The founder of Salvation Ministries, Pastor David Ibiyeomie, has addressed criticism surrounding his reported $2 million luxury watch collection.
Speaking during a church service in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Ibiyeomie explained that the high-end timepieces — including Rolex, Franck Muller, and Piaget watches — were gifted to him by individuals whose lives he said he had positively impacted.
According to him, the watches, valued between $15,000 and $105,000 each, were tokens of appreciation for problems solved and support rendered. He added that critics had only seen a portion of the collection, remarking that if they saw the full set, they “might faint.”
The comments have reignited public debate over wealth and transparency among prominent church leaders in Nigeria. While supporters describe the gifts as divine blessings and point to the church’s scholarship programmes and charitable initiatives, critics question the optics of displaying luxury items amid rising inflation and widespread poverty in the country.
The discussion continues to generate mixed reactions across social media.
