Two former inmates have shared powerful testimonies of how the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) transformed their lives and helped secure their freedom through faith, legal aid, and compassion.
Speaking at a conference hosted by the RCCG Prison and Hospital Ministry at the House of Favour Parish in Redemption City, Ogun State, on Saturday, the men—Saheed Adebayo and Bayo Adelakun (names changed for privacy)—described their emotional journeys from incarceration to redemption.
Adebayo, a 49-year-old with a Master’s degree in English, spent 14 years at Kirikiri Maximum Correctional Centre after being convicted of kidnapping.
He explained that his ordeal began when a dispute with a friend escalated unexpectedly.
“My friend left his car in my care while he travelled abroad. The engine later developed a fault due to an oil leak.
I tried explaining via email, but he was misinformed by someone that I had sold the car. In anger, I asked some boys to ‘rough him up,’ which I now deeply regret.
He was detained and beaten for two days, which led to my arrest and eventual conviction for kidnapping,” Adebayo recounted.
He reflected on the choices that led to his incarceration, expressing regret and urging young people to stay grounded in their faith and avoid bad company. “If I hadn’t walked away from God’s presence, I might not have ended up in prison,” he said.
Adelakun, who was arrested in 2020, spent four years in custody while on trial for murder.
He explained that a workplace confrontation turned tragic after a colleague died during a scuffle.
“I left for work on May 20, 2020, and never returned home. In a moment of self-defense, my colleague fell and died,” he said.
While in detention, Adelakun said he had a dream in which RCCG General Overseer, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, appeared and declared, “Leave my son alone,” instructing that he should not be handcuffed. Inspired by the dream, he held on to his faith.
His turning point came when a legal team from the RCCG, led by Pastor Ariyo Popoola, took up his case. Adelakun was eventually discharged and acquitted on May 12, 2025.
The two men are among the 2,181 individuals assisted by the RCCG Prison and Hospital Ministry between May 2024 and April 2025 through a range of spiritual, legal, and humanitarian support.
RCCG National Overseer, Pastor Sunday Akande, explained that the ministry’s mission is to bring hope to the marginalized and forgotten.
“We provide spiritual, emotional, and practical support to people in correctional centres and hospitals,” he said.
Pastor Popoola added that despite prevailing economic challenges, the ministry has remained active across prisons, police stations, remand homes, street corners, and elderly care homes.
“Our outreach includes distributing food, clothing, and Bibles, as well as sponsoring inmates’ education through GCE fees and support for National Open University enrolments.
Our legal teams offer free representation, which has led to the release of many detainees,” Popoola said.
Through their testimonies, Adebayo and Adelakun offered a message of second chances—and the power of faith and community to restore lives once written off by society.