Embattled Nigerian pastor and founder of the Salvation Proclaimers Anointed Church (SPAC Nation), Tobi Adegboyega, has defended his extravagant lifestyle in the United Kingdom following a ruling by the UK’s immigration upper tribunal ordering his deportation.
The tribunal determined that the 44-year-old pastor overstayed his visitor visa after arriving in the UK in 2005 and later sought to remain on human rights grounds.
During the trial, Adegboyega addressed allegations of his lavish lifestyle, asserting that it was funded entirely by his wife, Mary Olubukola Alade, who earns £100,000 annually as an employee of insurance giant AON.
He explained to judges Bruce and Rastogi that his lifestyle was a deliberate effort to inspire young people, the primary members of his church, to believe in legitimate means of achieving wealth.
“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,” Adegboyega stated.
The pastor, who holds a first-class law degree from Nigeria, claimed he had sacrificed a promising legal career to focus on empowering disadvantaged individuals through his ministry. Addressing his critics, he said:
“For instance, people have pointed to the fact that he wears designer clothing and drives expensive cars. He was adamant that all of his personal possessions had been paid for by Mary.
He has never taken a penny from the church. He believes it is important for him to dress the way he does to inspire young people – they need to understand that there are legitimate ways of making money, for instance, through entrepreneurship.”
Reacting to the deportation ruling, Adegboyega dismissed the allegations and expressed confidence in his position. In a video released on Thursday, he reassured his supporters, saying:
“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.
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 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, and nothing will change.”
Adegboyega’s controversial tenure as a pastor and his flamboyant lifestyle have sparked heated debates, both in Nigeria and the UK. His case continues to draw attention as it progresses.
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