Here is the comprehensive fact check regarding the viral claim that Pastor Enoch Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, led a protest against former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.
The Claim
A photograph has been circulating heavily across social media platforms such as X and Facebook showing Pastor Adeboye holding a placard during a public street walk. Social media posts allege that this image is proof that Adeboye led a protest against the government of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
The Verdict
This claim is false and misleading.
The Facts
Regarding the true origin of the photograph, the viral image of Pastor Adeboye holding a placard was actually captured on February 2, 2020, during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, not Goodluck Jonathan.
For the context of the 2020 walk, the event was a peaceful nationwide prayer walk directed by the Christian Association of Nigeria. The association had declared a three-day prayer and fasting period to seek divine intervention against rising terrorism, banditry, and the targeted killings of innocent citizens across Nigeria.
Regarding the location of the event, Pastor Adeboye participated in the Lagos leg of the walk, marching from the church national headquarters in Ebute-Metta through parts of Yaba before returning to the church. The inscription on his placard emphasized that all lives matter to God, advocating for the protection of both Christians and Muslims.
In an official response from the church, the public relations department explicitly debunked the rumors. They stated that Pastor Adeboye did not protest against President Goodluck Jonathan’s government, and noted that the image has repeatedly been misrepresented as evidence of a protest against that administration. They firmly concluded that the claim is false.
Additionally, regarding a 2010 proposal that never happened, fact-checking records show that back in October 2010, the church had sent a petition to then-President Jonathan regarding national kidnapping spikes and considered organizing a one-million-man protest. However, investigations confirm that the proposed protest rally never actually took place.
Conclusion
The claim that Pastor Adeboye staged a protest against Goodluck Jonathan is entirely false. The image being used to back the claim has been completely taken out of context. It dates back to a 2020 anti-insecurity prayer walk held under the Buhari administration.
