Pastor Folu Adeboye, wife of the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), has recounted how a pastor of the church allegedly diverted $8,000 meant for a mission project in South Africa, abandoned his wife, and relocated to the United States where he married another woman.
She made the revelation during a recent church programme for men, where she expressed concern over declining spiritual discipline among some church leaders. A video of her address has since gone viral on social media.
According to Pastor Folu, the incident took place during a missionary visit to Cape Town, South Africa, where she had been invited to preach at a local RCCG parish. She said she was shocked to discover that the congregation was worshipping inside a rented eatery.
In an attempt to assist, she approached the parish pastor — whom she identified as being from Ekiti State — to ask what was needed to secure a permanent worship venue. The pastor suggested that $8,000 could help kickstart a fundraising project by investing in a vehicle for a tourism agency that would, in turn, generate income for the church.
Moved by the idea, Pastor Folu said she released the funds to the pastor.
“Unknown to me, the man had a different plan,” she said. “As soon as he collected the money, he travelled to the U.S. and left his wife in South Africa.”
She further revealed that the pastor went on to marry another woman in the United States, leaving his original wife devastated.
“The woman he abandoned in South Africa is presently in a terrible state now, almost running mad,” she added.
Speaking passionately, Pastor Folu questioned the moral decline in some church leaders, asking: “RCCG men, what are we going to do? Are we going to continue with such a lying spirit, a deceitful spirit to the God of the kingdom?”
The congregation responded with a firm, “No!”
Using the moment to call for a spiritual revival, she urged RCCG members to return to the foundational values of discipline, faith, and sacrifice. Reflecting on the early years of the church’s Redemption Camp, she recounted the hardships they endured, including living without electricity for three years and grinding food with stones.
“We must go back to the old path where we look up to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith,” she said. “We may not know where God will take us, but we have a bright future if we remain faithful.”
As of press time, the RCCG leadership has not issued an official statement regarding the pastor’s identity or the allegations.
