Ernest Michael Temitope, the former pastor of Winners Chapel whose 2024 dismissal letter recently resurfaced online, has shared details of his earnings and financial experience while working with the church.
Temitope, 28, told Legit.ng that his official acknowledgement letter stated a monthly basic salary of ₦35,000. However, he said the amount that eventually reached his bank account was lower because of tax deductions.
“Though my signed letter of acknowledgement reflected a base salary of ₦35,000, my actual take-home pay deposited into my account was ₦34,206.67 after tax deductions,” he told Legit.ng.
The former cleric also made available bank records showing payments between August 31, 2022, and March 30, 2024, which he said documented the salary deposits he received during his period of service.
No additional allowances or health benefits
According to Temitope, his monthly salary was not accompanied by other personal allowances or health insurance benefits.
He explained that the church station where he served received a separate monthly operational fund known as ROF, amounting to ₦7,000.
Temitope stressed that the money was intended for the running of the church station and should not be regarded as an additional payment made to him personally.
“There were no additional allowances or health benefits,” Temitope said.
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Rural postings increased expenses
The former pastor said his financial responsibilities became more challenging when he was assigned to rural stations without official accommodation for pastors.
In such circumstances, Temitope said he had to use his own salary to meet several expenses connected to both his personal needs and pastoral responsibilities.
“When posted to rural stations without designated pastoral housing, I had to cover my own transport, member welfare, and housing expenses out of that salary,” he said.
His account indicates that the ₦34,206.67 monthly take-home pay sometimes had to cover expenses beyond his basic personal needs, particularly when he was serving in locations without pastoral housing.
Who is Ernest Michael Temitope?
Temitope said he is originally from Osun State and obtained a National Diploma in Mass Communication from the Federal Polytechnic, Offa, in 2022.
He described his professional interests as spanning mass communication, financial market analysis, software development and creative arts.
The former pastor also said he is married and has two young daughters.
How his Winners Chapel experience came to public attention
Temitope’s account of his earnings followed the resurfacing of his dismissal letter from Winners Chapel, which he had shared publicly.
The document, dated March 11, 2024, stated that his services were no longer required as part of what the church described as “strategic re-organisation and re-structuring.”
He was also instructed to leave his official accommodation and return ministry property in his possession.
Temitope had previously described the dismissal as one of the most painful experiences of his life, saying he kept the matter private for several years.
After leaving the church, he said his immediate concerns included finding employment and securing stable accommodation for his family.
His latest disclosure, supported by the payment records he provided, has offered further details about his earnings and the expenses he said came with serving as a pastor during his time at Winners Chapel.
