Pastor Enoch Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), has spoken out against the circulation of claims that he protested against former President Goodluck Jonathan. Adeboye insisted that the photograph in question was taken during a prayer exercise in 2020, long after Jonathan left office. He emphasized that the controversy highlights the danger of publishing information without establishing its historical context.
The photograph shows Adeboye holding a placard with the inscription, “All Souls Are Precious to God”, during a prayer walk in Lagos. The exercise was part of a three-day fasting and prayer programme declared by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) to seek divine intervention over the country’s security challenges. Adeboye explained that he had no reason to deny carrying a placard but rejected the interpretation being attached to the photograph.
Adeboye argued that Jonathan’s presidency ended in May 2015, whereas the procession in question took place in February 2020, during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari. He said, “Jonathan ceased to be president in 2015. I carried the placard five years into the second term of Buhari.” The cleric accused a journalist of turning a religious exercise against insecurity into an alleged political demonstration.
The prayer walk was part of a directive from the CAN chairman asking churches to organise prayer walks around their premises. Adeboye said, “The chairman said all churches should do a prayer walk near their churches. That’s what I did.” He described the account as a distortion that could have been avoided through basic fact-checking.
Adeboye expressed concern that the report was accepted and circulated without anyone checking its accuracy. He quoted the report as portraying him as a wicked person because he allegedly carried a placard against Jonathan. The cleric said he was initially amused by the allegation but became concerned about its impact.
Adeboye questioned the standard of journalism that allowed an old photograph to be presented without establishing when and why the event occurred. He reminded practitioners that investigative reporting required journalists to go beyond appearances and verify the circumstances surrounding a story. Adeboye drew on his exposure to journalism studies in the 1960s to make his point.
The cleric addressed members of the creative industry, lamenting that the report had gained traction without anyone making the effort to establish the facts. Adeboye said, “I’m talking to those of you in the creative industry. Nobody checked,” he said. He made these remarks during the church’s November Thanksgiving Service on Sunday.
Key points
- Adeboye carried a placard during a 2020 prayer walk against insecurity, not against Jonathan's government.
