Religion
‘No cause for alarm’ — Pastor Tobi Adegboyega speaks on deportation saga
Tobi Adegboyega, the founder of the SPAC Nation church, has reacted to news that he lost his battle against deportation from the United Kingdom (UK) over an alleged £1.87 million fraud.
The Telegraph reports that an immigration tribunal has ruled that Adegboyega should be deported to Nigeria after investigations exposed the misuse of funds by his church.
The newspaper said the pastor has lived in the UK unlawfully since overstaying on a visitor’s visa secured in 2005.
However, in a video posted on his Instagram page on Wednesday, Adegboyega claimed there is no criminal case against him.
The pastor added that his supporters should not panic, noting that he is at home and has succeeded against several challenges in the UK.
“I’m right here at home, no cause for alarm, and naturally I’ll dismiss things that have to do with retrogression,” he said.
“Every Nigerian should be proud of me. In the UK, a city that is well known for pulling people down, I’ve survived all sorts. So, the matter that they are propagating now is the smallest of matter.
“There’s no need for panic. I love London City; it’s my city, and nobody can do anything. Of all the people of colour you know here, pastors and leaders, I have survived everything.
“Now, let me talk about the fraud case.
“This is an advanced country. After all these years, have you ever heard someone go to the parliament and make all sorts of complaints? Someone from another race, another colour. Nothing came out of it.
“So, those who hate, hate already. What you want to hear is not what you heard today. What you want to hear is they’ve arrested him for money this, money that.
“Not one criminal case, not one money case. You should all be proud of me and of the nation’s family.
“So, I’m here; I’m at home. Nobody should panic for me. I succeeded well in this country despite all the challenges.
“And I’m in the league of the people you look up to, people that you pick out to persecute. I’ve survived that well.
“Nothing has changed. Nothing will change. I assure all our followers and friends that there will be no embarrassment for you other than noise and noise, which we’ve survived for many years.
“I am here. I’m PT number one in London City, and nothing is going to bring us down. I love you all. That’s all I’m going to say for now. Thank you.”
Religion
Tobi Adegboyega debunks anti-gay allegations, says persecution politically motivated
Tobi Adegboyega, the founder of the SPAC Nation church in the United Kingdom (UK), says his current travails are politically motivated.
The Nigerian pastor, who is at the centre of a UK deportation saga, said the persecution started after a member of parliament (MP) from his district alleged that he was advocating against the gay community.
In an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, Adegboyega said the MP reported the church’s activities to the police.
He said the police could not investigate the allegations against him and the church because they were “all nonsensical”.
“You can’t claim that our proof is inflated without telling us why. The UK Metropolitan Police gathered charities in the UK and asked them to go to SPAC Nation. I wrote solutions for the home office,” he said.
“Truths must be backed with facts. For 10 years, we have been persecuted without one single move.
“Allegations without indictment, so why shouldn’t we suspect biases?
“We have a situation where people believed I was supporting certain political parties because one person believed that my agenda was to go against the gay community, and from that day, we have been to reconciliation meetings.
“The person wrote that my evangelical zeal was to make sure that the gay community in that area does not survive.
“He took dossiers of evidence against the church to the sacred ground of the parliament and submitted it to the internal affairs minister, who submitted it to the police, and the police came back to say that they couldn’t even investigate one thing because it was all nonsensical.
“The person is an MP, and the same person is sitting behind these things, making sure that he is not defeated.
“If there is any honour left in his system, what such men should do is apologise unless you’re saying the police authority of Great Britain is inept, which would be quite unfortunate.”
Adegboyega dismissed the deportation case against him, stressing that the focus should be on the contribution of his church to the safety and businesses of people in the UK.
“The country cannot deny it. There is no prime minister who can deny the result of the work we have done. When the metropolitan police came to the church, that was about three years ago; they sat down, and they came to learn,” he said.
“It is our result of how many lives have been saved, how many knives we have taken off the street, and how many businesses we created for this economy.
“We had a few hours of the tribunal, and in the tribunal, I was given a few hours to talk about the SPAC Nation, and we defended the honour of the SPAC Nation.”
Religion
Renowned Islamic scholar, Muyideen Bello, is dead
The Muslim community has been thrown into mourning following the passing of one of its most revered figures, Alhaji Muyideen Bello.
Born in 1940 in Ibadan, Alhaji Bello was widely respected for his profound teachings and unwavering dedication to Islamic scholarship.
The announcement of his demise was made by another prominent Islamic scholar, Alfa Aribidesi of At-Tawdeeh Islamic Da’awah on Friday morning.
Corroborating the news of the demise, popular cleric and follower of the late Bello, who is also an Islamic singer, Alhaji Basit Olarenwaju popularly known as Aponle Anabi also shared the image of the 84 year old scholar with tearful emojis on his official Facebook page on Friday.
While details surrounding his death remain unclear, his passing marks the end of an era for a man who spent decades shaping the lives of countless individuals with his wisdom, guidance, and spiritual leadership.
Multiple reports from local media in Oyo State have also reported the demise of the revered cleric.
Religion
Pastor Bolaji Idowu debunks real estate fraud allegations
The Senior Pastor of Harvesters International Christian Centre, Bolaji Idowu, has debunked allegations linking him to fraudulent real estate activities and money laundering, describing the claims as unfounded and misleading.
Reports emerged on Tuesday alleging that Idowu had been detained in Abuja by operatives of the Force Criminal Investigation Department over his purported involvement in real estate fraud.
A police source reportedly claimed, “Pastor Bolaji Idowu, popularly known for his ‘Next Level Prayers,’ is under investigation for alleged fraudulent real estate activities and money laundering.”
It was further alleged that the cleric regained his freedom after interventions by some prominent Christian leaders.
However, addressing the matter during his church’s daily morning prayer session, Next Level Prayers, on Wednesday, Idowu dismissed the allegations, asserting that he neither owns nor deals in properties within Nigeria.
“I do not have any property in Nigeria. The only property I have in Nigeria is the one bequeathed to me. So, there is no property that I have or bought in Nigeria,” he told his congregation.
Idowu also refuted claims that billions of naira had been funneled into his bank accounts as part of the alleged scheme, maintaining that his financial records are transparent and open to scrutiny.
“Someone said I received billions into my account. My accounts are public; you can check if I have ever received billions in them. It is just a lot of things going on in the press, but this is not the forum to address that,” he stated.
The pastor expressed shock at the allegations, admitting that he learned about them through the media, just like the public.
“Some of these things, as you are reading them, I am also reading them,” he said
-
Business1 week ago
OPEC appoints Ademola Adeyemi-Bero as chairman board of governors for 2025
-
Health1 week ago
Five health benefits of aloe vera
-
Health1 week ago
Five widespread misconceptions about acne you should know
-
Health1 week ago
Less sugar in a child’s first 1000 days reduces risk of chronic disease, study says
-
Health1 week ago
Stop slouching and save your body from pains
-
Relationships1 week ago
Six things parents shouldn’t do in front of their kids
-
News5 days ago
‘I’ll live with this trauma all my life’ — Tijjani Babangida opens up on losing family in car accident
-
Relationships3 days ago
Four dating tips for single mum