On Bishop David Oyedepo's "Alleged" Commercial Airline, Dominion Air

Popular cleric, David Oyedepo, founder of the Living Faith Chapel, has come under intense criticism following reports that he has commenced work to launch an airline, Dominion Airlines.

Opinions have been divided regarding the development as various groups and individuals have strongly condemned this latest addition to the cleric's expanding business empire.

Lawrence Ofili, of the Save Nigeria Group (SNG), a civil rights organisation, accused the cleric of widening the gulf between his congregation and an exclusive wealthy few. "Pastor Oyedepo, by his choice of businesses, has severally demonstrated a disconnect between himself and hundreds of thousands of poor Christians who he claimed to have come to deliver," he said.

"About 90 per cent of public schools in this country were built by early Christian missionaries; today Oyedepo has Covenant University but it is for children of millionaires."

However, supporters of the billionaire cleric, mostly members of his church, have taken to social media platforms to defend Oyedepo as simply combining entrepreneurship and religion.

Oyedepo has widely been seen as Nigeria's wealthiest religious leader. His business empire includes Covenant University, Landmark University, Faith Academy, Dominion Publishing House, and the largest tabernacle in the world which sits 50,000 worshipers (constructed with about N90 billion).

He has also been accused of living a flamboyant lifestyle, owning four private jets, and luxury homes in London and United States. Oyedepo was listed as the wealthiest Nigerian pastor by Forbes, with a net worth of N24 billion.

Dominuim Airlines is said to be a six year project that is expected to rival other commercial airlines in the country when completed.