General overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has described Nigeria’s present situation as war, saying “we are in a war situation”.
Adeboye spoke on Sunday during his church’s monthly thanksgiving service, which also commemorates Nigeria’s 62nd independence anniversary.
The cleric, whose sermon was titled ‘Perfect peace in the land’, said peace is the absence of war and storm, adding that perfect peace refers to one which is permanent.
According to him, times have gone by when traditional rulers were accorded respect, adding that currently their palaces are invaded and they are kidnapped.
He said, “A whole nation can be in a storm. If a governor cannot go to his farm and feel safe, despite the security guards, He has to thank God that he returned safely, despite the bodyguard. When we talk about security, the governor should be secure. When a governor alters such a statement, then you know the situation we are in.
“As young as I am, I remember a time when the king was coming. Unless you are one of the very special people, you have to move out of the way. But things are different now. Kidnappers can go to the palace and kidnap the king. Don’t let anybody deceive you, we are in a war situation.”
Adeboye also urged the people to cease criticising their leaders, maintaining that residents should instead pray for them.
He lamented that people have opted for condemnation instead of seeking solutions through intercession.
TheNewsGuru.com reports that Adeboye joined the Redemed Christian Church of God in 1973 and served as an interpreter before he was ordained a pastor in the church by Pa. Josiah Akindayomi in 1975.
He became General Overseer of the church in 1981. For three years, he filled the role part-time at Unilorin before giving up his university position to preach full-time.
The church which was not well known before Adeboye became the General Overseer, has branches in about 198[1] nations as of (March 2017), including more than 14,000,000 worshipers in Nigeria[14].Adeboye has stated that he aims to put a church within five minutes walking distance in developing cities and five minutes driving distance in developed cities.[12]
Adeboye is considered a preacher of the prosperity gospel,[15] a claim he does not deny, saying that “Pentecostals have such an impact because they talk of the here and now, not just the by and by… while we have to worry about heaven, there are some things God could do for us in the here and now.”[16]
Following new legislation that placed limits on non-profit leadership to 20 years of service and less than 70 years of age,[17] Pastor Adeboye resigned as General Overseer in 2017 (still the general overseer up till date).
He celebrated his 80th birthday in 2022, Adeboye’s foundation donated eight dialysis machines to Wuse District Hospital, together with a reverse osmosis medical water purification system and an electrical generator.[