

“If I say today the topic of our message is poverty, will you sit down?” he asked. “Do you teach people how to be poor?”

Iginla stressed that prosperity should not be equated with spirituality, noting that material possessions do not define a person’s spiritual depth.

According to him, prosperity operates on certain principles that anyone who applies them can benefit from, irrespective of religious affiliation.

“You can be poor and make heaven like Lazarus. You can be rich and make heaven like Abraham, David or Solomon,” he said.

He cautioned against what he described as “terrorising” people for embracing prosperity, insisting that both poverty and wealth were, to a large extent, matters of personal choice.

The cleric also criticised the over-spiritualisation of financial intelligence in the church, urging pastors to combine spiritual teaching with practical lessons on wealth creation.

His remarks come amid ongoing public debate sparked by a viral video of a pastor declaring that he would never follow a poor pastor, a statement that has continued to generate mixed reactions on social media.