The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has addressed a photograph of him carrying a placard, which was falsely linked to a protest against former President Goodluck Jonathan. The incident occurred in 2020, five years after Jonathan left office. Adeboye explained that the exercise was a prayer walk organised to seek divine intervention over insecurity and killings in Nigeria.
The cleric spoke during the church's November Thanksgiving service, accusing journalists of misrepresenting the incident and publishing reports that wrongly linked the photograph to Jonathan's administration. He expressed displeasure that the report portrayed him as a wicked person for allegedly carrying a placard against the former president. Adeboye said the publication failed to establish the actual date and purpose of the exercise.
Adeboye acknowledged carrying a placard but maintained that the action had nothing to do with a protest against Jonathan. The RCCG leader explained that the exercise was organised following a directive for churches to conduct prayer walks around their premises. The initiative sought God's intervention in Nigeria's security challenges, particularly killings and threats affecting communities nationwide.
The prayer walk took place on February 2, 2020, during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari. The photograph from the exercise showed Adeboye carrying a placard with the inscription, "All Souls Are Precious to God." Reports indicated that the procession began at the RCCG's national headquarters in Ebute Meta, Lagos, and proceeded towards Atan Cemetery in Yaba before returning to the church.
The exercise followed a three-day fasting and prayer programme declared by the Christian Association of Nigeria to seek divine intervention over terrorism, killings, and security challenges. However, the photograph circulated on social media with claims that Adeboye had carried the placard to protest against Jonathan's government. Adeboye criticised the journalist responsible for the report, accusing them of distorting facts and failing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the photograph.
Adeboye expressed concern that the report was accepted without proper scrutiny, stressing that journalists have a responsibility to establish facts before presenting information to the public. He recalled his exposure to journalism studies in the 1960s, learning about investigative journalism and the need to look beyond appearances when reporting events. Adeboye added that journalists should not rely on assumptions or take claims at face value without conducting necessary checks.
The incident highlights how images from past events can be used to support misleading narratives when dates and circumstances are not properly established. Adeboye maintained that the 2020 exercise was a prayer walk against insecurity and should not be presented as a protest against Jonathan, who had left office in 2015. The cleric's comments underscored his call for greater responsibility in reporting, particularly when photographs and materials are circulated on social media without their original context.
Key points
- Pastor Adeboye clarifies that the 2020 prayer walk was against insecurity, not a protest against Jonathan.
- The cleric criticises journalists for misrepresenting the incident and failing to investigate.
- Adeboye emphasises the importance of investigative journalism and verifying facts before reporting.
