Pastor Mrs. Folu Adeboye, wife of the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), has narrated how a pastor in the church diverted $8,000 meant for missions, abandoned his wife in South Africa, and traveled to the United States to marry another woman.

She shared the revelation while ministering at a recent programme organised for men in the church.

A video of her message, which has been circulating online, was monitored by Church Times.

According to Pastor Folu, the incident occurred during one of her missionary visits to Cape Town, South Africa, where she was invited to preach at a local RCCG parish.

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She explained that midway into her ministration, a woman entered and began removing chairs, indicating that the church’s time at the venue had ended.

Surprised to discover that the church held its services in a rented eatery, she recalled approaching the parish pastor to ask what it would take to secure a permanent worship space.

The pastor, whom she described as being from Ekiti, explained that with just $8,000, the church could begin raising funds for a permanent site.

He proposed using the money to purchase a fairly used vehicle and giving it to a tourism agency, which would pay returns to the church to fund the building project.

Encouraged by the idea, Pastor Folu said she quickly released the $8,000 to him.

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But instead of carrying out the plan, the pastor absconded with the money.

“Unknown to me, the man had a different plan,” she said. “As soon as he collected the money, he travelled to the U.S. and left his wife in South Africa.”

She revealed that the pastor went on to marry another woman in the U.S., leaving his former wife in distress.

“The woman he abandoned in South Africa is presently in a terrible state now, almost running mad,” she lamented.

Addressing the congregation, she questioned the integrity of such actions, saying: “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 resounding, “No!”

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Mrs. Adeboye stressed the need for a return to spiritual discipline and obedience, adding, “That is why we have this landmark meeting. We must go back to the old path where we look up to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.”

Reflecting on the early years of the Redemption Camp, she reminded the men of the sacrifices the church made in pursuit of God’s will.

“We must get to the point where we say, ‘Wherever He leads, we follow,’” she said. “We were in this bush. For three years, there was no light.

“We went back to the days of lanterns and we were grinding with stone, whereas where we were coming from, we had grinding machines, we had washing machines.”

She concluded with a word of encouragement, “We may not know where God will take us, but we have a bright future, if we remain faithful.”

Chairman of the Ondo State Council of Traditional Rulers and Olowo of Owo, Oba Ajibade Gbadegesin Ogunoye, has kicked against traditional rulers who abandon traditional practices after ascending the throne.

Oba Ogunoye declared that they should either uphold the institution’s customs or vacate their positions.

He said in Akure, the state capital, during a colloquium held to mark the 10th coronation anniversary of the Deji of Akure, Oba Aladetoyinbo Aladelusi.

The monarch was responding to a critique by one of the discussants during the event, Dr. Festus Adedayo, who submitted that the traditional institution had lost many of its defining myths and cultural values.

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Dr Adedayo, a journalist and scholar, had traced the historical significance of traditional institutions from the pre-colonial era to modern times.

He said that the current generation of monarchs has, in many cases, diluted the institution’s sacredness and public perception.

According to him “The traditional institution must redeem itself if it wants to be taken seriously. It can do this by upholding the myths and comportment passed down from ancient times, including burial rites, sacred appearances, and dignified conduct.”

Reacting, Oba Ogunoye, urged that there must not be a sweeping categorization of kings but specific references to the ones that go out of the bounds of the institution.

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He said that “You must identify specific individuals who have violated traditional norms rather than make sweeping generalizations.

“Personally, I am a traditionalist to the core. Before becoming Olowo of Owo, I lived in the palace with my father for 25 years and fully understood the requirements.

“Tradition is not repugnant, it is a sacred heritage that must be preserved.”

Oba Ogunoye added “that taking up the role of a monarch is a matter of choice, not by compulsion.

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“If you want to be an Oba, be prepared to abide by the customs. If you cannot, then don’t accept the position. It is not by force. Let us embrace our traditions, they are not in conflict with dignity or modernity.”

Oba Ogunoye however, lauded the Oyo State Government for preserving tradition in the recent selection of the new Alaafin of Oyo

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, who delivered the keynote address titled “Role of Nigeria’s Traditional Institution in Nation Building: Impediments and Prospects,” described the monarchy as a fundamental part of Nigeria’s heritage, older than oil discovery and even colonial rule.

Makinde maintained that traditional rulers remain pillars of identity, legitimacy, and social cohesion, and called on governments to invest in cultural institutions as part of strategic governance

The colloquium also had in attendance the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Oba of Ilu-Abo, Oba Olu Falae, who was chairman of the event; Ondo State governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, represented by his SSG, Dr. Taiye Fasoranti; representative of the Vice President, Dr. Tope Fasua; Ondo State Attorney General, Dr. Kayode Ajulo, Professor Adedayo Afe, the celebrant, Deji of Akure, among others.

The Bayelsa State Government has warned principal officers of local government councils in the state to desist from delay in presentation of names of prospective retirees in good time for processing and payment of pension benefits.

The Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, handed down the warning on Wednesday at a meeting with the chairmen and principal officers of the eight local government councils in Government House, Yenagoa.

Ewhrudjakpo directed that the names of retiring workers should be submitted at the latest by the 18th of every month to the office of the Technical Adviser to the Governor on Treasury and Accounts, Mr Timipre Seipulou, for processing.

According to him, anyone found culpable of sabotaging the policy which is aimed at achieving seamless payment of retirees’ benefits, would be sanctioned.

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He said he was desirous of bequeathing an effective and efficient local government system where his successor would not grapple with the issue of delayed payment of pensions and gratuities.

Ewhrudjakpo, who decried the backlog of unpaid pensions, said the government will work out modalities to ensure that retirees receive their pensions a month after retirement from service.

He specifically directed the chairmen to work closely with the technical adviser on treasury and accounts to come up with a model for the payment, as available funds cannot be used to clear all outstanding gratuities amounting to about five billion naira at once.

The Deputy Governor equally advised local government administrators to make provisions for annual leave for employees to serve as motivation.

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He used the opportunity to thank all eight local government chairmen for their cooperation and suggestions that have so far contributed towards the achievements recorded in the various councils.

Hw said, “Our reason for calling this meeting is to give information, a directive, and a warning. One thing that I have is that I don’t know how to spare indolence, docility, laziness, incompetence, and deliberate obstruction of the wheel of progress.

“We have taken a decision that all those who are retiring every month must be paid their pensions. That decision has come to stay. But the report I am having is that some of you in the local government system are trying to frustrate it by not volunteering the necessary information.

“You were told to timely furnish the Technical Adviser on Treasury and Accounts, Mr Seipulou’s office, with your monthly reports concerning retirees.

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“I am not happy that local government officers are frustrating the process.

“Chairmen, take note: every local government must submit its report by the 18th of every month, provided it is not a Sunday or Saturday. Even if it is a Saturday or Sunday, we will give you the benefit of submitting on the 20th.

“Any local government that does not do that, next month, I will transfer the treasurer and anybody that is involved in the process.

“Our brothers and sisters who have been on the queue are complaining that those who are going out now are being paid. So, every hand must be on deck to ensure we pay up the backlog.

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“We are desirous of paying up pensions. We believe that by the end of this month, as we work round the clock, we are going to see the best way to put it behind us.

“What I want to do, by the grace of God, before I step out of this place, is that I don’t want to leave behind liabilities such as a backlog of unpaid pensions and gratuities for anybody.”

In their separate remarks, the state chairman of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Local Government Chapter, Mr Noel Itade, and the Head of Brass Local Government Council, Comrade Clement Etifa, commended Ewhrudjakpo for his effective supervision and initiatives that have repositioned the local councils for efficient service and project delivery.