David Ibiyeomie (born 21 October 1962) is a Nigerian pastor, author,

televangelist Televangelism (from ''televangelist'', a blend of ''television'' and ''evangelist'') and occasionally termed radio evangelism or teleministry, denotes the utilization of media platforms, notably radio and television, for the marketing of relig ...

and the founder/presiding pastor of Salvation Ministries with its headquarters located in GRA, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria.

Early life

On October 21, 1962, David Ibiyeomie was born in Bonny Island, Rivers State, Niger Delta region of Nigeria. He is a native of Bolo Town in Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area of Rivers state.

Education

David Ibiyeomie attended Banham Primary School and Government Comprehensive Secondary School Borikiri, all in Rivers State for his primary and secondary education. In 1980, he enrolled into the University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt.

Training

In 1995, Ibiyeomie enrolled into full time Bible School in the Word of Faith Bible Institute, an arm of Bishop

David Oyedepo David Olaniyi Oyedepo (born 27 September 1954) is a Nigerian preacher, the founder of the Living Faith Church Worldwide, and Senior Pastor of the Faith Tabernacle in Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria. The church is also known as Winners' Chapel Inter ...

’s Ministry. Ibiyeomie started Salvation Ministries on Sunday April 13, 1997, with 34 persons in attendance.

Career

After completing his

Bible School A Bible college, sometimes referred to as a Bible institute or theological institute or theological seminary, is an evangelical Christian or Restoration Movement Christian institution of higher education which prepares students for Christian minis ...

training at Bishop David Oyedepo's Word of Faith Bible Institute (WOFBI), Ibiyeomie started a house fellowship with his family in

Victoria Island Victoria Island () is a large island in the Arctic Archipelago that straddles the boundary between Nunavut and the Northwest Territories of Canada. It is the eighth-largest island in the world, and at in area, it is Canada's second-largest i ...

Lagos Lagos ( ; ), or Lagos City, is a large metropolitan city in southwestern Nigeria. With an upper population estimated above 21 million dwellers, it is the largest city in Nigeria, the most populous urban area on the African continent, and on ...

. He later moved to

Port Harcourt Port Harcourt (Pidgin: ''Po-ta-kot or Pi-ta-kwa)'' is the capital and largest city of Rivers State in Nigeria. It is the fifth most populous city in Nigeria after Lagos, Kano, Ibadan and Benin. It lies along the Bonny River and is locate ...

Rivers State Rivers is a states of Nigeria, state in the Niger Delta region of southern Nigeria (Old Eastern Region). Formed on 27 May 1967, when it was split from the former Eastern Region, Nigeria, Eastern Region, Rivers State borders include Imo State, Im ...

, where he started Salvation Ministries (Glorious Chapel) on April 13, 1997, with a little over twenty members in attendance. In July 1997, the church relocated to a larger plot of land. As of 2017, Salvation Ministries averages about 50,000 attendees every Sunday at its headquarters. In February 2011, Salvation Ministries started 14 satellite churches in one day, with all running five services each.

Ministry

Through his television ministry ''Hour of Salvation'' and live services, David Ibiyeomie reaches millions of worshippers. The Hour of Salvation TV programme started on Nigerian Television Authority ( NTA) channel 10 Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria in 2001 and currently runs on over 40 television stations both locally and internationally. He is an author and hosts an internet radio show. In 2010, he began construction of a 120,000 seat temple.

Controversies

Ibiyeomie has been controversial on multiple occasions. In January 2017, Ibiyeomie was alleged to have made prejudiced comments against the Ogoni people, leading the

Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), is a social movement organization representing the indigenous Ogoni people of Rivers State, Nigeria. The Ogoni contend that Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), along with othe ...

to demand that he apologise. In March 2017, journalist

Kemi Omololu-Olunloyo Olukemi "Kemi" Omololu-Olunloyo (born 6 August 1964) is a Nigerian journalist,Blogger, an activist against gun violence and drug abuse, and also a Internet celebrity, social media personality. Background Omololu-Olunloyo is the daughter of for ...

alleged that Ibiyeomie was having an affair with

Nollywood Nollywood, a portmanteau of Nigeria and Hollywood, is a sobriquet that originally referred to the Nigerian film industry. The origin of the term goes back to the early 2000s, traced to an article in ''The New York Times''. Due to the history ...

actress

Iyabo Ojo Alice Iyabo Ojeli (born 21 December 1977) is a prominent Nigerian film actress, director, and producer popularly known for her contributions in the Nollywood film industry.defamation Defamation is a communication that injures a third party's reputation and causes a legally redressable injury. The precise legal definition of defamation varies from country to country. It is not necessarily restricted to making assertions ...

. However she has been released. Ibiyeomie strongly denied the allegations.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ibiyeomie, David 1962 births Living people People from Bonny Nigerian Christian clergy Rivers State University alumni Nigerian Pentecostal pastors