I have always followed Ghanaian International gospel singer and Pastor Sonnie Badu until a few weeks ago when I had to unfollow him on Instagram because of the nature of his posts. I had a very disturbing interaction with him on Instagram where he ended up writing to me that ‘poverty was a choice’. I had been finding his posts discouraging because he always seems to post bragging about the expensive cars and labels he wears, something I don’t expect from a leader of a church whose music I really used to enjoy.
I asked Sonnie Badu why as a man of God he felt the need to pose in expensive brands and put hashtags of Louis Vuitton, Movado, Mercedes and Gucci to his followers, who are mostly black African people who in all honesty, are mostly poor people. It’s fair enough if you want to wear expensive brands, but why feel the need to put all the emphasis on the brands and highlight to your followers that you are wearing Louis Vuitton when you know that your followers who look up to you as a ‘spiritual father’ are mostly poor black people.
Sonnie Badu replied to me by telling me straight that being poor was actually a choice.
I find it very shocking that a man who owns a church that is full of black people, tells black people that they are ‘poor’ because they chose to be poor.
According to statistics, in the USA, where Sonnie Badu is based, white people are five times richer than black people. 45% of young black children live in poverty, compared to 14 % of white children who live in poverty.
In South Africa, according to statistics, more than half of all South Africans are living below the poverty line.
In the United Kingdom, unemployment rates are higher for ethnic minorities at 12% compared to the 6% of white people. Black workers with degrees earn 23% less than white workers.
It’s not rocket science that black people remain the poorest people in the world. Wealth and power is controlled by the other race. Africa has the poorest countries in the world. If you happen to be among the few black people who become excessively wealthy in this world, (especially black pastors) it’s not for you to gloat and show off to your poor fellow brethren.
Sonnie Badu’s mentors include false prophets like Zimbabwean Pastor Uebert Angel and his wife Beverly Angel, who make a living from the vulnerability of black people.
Personally, I think black people love prophets, spiritual fathers and pastors because they are mentally and socially vulnerable, which allows them to be taken advantage of by men who pose as ‘Man of God.’
I think it’s beyond disgraceful that an African man who has formed a black church tells his followers on social media that poverty is a choice whilst posing in Gucci and Loius Vuitton.
I have come to believe that God is the one who makes people poor, he is the one who makes people rich too. The devil also has the power to make people rich.
The bible does say God is the maker of the poor and rich. The bible also says its hard for a rich man to enter the Kingdom.
Life is such that some people are born poor (mostly black people) due to the curse, some people are born in privilege (mostly white people). To gloat over the poor and blame people for being poor is something I find shocking, especially coming from a Pastor who seems to be living the life. Poor people are poor because they were born in poverty, not their choice.
Shame on you Sonnie Badu. I hope you remember the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus. Lazarus never chose to be poor, he was just born poor. I hope you remember that as you read your bible.
Mary-Tamar was Jean
jeangasho.com 
I read this article with keen interest. You are spot on Jean. Sorry to use your old name. Out if of his choice, God makes some rich, others poor. He raise the poor from the dust and the beggars from the ash heap to make them sit with princes (1 Sam 2 v 8). There is no choice there. Eli’s decendants were cursed to perpetual poverty. Again no choice of the decendants there. You got it right.
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Jean, I like your analysis which is very correct but which such false prophets would choose to downplay. The bible is clear. These false prophets should have learnt from the Lord Jesus himself. He waa simple. He was humble. And yet he was the Son of God. I do not think the Lord Jesus would have had anything branded. These false prophets choose to use His Word to dupe the poor and take their money while mocking them. I am not sure which god it is god they worship.
Probably the same god one Masocha worships. That one is not God.
Brilliant piece Jean. Keep talking Jean.
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I don’t think your analysis is correct and you picked the wrong things. All this man said was he has been poor before but also emphasised it was a mindset thing. He posts what he posts to show he has changed his circumstances as a testimony to others. Death and life is in the power of the tongue and as a man thinkers in his heart so is he. And there are conscious decisions that people can do to change their circumstances from beliefs and corresponding actions. He was talking to someone he thought was a believer and instead of rushing to condemn the man you could have asked for clarification if you really wanted to know. It doesn’t matter how many black people there are who are poor, firstly are those blacks saved and what do they believe? If they believe poverty is a virtue as an example do you think they will ever be rich? If they believe God sends curses on them to teach them a lesson don’t you think they will have problem after problem? I sense a gall of bitterness and you might be fighting God himself. No one has ever won that battle. Confess your sins and be restored and don’t suffer shipwreck of faith.
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Am I hearing ‘touch not the annointed one’ or am I going kukus?
Jesus was simple. And he is the one example that his followers should follow. Do you see in that Badu guy any semblance of Jesus regarding that bragging? I don’t. Not sure which bible you read. What is modest? The bible talks about believers being aupposed to be modest in what they do. Tell me what is modest about Badu? Please refrain from misinterpreting Jean. Read her analysis and understand it. Do not also misinterpret the bible. Happy to have a discussion on what the bible says about various aspects.
Go read your bible ams don’t rely on what Badu or Masocha tell you.
If indeed Masocha slept with an own step daughter, and various unmarried and married women in his church including pastors, and them stood in front of you and claimed ‘god said’, while even praying for those he committed adultery with, what do you stand on to try and defend the likes of Badu? Only if you are indoctrinated to the point if you see your own wife sleeping with one of these guys, you may well be told she was being prayed for and you will believe.
Rather than defend the ‘profits’ , please go and ask your wife and find out if ahe was a victim and start the forgiveness bit and hope it will not happen again.
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What a shame. You thought you were destroying this man who hasn’t wronged you but you actually got him new followers. You are fighting a losing war now because it seems you are fighting Christianity in which your battle becomes with Jesus. Handeyi tione tichawona achahwinha iwe na Jesu. Vakawanda vakazvizama izvi.
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This blog is utter nonsense. Whilst I feel a display of brand names and cars is unnecessary and the reasons given for it is overrated, I find write up mediocre and completely ignorant. You don’t make a doctrine out of a verse of scripture without balancing the idea or message with other witnesses from the same bible. The bible contains words of mend, satan and God’s. For example the satan’s word in Luke 4 were recorded and you don’t go quoting those words outside the context for which it was used.
Sure, poverty or wealth is a choice; I only wish Sonnie elaborated better hoping we share the same thoughts on this. In fact poverty is simply a result of lack of insight. It presents a great opportunity for wealth creation but for shortsightedness and that is the problem with Africa. Africa isn’t poor by virtue of lack but by it’s own culture of mediocrity and very bad leadership. Having lived in the western world for decades, whilst I acknowledge there are real issues, I can tell you that the issues faced by ethnic minority can be overcome; nothing is imposed.
You and I can defeat poverty – it is a mindset!
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