I would rather pay hospital bills than give monthly tithe, says Toke Makinwa

Nigerian media personality Toke Makinwa has explained her decision to stop paying monthly tithes to the church, revealing that she now redirects the money to hospitals, widows, and individuals in urgent need.

In a video posted on her YouTube channel on Saturday, Makinwa made the remarks during the podcast where she said she “kind of stopped paying tithe to the church” after concluding that many churches are already financially comfortable and she would rather channel the money to the needy.

“I kind of stopped paying tithe to the church because all the churches I know are rich. And I decided that no, no, no, no, I ain’t doing this anymore. I would rather go to hospitals, widows’ homes.”

She added that many of the churches are already financially well-established.

“All the churches I know are rich. Every Sunday, there’s a building fund envelope. You guys have so much money, and it’s not taxed. It’s a business, if I’m going to be real, because if that pastor dies today, either his wife or his child becomes the next pastor,” she said, adding that leadership succession in some churches often remains within families.

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While clarifying that she still gives offerings and supports church programmes, Makinwa stressed that she no longer pays her regular tithe directly to religious institutions.

“I give an offering in church. And if the church needs anything, I would support the house of God for programmes, anything. But that monthly tithe.”

According to her, she now channels her tithe toward charitable causes, including paying hospital bills and assisting people with urgent financial needs.

“I would rather go to hospitals, take a maternity ward, and pay all the bills there. I would rather when strangers come to meet me, I would tithe my tithe to them because they are telling me their actual needs,” she said.

She questioned the rationale of giving money to churches while people struggle to survive.

“How can I say I love God? I have the money this person is looking for to pay rent, and I’m carrying it to a church?” she asked.

Makinwa also addressed possible criticism, urging people to act according to their convictions.
“Do whatever it is in your conviction to do,” she said, noting that interpretations of biblical teachings on tithing differ.

Reflecting on her past, she revealed that she once gave an entire brand endorsement fee to the church as a tithe.

“Ten years ago, I was the girl who got a brand endorsement deal, didn’t touch one naira double digits, and carried everything to church. I said I will tithe this to God so that my life will never be tight,” she recalled.