Who is Pastor E. A. Adeboye?

Revered by millions across the world as a true man of God, Enoch Adejare Adeboye was born on the 2nd of March 1942 in Ifewara, near Ife, in Osun State. He is a Nigerian pastor and General Overseer of Redeemed Christian Church of God. Enoch Adejare Adeboye was born on 2 March 1942, Nigeria. 

In 1956 Enoch Adeboye was admitted into Ilesha Grammar School, Ilesha, Osun State. Afterwards, he went to the University of Nigeria (UNN) in Nsukka but due to the Nigerian Civil War, he completed his first degree in the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics in 1967. That same year, he married Foluke Adenike, having four children: Adeolu Adeboye, Bolu Adubi (nee Adeboye), Leke Adeboye and Dare Adeboye.

In 1969, he obtained a master’s degree in hydrodynamics from the University of Lagos. He joined the Redeemed Christian Church of God in 1973 and began interpreting Yoruba to English by Pastor Josiah Olufemi Akindayomi. In 1975, he obtained a PhD in Applied Mathematics from the University of Lagos. He holds a position as Professor of Mathematics at the University of Lagos.

Ministry

He was ordained a pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God in 1977. He went on to become the General Overseer of the church in 1981. In 1984, he gave up his carer as an academician to preach full-time.

He is credited for bringing the RCCG into prominence after becoming the General Overseer. Due to his vision to have put a church within five minutes walking distance in developing cities and five minutes driving distance in developed cities., the church has branches in about 196 nations, and above 14,000,000 in Nigeria. 

In recent times, he has borne the brunt of social media controversies for being a preacher of the Prosperity gospel. However, he does not deny this claim as he believes that while we have to worry about heaven, there are some things God could do for us in the here and now.”

The 78-year-old preacher was recognized by Newsweek as one of the 50 most powerful people in the world. Originally from a dirt poor family, of which he revealed that he never owned shoes till he was 18, Forbes revealed that his net worth was valued at between 39 to 65 million dollars as at 2017.