Matthew Ashimolowo

{{Short description|Nigerian clergyman (born 1952)}}
{{POV|date=November 2014}}
{{Infobox person
| image        =
| image_size   =
| name         = Matthew Ashimolowo
| caption      =
| birth_name   =
| birth_date   = {{birth date and age|1952|3|17|df=yes}}
| birth_place  = [[Kaduna]], [[Kaduna State]], [[Nigeria]]
| death_date   =
| death_place  =
| death_cause  =
| restingplace =
| nationality  =
| education    =
| alma mater   =
| title   = Founder, [[Kingsway International Christian Centre]] (KICC)
| known for    =
| spouse       = {{marriage|Yemisi Ashimolowo|1981}}
| parents      =
| children     = 2
| relatives    =
| website      = 
}}

'''Matthew Ashimolowo''' (born 17 March 1952) is a Nigerian [[Clergy|clergyman]], the senior pastor of [[Kingsway International Christian Centre]] (KICC) in London.

His ''Winning Ways'' programme is aired daily on [[Premier Christian Radio|Premier Radio]] (London) and Spirit FM ([[Amsterdam]]) and on television in Nigeria, Ghana, Zimbabwe, FaithAfrica ([[DStv|DSTV]] 341), the [[Trinity Broadcasting Network]] (TBN) and Europe on [[The God Channel]] and Inspirational Network.

Ashimolowo founded the Kingsway International Christian Centre (KICC) in 1992 in the UK. ''[[Forbes]]'' once estimated his fortune at $6 million to $10 million.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Nsehe|first=Mfonobong|title=The Five Richest Pastors In Nigeria|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/mfonobongnsehe/2011/06/07/the-five-richest-pastors-in-nigeria/|access-date=2022-01-30|website=Forbes|language=en}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Ashimolowo [[converted to Christianity]] from [[Islam]] at the age of 20 after the death of his father before enrolling with a Bible school.<ref>[http://relzim.org/news/2194/ Nigerian pastor Ashimolowo: Zimbabwe has great future.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111029082433/http://relzim.org/news/2194/ |date=2011-10-29 }}</ref>

Forbes estimated Ashimolowo's net worth is at between $6–10 million.<ref name=autogenerated1>{{cite news |url= https://blogs.forbes.com/mfonobongnsehe/2011/06/07/the-five-richest-pastors-in-nigeria/ |title=The Five Richest Pastors In Nigeria |first=Mfonobong |last=Nsehe |work=[[Forbes]] |accessdate=12 June 2011 |date=2011-06-07}}</ref> KICC annual accounts confirmed that he earns an annual salary of £100,000<ref name="richer-pauls">{{Cite news|date=11 April 2009|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/apr/11/kingsway-international-christian-centre|title=Richer than St Paul's: church that attracts 8,000 congregation to a disused cinema|work=The Guardian|location=London|first=Robert|last=Booth}}</ref> but the majority of his wealth comes from the sale of Christian literature and documentaries from his media company, Matthew Ashimolowo media.<ref name=autogenerated1 /> Ashimolowo is considered a preacher of the [[Prosperity theology|prosperity gospel]].<ref>{{cite web|title='Wealth' church leader practised what he preached|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1500074/Wealth-church-leader-practised-what-he-preached.html|publisher=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|first=Jonathan|last=Petre|date=7 October 2005|accessdate=28 December 2019}}</ref>

In January 2022, he appointed his first son as resident Pastor of KICC, [[London]] and hinted at retirement.<ref>{{Cite news| first = Morgan | last = Oluwafemi | title = Matthew Ashimolowo Appoints Son As UK Resident Pastor | url = https://punchng.com/matthew-ashimolowo-appoints-son-as-uk-resident-pastor-hints-at-retirement/ | work = Punch | date = 2022-01-23}}</ref>

==Financial irregularities==
The [[charitable organisation|charity]] behind [[Kingsway International Christian Centre]] is ''The King's Ministries Trust''. This was investigated by the [[Charity Commission|Charity Commission of England and Wales]] between 2002 and 2005. A report of the inquiry was released in October 2005.<ref name="charcomm">{{cite web
| url = http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/investigations/inquiryreports/kmt.asp
| title = The King's Ministries Trust (Registered Charity No. 1014084)
| publisher=The Regulator for Charities in England and Wales
| accessdate=2008-10-24
}}</ref> The report concluded that there had been serious misconduct and mismanagement in the administration of the charity. At an early stage in the investigation, it was considered that the charity's assets were at risk, and control was removed from the existing trustees and placed in the hands of an independent external company (the accountancy and management consultancy practice [[KPMG]]), who regularised the charity's affairs.

The report found that:<ref name="charcomm" />
* there was serious misconduct and mismanagement in the administration of the Charity (section 21)
* he was responsible for approving payments and benefits to himself and his wife, Yemisi, totalling more than £384,000 (section 11)
* he and his family received benefits from the Charity including:
** free accommodation for himself and family (section 4)
** an £80,000 car (section 12)
** he had made personal purchases using the Charity's Visa card, including the purchase of a timeshare apartment in Florida for £13,000 (section 18)
* over half a million pounds was paid out to Ashimolowo's private companies, which were operated from church property and had unclear business relationships with the charity (section 15)
* Ashimolowo acted as both a trustee and a paid employee of the charity (section 4)
He was ordered (section 34) to repay £200,000.

In a subsequent debate in the [[House of Lords]], Lord Swinfen questioned the Charity Commission's running of this investigation.  He acknowledged the technical breach, but highlighted its openness, "This unincorporated trust has for some years been remunerating its trustees for various services and doing so quite openly. It made the mistake of not realising that it should have altered its constitution explicitly to allow that to be done." He then questioned the cost of the investigation "With some advice from the commission and the use of the charity lawyer, the trustees of this charity could have affected these changes for some £12,000—one-hundredth of the sum the commission has already spent."  He added "The commission believes, understandably, that the future success of this charity is assured by the charity having new trustees".<ref name="hansard">{{cite web | url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200506/ldhansrd/vo051108/text/51108-25.htm | title=Lords Hansard text for 8 Nov 2005 |publisher=UK Parliament | date=2005-11-08 | accessdate=2009-02-21}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.kicc.org.uk KICC Website]

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ashimolowo, Matthew}}
[[Category:1952 births]]
[[Category:Converts to Protestantism from Islam]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Clergy from London]]
[[Category:Black British television personalities]]
[[Category:Yoruba Christian clergy]]
[[Category:British former Muslims]]
[[Category:Nigerian former Muslims]]
[[Category:British Christians]]
[[Category:Nigerian Christians]]
[[Category:English people of Yoruba descent]]
[[Category:Black British religious leaders]]
[[Category:Prosperity theologians]]