Renowned Gospel filmmaker, evangelist, and cleric, Pastor Mike Bamiloye, has strongly condemned calls for Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, the 84-year-old General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), to lead street protests over the current security and economic challenges facing Nigeria.
In a pointed statement, Pastor Bamiloye described such expectations as unreasonable, emphasizing both the advanced age of the revered man of God and the core mandate of the Church.
“The Church’s major responsibility is to pray for the nation,” Pastor Bamiloye declared. “And for all those who are expecting an 84-year-old man, servant of God, to lead a protest against a government, this does not make sense by virtue of his age and by the mandate of his calling.”
Pastor Bamiloye clarified that Pastor Adeboye’s role remains that of a spiritual leader focused on intercession, soul-winning, and providing godly counsel. He urged Nigerians, particularly Christians, to take personal responsibility rather than shifting the burden onto elderly spiritual fathers.
He further addressed misconceptions regarding Pastor Adeboye’s past actions. Bamiloye noted that in February 2020, Pastor Adeboye participated in a national prayer walk against insecurity, but this was done in compliance with directives from the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), not as a personal political protest. “Many bloggers saw this but chose to project it differently,” he added.
Pastor Bamiloye called on citizens to reflect on their own roles in nation-building, including sensitizing family members against selling votes and actively participating in the democratic process through prayer and civic engagement.
The statement comes amid heightened public discourse on insecurity, economic hardship, and the perceived silence of prominent religious leaders. Pastor Bamiloye maintained that spiritual authority is best exercised through prayer and moral guidance, not necessarily through leading physical demonstrations, especially at an advanced age.