The Redeemed Christian Church of God has urged journalists and media organisations to establish the original dates and circumstances of photographs before publication, following the renewed circulation of an old image of its General Overseer, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, allegedly showing him protesting against former President Goodluck Jonathan.
The church said the photograph, which shows Adeboye carrying a placard, was taken during a nationwide prayer walk on February 2, 2020, organised following a directive by the Christian Association of Nigeria.
It described the image as genuine but said the interpretation attached to it was misleading, stressing that the exercise was not a political protest against Jonathan, whose administration ended in May 2015.
The clarification followed Adeboye’s remarks at the church’s November Thanksgiving Service on Sunday, where he acknowledged carrying the placard but insisted that the event was a prayer walk against insecurity and killings across the country.
“True, I carried a placard. I can’t deny that. It was important. It was a prayer walk. We wanted to pray,” the cleric said.
He explained that the exercise followed a directive from CAN’s leadership asking churches to organise prayer walks around their premises.
“The chairman said all churches should do a prayer walk near their churches. That’s what I did,” he added.
Adeboye questioned how the photograph had been linked to Jonathan’s administration despite the five-year gap between the former President’s departure from office and the prayer walk.
He also criticised the failure to investigate the circumstances surrounding the image before it was published or shared as evidence of a political protest.
The church, in its statement issued through its Department of Strategic Communications, said the photograph had been recycled and recaptioned to create a false impression about the cleric’s relationship with successive administrations.
“The image is real; the framing placed upon it is not,” RCCG said.
The church added that independent fact-checking organisations had also examined the claims and established that the photograph originated from the 2020 prayer walk.
The image had previously been investigated by fact-checking organisations, which found no evidence that Adeboye protested against Jonathan while he was President. The photograph was traced to the February 2020 prayer walk, when Muhammadu Buhari was in office.
RCCG had also publicly addressed the controversy in June 2026, explaining that the photograph was taken during a peaceful nationwide exercise organised by CAN to draw attention to killings, terrorism and insecurity.
The renewed clarification comes amid public debate over Adeboye’s comments on national security and the extent to which prominent religious leaders should publicly challenge governments over the country’s challenges.
At Sunday’s thanksgiving service, the cleric also urged journalists, social media influencers and other content creators to exercise responsibility in the way they report and distribute information.
The service was dedicated to members of the creative industry, including filmmakers, musicians, writers, designers, videographers and digital content creators.
Adeboye encouraged practitioners to use their influence to promote truth, integrity, positive values and hope, rather than contribute to the spread of misleading narratives.
The church said the appeal reflected the growing influence of digital platforms, where a single post could reach large audiences before its authenticity was established.
It maintained that Adeboye had consistently addressed national concerns, including insecurity, justice, the sanctity of life and leadership, through prayers, counsel and moral appeals.
RCCG also reiterated that it prays for people in positions of authority across successive administrations but does not endorse any political party.
“The Redeemed Christian Church of God prays for all who hold authority, and endorses none,” the statement said.
The church urged media organisations seeking clarification on reports involving its leadership to contact its Department of Strategic Communications, adding that its official communication channels remained open to newsrooms.
The controversy has again highlighted the importance of checking the date, source and original context of photographs, particularly when old images resurface during politically sensitive debates.
