General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has clarified that he did not participate in a protest against former President Goodluck Jonathan's administration. Instead, he led a prayer walk in February 2020, five years after Jonathan left office, to seek God's intervention over Nigeria's insecurity and killings. The exercise was part of a church-directed program, and Adeboye carried a placard with the inscription "All Souls Are Precious to God."
The incident gained attention recently after a journalist allegedly presented the prayer walk as a protest against Jonathan's administration. Adeboye expressed disappointment over the misrepresentation, stating that the circumstances surrounding the incident were different from what was published. He initially found the report amusing but later addressed the issue during the church's November Thanksgiving service. Adeboye emphasized that the publication portrayed him negatively without establishing the actual date of the incident or the reason behind the gathering.
According to Adeboye, the exercise followed an instruction from the church leadership asking congregations to organize prayer walks around their respective locations. He participated in the program in accordance with the directive given to churches, with the intention of praying for Nigeria amid growing concerns over insecurity and the loss of innocent lives. The prayer walk took place on February 2, 2020, following a three-day fasting and prayer program declared by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).
Adeboye questioned how the incident could have been associated with Jonathan's presidency when the exercise took place in 2020, five years after Jonathan handed over power to Muhammadu Buhari in 2015. He accused the journalist of presenting the information in a misleading manner and criticized those who accepted the report without questioning its accuracy. The RCCG leader stressed the importance of responsible journalism and the need for media practitioners to establish the facts before publishing reports.
During the prayer walk, Adeboye was photographed holding a placard, which he acknowledged, but insisted that the activity had nothing to do with opposing Jonathan's government. Other participants also carried placards bearing messages condemning killings, terrorism, and the destruction of innocent lives. Some of the inscriptions called for an end to bloodshed and urged Nigerians to embrace peace. The procession began at the RCCG national headquarters in Ebute Meta and proceeded towards Atan Cemetery in Yaba before returning to the church.
Adeboye used the opportunity to speak about the importance of investigative journalism, recalling his exposure to journalism studies in the 1960s. He emphasized that journalists should not rush to conclusions based on incomplete information or assumptions. The RCCG general overseer expressed concern that members of the creative industry and other media practitioners failed to establish the actual circumstances surrounding the prayer walk before the report circulated.
The clarification has brought renewed attention to the February 2020 exercise, which was part of a broader effort to seek divine intervention over Nigeria's security challenges. Adeboye's statement has highlighted the need for accurate reporting and the importance of verifying information before publication. The incident has also sparked a conversation about the role of faith leaders in addressing social issues and the need for responsible media coverage.
Key points
- Pastor Adeboye clarifies that the 2020 prayer walk was not a protest against Jonathan's administration.
- The exercise was part of a church-directed program to seek God's intervention over Nigeria's insecurity and killings.
- Adeboye emphasizes the importance of responsible journalism and verifying information before publication.
