How Daddy Adeboye Took Over From RCCG Founder Reverend Josiah Akindayomi
- Years before his death, RCCG founder Reverend Josiah Akindayomi reportedly revealed that his successor would be a young educated man who was not yet a member of the church
- Pastor Enoch Adeboye joined RCCG as a university lecturer, rose through the ranks, and eventually became the church's General Overseer after Akindayomi's death in 1980
- Legit.ng traced the events, prophecies, controversy, and sealed declaration that paved the way for Adeboye's emergence as RCCG leader in 1981
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The story of how Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye became the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) remains one of the most significant leadership transitions in Nigeria's Pentecostal history.
Today, Pastor Adeboye leads one of the world's largest Christian denominations, with over 50,000 parishes spread across 197 countries. However, his emergence as the leader of RCCG was neither expected by many church members nor free from controversy.
Source: UGC
Legit.ng takes a look at how the mathematics lecturer succeeded the church's founder, Reverend Josiah Olufemi Akindayomi.
Who was Reverend Josiah Akindayomi?
Reverend Josiah Olufemi Akindayomi founded RCCG in 1952 after leaving the Cherubim and Seraphim movement. According to RCCG's official history, he received what he described as divine instructions that led to the establishment of the church.
Akindayomi reportedly received a covenant from God that RCCG would spread around the world if its members remained faithful and obedient. At the time, the church was relatively small and largely concentrated in southwestern Nigeria.
By the late 1970s, RCCG had fewer than 40 parishes and was still largely unknown outside Nigeria.
The prophecy about a successor
One of the most remarkable aspects of the succession story was Akindayomi's reported prophecy regarding his successor.
According to RCCG's official accounts, sometime in the early 1970s, Akindayomi told close associates that God had revealed to him that the person who would succeed him would be:
- Young
- Educated
- Not yet a member of the church at the time of the revelation
The prediction appeared unusual because RCCG's leadership at the time consisted largely of older church workers and ministers who had spent many years in the ministry.
How Adeboye entered RCCG
In 1973, Enoch Adejare Adeboye, then a lecturer in Mathematics, joined RCCG.
At the time, he was part of Nigeria's growing academic community and had no known ambition to lead a church. According to RCCG records, Akindayomi immediately identified him as the person he believed God had shown him years earlier.
Source: UGC
Because Akindayomi primarily preached in Yoruba, Adeboye soon became one of his interpreters, translating sermons into English for educated members and visitors. This role brought him closer to the founder and exposed him to the inner workings of the church.
RCCG: Ordination and preparation for leadership
Adeboye's influence within RCCG grew rapidly. In 1975, just two years after joining the church, he was ordained as a pastor. RCCG accounts state that Akindayomi gradually mentored and prepared him for future leadership responsibilities.
According to official RCCG records, Akindayomi privately informed selected church leaders at different times that Adeboye was God's chosen successor. However, many members reportedly struggled to accept the idea because Adeboye was relatively young and had spent only a few years in the church compared to older ministers.
The final meeting before Akindayomi's death
As Akindayomi's health declined, he reportedly summoned Adeboye for a private meeting.
RCCG records state that he spent several hours discussing the covenant upon which the church was founded, the future of RCCG, and the responsibilities that would come with leadership.
The church also states that Adeboye himself had received revelations indicating that he would one day succeed the founder, though he reportedly found the prospect difficult to accept.
Akindayomi's death and controversy that followed
Reverend Josiah Akindayomi died on November 2, 1980, at the age of 71.
His death immediately raised questions about who would lead the church.
Many observers expected that one of the older ministers would emerge as the next leader due to seniority and years of service. However, Akindayomi had left behind a sealed declaration naming his preferred successor.
Source: UGC
After his burial, the sealed pronouncement was opened and read publicly.
The document reportedly confirmed Pastor Enoch Adeboye as the next leader of RCCG. Although the decision generated controversy in some quarters, it formalised the founder's wishes and paved the way for Adeboye's emergence as General Overseer.
Adeboye officially takes over RCCG
In 1981, Adeboye formally assumed leadership of RCCG. At the time, the church had approximately 40 parishes and was still largely regional in outlook.
His appointment effectively ended his academic career as a university lecturer and marked the beginning of a new era for RCCG.
What happened after Adeboye took over?
Under Adeboye's leadership, RCCG experienced unprecedented growth. The church expanded beyond its Yoruba roots, introduced English-language services, established model parishes that attracted professionals and young graduates, and began a major international expansion programme.
Large-scale programmes such as the Holy Ghost Service and Holy Ghost Congress later became major gatherings attended by worshippers from around the world. More than four decades after the succession, the transition from Akindayomi to Adeboye remains one of the most consequential leadership handovers in Nigerian church history, transforming RCCG from a small indigenous church into a global Pentecostal movement.
In a similar report, Legit.ng published that a Nigerian lady who worked at an RCCG hospital shared advanced equipment she saw at her workplace.
Profile of RCCG pastor sparks reactions
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Pastor J.F. Odesola, RCCG Assistant General Overseer, went viral after showing off his academic record that included six PhDs, four master’s degrees and three bachelor’s degrees.
His qualifications span more than nine institutions and a range of fields, but the claims sparked debate online, with some people asking how one person could earn so many degrees.
Source: Legit.ng
