Pastor Mrs. Folu Adeboye, wife of the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), has recounted a troubling case involving a church pastor who allegedly diverted $8,000 meant for a building project, deserted his wife in South Africa, and relocated to the United States to marry another woman.
Speaking at a recent RCCG men’s conference, Pastor Folu shared the story as a warning against deceit and spiritual compromise. According to her, the incident took place during one of her missionary visits to Cape Town, South Africa, where she was invited to minister at a local RCCG parish.
Midway through her sermon, she noticed a woman entering and removing chairs, signaling the end of the church’s allotted time at the rented venue, which turned out to be a restaurant.
Moved by the church’s lack of a permanent worship space, she asked the parish pastor, a man from Ekiti State, what could be done to secure a permanent site.
The pastor explained that $8,000 would be enough to initiate a self-sustaining plan: the church would purchase a used vehicle and lease it to a tourism agency, which would, in turn, remit profits to fund the church building.
Encouraged by the idea, Pastor Folu said she released the funds without hesitation. However, the pastor reportedly disappeared with the money soon after receiving it.
“Unknown to me, the man had a different plan,” she said. “As soon as he collected the money, he traveled to the U.S. and left his wife in South Africa.”
She added that the abandoned woman was now in a pitiable state, nearly losing her mind from the betrayal.
Addressing the congregation, Mrs. Adeboye expressed deep concern: “RCCG men, what are we going to do? Are we going to continue with such a lying spirit, a deceitful spirit to the God of the kingdom?” The audience responded with a unified, “No!”
She emphasized the need for spiritual discipline and a return to the values that defined the church’s early years. Recalling the humble beginnings of the Redemption Camp, she spoke of years without electricity, grinding food with stones, and relying on lanterns, despite previously enjoying modern conveniences.
“We may not know where God will take us, but we have a bright future, if we remain faithful,” she concluded.