The True Story Of How Pastor Adeboye Became RCCG General Overseer

Following Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye’s enforced retirement as the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) in Nigeria, the story behind his rise to become RCCG G.O is provided below.

Pa Akindayomi after establishing RCCG in 1952 got a divine message sometime in the early 70s to look for his successor but that the man was not a member of the church then.

The lord told him his successor would be a young man and at that time Pastor Adeboye was a Mathematics lecturer at the University of Lagos who later joined the church in 1973. Pa Akindayomi was able to recognize him in the Spirit as the one that the Lord had spoken about in the past.

The young Adeboye soon became involved in the church and later became one of the interpreters translating Pa Akindayomi’s sermons from Yoruba to English before he was ordained a pastor of the church in 1975.

Papa was preparing to meet his Creator. He sent for Pastor Adeboye and spent several hours sharing with him details of the covenant and the plans of the Lord for the church. Even though a year before this, the Lord had revealed to Pastor Adeboye that he would be Papa’s successor, it was still too difficult for him to fully contemplate such an awesome responsibility.

Pastor Adeboye’s appointment was formalized by the reading of Pa Akindayomi’s sealed pronouncement after his burial.

In 1981, Pastor Adeboye was appointed General Overseer of the church, taking over from Papa Akindayomi, who had died the previous year at the age of 71. Amidst controversy, Pastor Adeboye’s appointment was formalized by the reading of Pa Akindayomi’s sealed pronouncement after his burial.

For three years he filled the role part-time, still lecturing at Ilorin, until giving up his university position to preach full-time.