Why Pastor E.A Adeboye quit as G.O. in Nigeria and List of newly appointed RCCG leaders

Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye has appointed Pastor Joseph Obayemi as the new  General Overseer of the  Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, in Nigeria. Adeboye remains  General Overseer, Worldwide, of the RCCG. This clarification came hours after the social media went abuzz with news of the retirement of the septuagenarian Adeboye, who had led the church for some 35 years.


Announcing the change in the leadership of the church during a ministers’ meeting after the RCCG’s monthly Holy Ghost Service, at the church’s new  auditorium held  in Simawa, Ogun State, he  explained that the  change was necessary following a  Federal Government policy which  instructed some of the General Overseers in the country who have used  more than two tenures in office to retire.

Obayemi and Adeboye The policy in reference is the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) of  Nigeria’s Code of  Corporate Governance, which was first put forward in 2015. Surprise Announcement In a surprise move, Adeboye announced to the  crowded ministers’ conference at about  10.25 a.m.  yesterday,  new appointments of those who will run the  affairs of the church.


The RCCG  leader explained that he was taking the decision in obedience to a  government regulation, saying, in his absence, Obayemi becomes the General Overseer who will now oversee the Nigerian church. Adeboye, who is the spiritual leader of  the church, will now oversee the  RCCG globally. He also announced that Pastor Johnson F. Odesola will be the church’s  Secretary General, while Pastor Joseph Adeyokunnu takes charge of the treasury.

Therefore, Odesola and Adeyokunnu will work with the newly appointed General Overseer in charge of RCCG Nigeria, Obayemi. Adeboye, who had predicted surprises for the new year, stated  that  there is a government law that General Overseers of churches can only  serve for a stipulated period of time. He then said: “We should always be on the look  out for ourselves. I don’t expect that anyone was going to ignore me.  Love you all.


We need to intensify our prayers and please let’s not  shy away from politics. “I see God raising influence like Daniel and his Hebrew brothers, men  who know God and shall be strong and do exploits. God bless you.”


Earlier, Adeboye had announced a 40-day fasting and praying  for members of the church, beginning from  midnight  on  January 11, 2017 . According to him, the fasting period starts each day at  midnight  and  runs to  6.00 p.m.  praying twice a day during morning devotion and  again at  5.00 p.m.  at the churches. “If you want to do it day and night without breaking (just liquid) it  will be for 20 days, stressing that major prayer points will be  praising God and asking God for grace to please Him in every way  possible this year”.

Pa Enoch  Adejare Adeboye's Profile:

Pa Enoch  Adejare Adeboye was born on March 2, 1942, in Ifewara, Osun State.  Pastor Adeboye had his B.Sc. in Mathematics at University of Nigeria  Nsukka, and subsequently got his PhD in applied mathematics from the  University of Lagos, and worked as a lecturer in Mathematics at the  universities of Lagos and Ilorin, before going into full time  priesthood in 1984.

After joining the RCCG in 1973, he began working to translate the  sermons of its then Pastor and founder, Rev. Josiah Olufemi  Akindayomi, from Yoruba into English. In 1981, Adeboye was appointed General Overseer of the church.

He took over from Papa Akindayomi, who had died the previous year. For three years he performed the role part-time, still lecturing at Unilorin.  He finally gave up his university position to preach full-time.


The church, which was not well known prior to Adeboye’s ascendancy, has  grown phenomenally, to become Nigeria’s biggest, with branches  globally in about 190 countries, including more than 14,000 in  Nigeria.

Adeboye has stated that his aim is to put a church  within five minutes  of every person on Earth.  He married Adenike, now 68, in 1967. She was born on 13th July 1948. RCCG  was  founded  in 1952 by Rev. Josiah Akindayomi (1909–1980)  after he had been involved in a number of other churches.

 Rev.  Akindayomi chose Adeboye as his successor. Adeboye was ordained a pastor of the church in 1975, and his appointment as  leader (General overseer) of the church was formalised by the  posthumous reading of Akindayomi’s sealed pronouncement. In 1990,  Redeemed Christian Church of God Bible School was founded.

The newly appointed RCCG leaders are: 

Overseer – Pastor Joseph Obayemi 

Secretary – Pastor Odesola 

Treasurer – Pastor Adeyokunn