The cleric gave the warning during a sermon ahead of the Christmas season, urging members of his congregation to prioritise tithing before spending money on festive clothing and other personal needs.
In a video circulating online, Ibiyeomie cautioned Christians against using money for Christmas shopping while leaving their tithes unpaid, describing the practice as dangerous.
“Don’t buy a Christmas cloth when you have not paid tithe. It’s dangerous. It’s very dangerous,” he said.
The pastor insisted that tithing should not be treated casually, arguing that believers should calculate and pay what he considers the appropriate amount rather than deciding how much to contribute at their discretion.
To reinforce his message, Ibiyeomie recounted incidents involving vehicles that allegedly suffered tyre bursts, which he attributed to the failure of the drivers involved to pay their tithes.
According to him, one such incident occurred during a journey when two tyres of a vehicle conveying him burst.
He said he subsequently questioned the driver of the other vehicle involved in the account about his religious commitment.
“I said to the driver of the passenger, I said, you don’t pay tithe,” the pastor recalled, suggesting that the incident was connected to the driver’s alleged failure to meet the obligation.
Ibiyeomie also narrated another experience involving a driver employed to operate his Rolls-Royce.
He claimed that two tyres burst while he and his wife were travelling in the luxury vehicle, prompting him to investigate the driver’s tithing record.
“I said, go and check his record. Truth was not a tither,” he said, referring to the driver.
The cleric added that he had encountered similar situations involving other drivers who identified as Christians but, according to him, had not been consistent in paying their tithes.
He said the experiences had strengthened his belief that Christians should not automatically attribute every difficulty they encounter to the devil without examining their own religious commitments.
“Not everything is the devil,” Ibiyeomie said, urging believers to reflect on their spiritual obligations when faced with challenges.
The pastor further warned Christians against neglecting tithes during the festive period, suggesting that failure to fulfil the obligation could have consequences for their households.
“I’m telling you this December, don’t tamper with your tithe. Otherwise, they may rush your children,” he said.
His remarks placed particular emphasis on the importance of maintaining what he described as consistency and accuracy in tithing, especially during a period when many families spend more on food, clothing, travel and celebrations.
Ibiyeomie also criticised believers who, according to him, paid whatever amount they considered convenient instead of calculating their tithes based on their income.
“Many of you are Christians, but don’t pay the correct tithe. You pay as you like. It’s not pay as you go. Pay correct tithe,” he said.
Tithing, commonly understood in many Christian traditions as giving a tenth of one’s income to God through the church, remains a subject of differing interpretations among Christian denominations and religious leaders.
While some churches teach it as a continuing obligation for believers, others emphasise voluntary giving and different interpretations of biblical teachings on offerings and financial stewardship.
Ibiyeomie’s comments have drawn attention because of the link he made between unpaid tithes and incidents such as vehicle tyre bursts, as well as his warning about possible consequences for believers’ children.
The accounts he cited were presented as his personal experiences and religious interpretation. The material provided does not independently establish that the vehicle incidents were caused by the drivers’ alleged failure to pay tithes.
The cleric concluded by urging Christians to take tithing seriously and avoid attributing every misfortune to spiritual attacks without considering what he regards as shortcomings in their religious commitments.
