Former Super Eagles striker Odion Ighalo has revealed that he has been paying tithes since 2005, when he earned N15,000 as a 16-year-old at Julius Berger, and has never missed a payment despite his earnings later soaring into millions.
Ighalo made the disclosure on the Rash4Christ Podcast hosted by Super Falcons star Rasheedat Ajibade, explaining how his pastor taught him about tithing early in his career .
“My first salary I got when I was playing back in Julius Berger was in 2005. I was 16 years old then. 15,000 naira. And I know my pastor back then taught me about tithing,” he said .
“I started paying tithe since 2005, and till today I have not missed my tithe” .
The former Manchester United forward admitted that he almost stopped when his wages increased dramatically after moving to China, where he reportedly earned close to £300,000 per week at Changchun Yatai .
“Devil wanted to play with me when I went to China and I’m earning big money and I saw 10% of my tithe. Devil was playing with my mind. I thought about it. Month end, I got my salary, I did not send money yet,” he said .
Ighalo said he eventually prayed about it, and the answer was clear.
“But I prayed one day, God said don’t change the winning formula. If you can be faithful with little, you’ll be faithful with any amount,” he continued .
“Like I am now, I don’t care any amount I’m going to earn in life today, 10% is for God” .
Ighalo also dismissed critics who question whether tithes end up in pastors’ pockets.
“I know some people will say you are giving it to the pastor. It’s not my problem. I do according to the word of God,” he said .
He added that whatever a pastor does with the money is between the pastor and God, while he focuses on his own obedience.
“Whatever that pastor does with it, it’s between him and God. He has to explain to God and all that. I pay my tithe, I sow my seed, I help the less privileged, the poor and all that. Since 2005 till today, I have not missed my tithe and it has been working for me,” he said .
Ighalo’s tithing commitment has played out against a career that has seen him earn some of the highest wages of any Nigerian footballer.
After starting at Julius Berger, he moved to Norwegian club Lyn before joining Udinese in Italy. He later played for Granada, Watford and Chinese clubs Changchun Yatai and Shanghai Shenhua, before a dream loan move to Manchester United in 2020 .
His time in China was particularly lucrative. Reports indicated he earned around £300,000 per week at Changchun Yatai, and later a similar figure at Shanghai Shenhua . He then moved to Saudi Arabia, where he played for Al-Shabab, Al-Hilal and Al-Wehda .
His estimated net worth is put at €38 million .
Despite the wealth, Ighalo insisted that his approach to giving has not changed.
“That is why you see I told you that I am not boasting but I do not see any challenges in my life that will come, that I would not get through it,” he said .