REDEMPTION CITY, Nigeria — Pastor Enoch Adeboye, the 83-year-old leader of Nigeria’s Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), one of Africa’s largest Pentecostal denominations, made headlines Thursday when he predicted the circumstances of his eventual death during the church’s annual convention.
Speaking to thousands of worshippers at the church’s 73rd convention themed “The Overcomers,” Adeboye described a very specific scenario for his passing.
“I’m sure I have told you how I will go if the Lord tarries,” Adeboye said during his sermon titled “Possess Your Possessions.”
“I will go to church, it is going to be on Sunday. I can tell you that. I will go to church, have a wonderful service, come back home, eat pounded yam and go.”
The revered clergyman, who leads a congregation with branches in over 190 countries, made the remarks while encouraging members to pray for divine health.
“If you are healthy and pray the way I’m going to ask you to pray, you may never be sick again,” he told the congregation.
Adeboye, took the opportunity to reiterate his focus on holiness rather than the prosperity gospel that many associate with megachurch leaders.
“Everybody knows I’m not a prosperity preacher,” he said.
“I’m a holiness preacher. Prosperity is yours. I know that there are some people who have been waiting for that so they can have something to criticise.”
The annual convention at RCCG‘s sprawling Redemption City headquarters typically draws millions of worshippers from across Nigeria and beyond.
