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Africa

Making money with God

The church business in Ghana is booming and with it a new group of leaders has emerged: the prophets. Ghanaian church leaders are powerful. The promise of wealth and good health has filled their coffers with money.

  • A portrait of Daniel Obinim sitting in an armchair (Tomaso Clavarino )

    Celebrity preachers

    Daniel Obinim was 40 when he created an empire with his International God’s Way Church. In a recent interview, he stated that Jesus granted him over 20 houses, eight Range Rovers, five SUVs and three Chryslers. He has built three of the largest churches in Ghana. He has been arrested for hitting a journalist, and whipping a boy and a girl who were in a relationship in front of his congregation.

  • Women dressed for church walking past a bus (Tomaso Clavarino)

    Rising number of faithful

    On the African continent evangelical, pentecostal and charismatic churches are attracting the greatest numbers. According to the Washington-based Pew Research Center, there were around 3 million evangelicals in Ghana in 2000, and 5.5 million by 2015. Pentecostals and charismatics numbered around 6.5 million in 2000 and 10 million by 2015.

  • A billboard advertising a church and its pastors (Tomaso Clavarino)

    Roadside visibility

    Ghana's streets and crossroads are dotted with signs and advertisements for churches. Many of the churches were founded and are currently managed by just one person, one prophet, or one pastor.

  • A woman checks her phone in a film studio (Tomaso Clavarino)

    Live shows spread the word

    Ghanaian church leaders are powerful. Their word travels far and is not limited to Sunday mornings and mid-week services. There are TV channels and web TV channels that reach a large audience far beyond their own congregations. This picture was taken backstage during a live show at pastor Daniel Obinim's OB TV.

  • Loud speakers mounted on top of each other on stage (Tomaso Clavarino)

    The obligatory sound system

    Each church, from the biggest to the smallest, has a huge sound system. Music played at high volume is part of every service, whether on Sunday or during the all-night services in the middle of the week. The noise can be unbearable for those who are not used to it and for those who live or work nearby.

  • Young women and men in choir uniforms raise their hands in song (Tomaso Clavarino)

    A place for the young

    Youth are a strong part of the church community. The evangelical, pentecostal or charismatic churches have a number of similarities: A literal reading of the bible, the emphasis on wealth and wellness, a strong commitment to spreading the Gospel, faith in a divine power for curing illness and injuries, and a belief in miracles.

  • Two men stand behind microphones in a sound studio (Tomaso Clavarino)

    On air at dawn

    Radio is very important to the pastors and prophets. You can listen to their radio shows all day on different channels. Here, two assistants of Prophet Nigel Gaise are about to go on air at four in the morning. Gaise runs a church called the True Fire Prophetic Ministry. He claims to hear the word of God and is known to make predictions on politics and celebrity news.


  • A portrait of Daniel Obinim sitting in an armchair (Tomaso Clavarino )

    Celebrity preachers

    Daniel Obinim was 40 when he created an empire with his International God’s Way Church. In a recent interview, he stated that Jesus granted him over 20 houses, eight Range Rovers, five SUVs and three Chryslers. He has built three of the largest churches in Ghana. He has been arrested for hitting a journalist, and whipping a boy and a girl who were in a relationship in front of his congregation.

  • Women dressed for church walking past a bus (Tomaso Clavarino)

    Rising number of faithful

    On the African continent evangelical, pentecostal and charismatic churches are attracting the greatest numbers. According to the Washington-based Pew Research Center, there were around 3 million evangelicals in Ghana in 2000, and 5.5 million by 2015. Pentecostals and charismatics numbered around 6.5 million in 2000 and 10 million by 2015.

  • A billboard advertising a church and its pastors (Tomaso Clavarino)

    Roadside visibility

    Ghana's streets and crossroads are dotted with signs and advertisements for churches. Many of the churches were founded and are currently managed by just one person, one prophet, or one pastor.

  • A woman checks her phone in a film studio (Tomaso Clavarino)

    Live shows spread the word

    Ghanaian church leaders are powerful. Their word travels far and is not limited to Sunday mornings and mid-week services. There are TV channels and web TV channels that reach a large audience far beyond their own congregations. This picture was taken backstage during a live show at pastor Daniel Obinim's OB TV.

  • Loud speakers mounted on top of each other on stage (Tomaso Clavarino)

    The obligatory sound system

    Each church, from the biggest to the smallest, has a huge sound system. Music played at high volume is part of every service, whether on Sunday or during the all-night services in the middle of the week. The noise can be unbearable for those who are not used to it and for those who live or work nearby.

  • Young women and men in choir uniforms raise their hands in song (Tomaso Clavarino)

    A place for the young

    Youth are a strong part of the church community. The evangelical, pentecostal or charismatic churches have a number of similarities: A literal reading of the bible, the emphasis on wealth and wellness, a strong commitment to spreading the Gospel, faith in a divine power for curing illness and injuries, and a belief in miracles.

  • Two men stand behind microphones in a sound studio (Tomaso Clavarino)

    On air at dawn

    Radio is very important to the pastors and prophets. You can listen to their radio shows all day on different channels. Here, two assistants of Prophet Nigel Gaise are about to go on air at four in the morning. Gaise runs a church called the True Fire Prophetic Ministry. He claims to hear the word of God and is known to make predictions on politics and celebrity news.


This report by photojournalist Tomaso Clavarino was supported by a grant from the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting. 

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