TikTok founder Zhang Yiming has topped China’s rich list for the first time, according to Shanghai-based Hurun magazine. The magazine put his fortune at 49.3 billion dollars.

Zhang, 41, belongs to the new generation of Chinese business people who are more internationally focused than their predecessors, according to Hurun.

TikTok owner ByteDance, also founded by Zhang, boosted its global turnover by 30 per cent last year.

TikTok is known as Douyin in China and has 200 million users in the United States alone.

Zhong Shanshan surrendered his top spot on the rich list for the first time in three years.

The 70-year-old’s fortune of 47.9 billion dollars, based in part on bottled water brand Nongfu Spring, put him in second place.

Tencent founder Ma Huateng was in third with his 44.4 billion dollars fortune.

According to Hurun, the number of Chinese dollar billionaires fell last year by 142 to 753.

The high point was reached in 2021 when there were 1,185.

The decline is attributed to China’s lagging economy and poor stock market performance. 

– dpa

The Apostolic Church Nigeria, TACN a foremost Pentecostal denomination has announced Ministers’ retirement age to be 75 years.

The Church with Gospel orientation and Evangelism fire operates under the full leadership of the Holy Spirit and gives room for Prophesy as a Ministry and sound doctrinal teachings by Teachers and administration by the Apostles.

One unique outlook of TACN is the National body, with a National President; the incumbent being Pastor Sampson Igwe.

Similarly, the National body is further divided into the Lagos And Western/Northern Areas (LAWNA) Territory having Lagos, Ijesha Land, Kaduna, Kaba, Ibadan, Abeokuta and a few other locations leading within the Territory.

As the name implies, the LAWNA Territory consisted of the present-day South Western States with two South Southern States of Edo/Delta and all nineteen (19) Northern-West, Central and East divides of Nigeria.

Similarly, TACN National consisted of the remaining four South Southern States in Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Rivers and Bayelsa which are further classified into Calabar (Cross River) Field; Igbo Field, Maritime Field; Akwa Igbo Field; and, Andoani Sub Field.

These operated with the LAWNA Territory whereby the Presidency of the Church rotates (National President, National Vice President) and other principal officers.

However, the Church operates full-time ministerial work for all categories of Pastors; these Clergy men work till death or incapacitation  (whichever one) in the past.

Similarly, the offices of the National President, the Vice and LAWNA Territorial Chairman; and other Fields/Territorial Chairmen too, with some other top officers are always in office till the time of death.

But, one seasoned Cleric, now late Pastor Gabriel Oladele Olutola who has been a Bible College Teacher, an Area Council Secretary cum District Apostle; an Area Superintendent, and then LAWNA Administrative Secretary changed the tides.

It happened that Pastor Olutola left the Admin Secretary’s office to go and become Area Superintendent, then at Mushin and Benin Area; in 2009, he became Acting Territorial Chairman for LAWNA.

Upon confirmation after a year, the National President passed on and by Divine order, Pa Olutola once stepped in, to become National President and Territorial Chairman for the Church.

In his time, some unification steps for the Church in Nigeria saw the Church adopting a single Annual Motto.

Then, in 2017, Pastor Olutola came up with an idea of retirement for the National President and LAWNA Territory Chairman; other Fields/Territories later adopted this novel idea.

Upon the retirement of Pa Olutola who was then tagged Emeritus President during the period of retirement before his passage in 2024 at 91; two personalty in person of Pastor Igwe and Pastor Emmanuel Segun Awojide (retired) respectively became National President and National Vice President/Territorial Chairman, LAWNA in TACN.

That dispensation saw the LAWNA Territory appointing a Vice Chairman for the first time rather than Admin Secretary which has always been next; the other six Fields/Territories also adopted Vice Chairman status for ease of administration.

The reformations also saw the Church moving the office of National President to Convention Grounds in Olorunda-Ketu, Lagos from Calabar, Cross River State, where the late Pastor E.E. Okon operated.

It was however agreed that these leaders would embark on retirement so other younger elements could take up executive posts in the Church.

Pastor Senior Gideon Ukpako Uyeh thereafter, became the very first Vice Chairman for LAWNA Territory.

As of last year, 2023, Pastor Awojide went on retirement and Pastor Uyeh stepped in as the 6th LAWNA Territorial Chairman/5th National Vice President for TACN.

In a similar development, Pastor David Oluwasegun Ajibade emerged as the second Vice Territorial Chairman for LAWNA.

So, with the turn of events in these new developments where other Fields/ Territories are adopting good innovations spearheaded by LAWNA Territory, the issue of retirement age for all Clergymen crept up and was robustly debated.

However, it was the second day and Sunday service of the 48th Annual LAWNA International Convention held at Olorunda-Ketu on August 4, 2024:

Pastor Uyeh publicly dropped hints about the agreed retirement age to effectively be 75 years of age.

He also hinted likelihood of forcing whichever Clergy men that won’t want to go based on the new policy.

Pastor Uyeh also announced that he too, would soon go on retirement.

The high point of this development was the appointment of 7 – a male Steering Committee that was prayed for, right inside the National Temple –

PST. A.B Geoffrey – Chairman; PST. S.A Akolo; and, PST. E.O Abe.

Others are:

PST. E.E Okon;

PST. I.E Omohoro; PST. D.A Oyeleke with an Overseer.

– FUNMI OWOYEX

IKOTUN 

LAGOS