Don’t Pressure Adeboye to Speak Against Tinubu, Says RCCG Overseer

The Continental Overseer for Continent 3 of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Joseph Odesola, has urged Nigerians not to pressure the church’s General Overseer, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, to speak against President Bola Tinubu.

Odesola made the call in an article published by Impact Nigeria and shared on his X page, titled, “Pastor E.A. Adeboye Will Speak Only When God Says Speak.”

He said there was growing pressure on Adeboye and other religious leaders to comment on the Tinubu administration, noting that some people appeared to have already decided what they wanted the cleric to say.

According to him, some Nigerians expected Adeboye to condemn Tinubu in strong terms or make religious pronouncements against the President.

Odesola, however, said such expectations were inconsistent with the responsibilities of a religious leader, stressing that Adeboye should speak based on conviction, prayer and spiritual responsibility rather than public pressure.

He said a man of God did not have to speak simply because people demanded that he do so, adding that there was a difference between political commentary and prophetic responsibility.

The RCCG overseer maintained that Adeboye could choose to speak, pray, counsel or remain silent depending on what he considered appropriate.

He cited the biblical principle that there was “a time to speak and a time to remain silent,” urging Nigerians to allow the cleric to discern when and what to say.

Odesola also warned against attempts to turn religious leaders into instruments for validating political positions.

He said the church should be able to speak truth to power without becoming a political party or an opposition platform.

The cleric acknowledged that Nigerians needed religious leaders to speak on pressing issues, including poverty, insecurity, unemployment, rising living costs, education, healthcare and declining public trust in institutions.

He, however, urged such interventions to be made responsibly and without hatred.

Odesola said Adeboye did not need to make sensational statements or insult anyone to demonstrate courage or spiritual authority.

He urged Nigerians waiting for Adeboye to attack Tinubu or make a dramatic political statement not to dictate what the cleric should say.

“A servant of God is not called to satisfy the expectations of the crowd. He is called to obey God,” he said.

He added that Adeboye’s failure to make statements expected by some Nigerians should not automatically be interpreted as a failure of leadership.