Nigerian pastor Tobi Adegboyega, founder of the Salvation Proclaimers Anointed Church (SPAC Nation), has defended his extravagant lifestyle, claiming that it is part of his mission to inspire young people.
This statement comes after a UK court ruling which ordered his deportation over an expired visa.
Adegboyega, who arrived in the UK in 2005 on a visitor’s visa, has faced legal challenges regarding his immigration status.
The UK’s immigration upper tribunal ruled that he should be deported after he overstayed his visa and unsuccessfully sought to remain in the country on human rights grounds.
During the court proceedings, Adegboyega addressed claims about his lavish lifestyle, which includes designer clothes and expensive cars, by explaining that his wife, Mary Olubukola Alade, who earns £100,000 annually working for AON, financially supports him. The pastor emphasised that his income comes solely from his wife, as he is unpaid for his work at SPAC Nation.
“I live with my partner, Mary Olubukola Alade, who earns £100,000 per year working for AON. I spend my time working for the church, for which I am unpaid. I am entirely supported by Mary,” he said in court.
Adegboyega also defended his display of wealth, claiming it was intentional to set a positive example for the predominantly young congregation at SPAC Nation.
He stated, “I believe it is important for me to dress the way that I do because I need to inspire these young people – they need to understand that there are legitimate ways of making money, for instance through entrepreneurship.”
Despite the court ruling and the public scrutiny surrounding his lifestyle, Adegboyega dismissed the deportation allegations, asserting that no amount of persecution would deter him.
“I’m right here at home, no cause for alarm. Naturally, I will dismiss things that have to do with retrogression; every Nigerian should be proud of me,” Adegboyega declared in a statement. “Living in the UK, a city that is well known for pulling people down, I have survived all sorts, so the matter that they are propagating is the smallest matter.”
He added, “I’m here, I am at home, nobody should panic for me. I succeeded well in this country despite all challenges and I’m in the league of people you look up to. I have survived that well, nothing has changed, nothing will change.”
Adegboyega’s case has garnered significant attention, with many questioning his lifestyle and the source of his wealth, but the pastor remains defiant, stating that his personal success story is an inspiration to others, particularly the young people he mentors.
