Why a Prayer from a father in the Faith Should Not Be Turned into a Political Controversy
By Odesola JF., PhD
There are moments in public life when we need to slow down before we speak, read beyond the headlines before we react, and understand the context before we judge.
The recent encounter between Pastor Enoch Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), and Omoyele Sowore is one of such moments.
Sowore, the African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, attended the RCCG National Thanksgiving Service at the church’s headquarters in Ebute-Metta, Lagos, on Sunday, October 4, 2026. He later had a private conversation with Pastor Adeboye and said the General Overseer offered to pray for him, described his path as honourable and expressed confidence in his eventual “triumph.” Sowore also recalled that he had first met Pastor Adeboye at the same location in 1996, shortly after his National Youth Service Corps programme, when he was involved in campaigns against campus cultism.
Sowore himself described the encounter as a significant personal meeting and expressed appreciation for the welcome he received from members of the church and for the prayers of Pastor Adeboye. He also specifically stated that his attendance was not intended to promote a political agenda.
Yet, what should perhaps have been understood as a pastoral and human encounter has become the subject of political interpretation and criticism.
This raises a fundamental question:
When did a pastor praying for a politician become the same thing as endorsing that politician?
We must be careful.
Nigeria is already deeply divided along political, ethnic, religious and regional lines. We should not create another unnecessary division by taking a pastoral encounter and forcing it into a political framework without sufficient evidence.
PASTOR ADEBOYE IS A GENERAL OVERSEER TO PEOPLE, NOT TO POLITICAL PARTIES
Pastor Adeboye is the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God.
He is also, for millions of Nigerians and people around the world, a father in the faith, an elder statesman and a respected spiritual leader.
His ministry has never been limited to one political party.
People who belong to different political parties worship in the RCCG. There are APC members. There are PDP members. There are Labour Party supporters. There are AAC supporters. There are people who belong to other political movements, and there are many Christians who are not particularly interested in partisan politics at all.
They are all human beings.
They are all Nigerians.
They all need prayer.
And they all deserve pastoral care.
It would therefore be strange to expect a General Overseer to ask a person’s political affiliation before praying for him.
If an APC politician comes to Pastor Adeboye for prayer, should he refuse?
If a PDP politician comes, should he turn him away?
If a Labour Party candidate comes, should the pastor refuse to pray?
And if an AAC candidate comes, should the General Overseer suddenly become uncomfortable because the person is a political opponent of the government?
That cannot be the standard for Christian ministry.
A pastor’s responsibility is not to minister only to people who agree with him politically.
The church is bigger than politics.
The gospel is bigger than elections.
And prayer is bigger than political parties.
THE OCTOBER SERVICE HAS A NATIONAL CONTEXT
This is where context becomes extremely important.
The service attended by Sowore was not organised as a campaign event for him.
It was a National Thanksgiving Service held around Nigeria’s Independence anniversary.
The RCCG has a longstanding practice of dedicating its October thanksgiving service to prayers for Nigeria and its leaders.
This is not something invented because Sowore attended the service.
Indeed, in October 2025, RCCG announced that its Independence thanksgiving would include special prayers for government executives, legislators, politicians, electoral institutions, political leaders, elder statesmen and citizens’ rights organisations, among others. The church described the gathering as a national intercession for peace, unity and progress.
That is important context.
It means that when political leaders attend such a service, their presence should first be understood within the broader purpose of praying for the nation.
The Bible says in 1 Timothy 2:1–2:
“I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
For kings, and for all that are in authority…”
The Bible does not say, “Pray only for the leaders you support.”
It does not say, “Pray only for the political party you belong to.”
It says “all.”
That is the responsibility of the church.
LOOK AT THE PEOPLE WHO WERE PRESENT
Perhaps one of the strongest pieces of context surrounding the October 4 service is the diversity of political figures who attended.
Recent reports from the service noted the presence of Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who represented President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as well as APC governorship candidate Dr Obafemi Hamzat and his running mate. Sowore was also present and addressed the gathering, calling for peace, progress and greater national cohesion.
Now, think about that for a moment.
If the mere presence of a political aspirant in church automatically means political endorsement, then what should we conclude when people from different political backgrounds attend the same service?
Would the church have endorsed everybody?
Obviously not.
The more reasonable interpretation is that this was a national thanksgiving service where people from different walks of life came together to worship, give thanks and pray for Nigeria.
That is precisely what a national church should be able to do.
It should be a place where Nigerians can meet despite their differences.
PRAYER IS NOT AN ELECTORAL ENDORSEMENT
This point needs to be made clearly.
Prayer is not endorsement.
A pastor praying for someone does not necessarily mean that the pastor supports everything that person believes, says or does.
A pastor can pray for a politician and still challenge that politician to do what is right.
A pastor can pray for an activist without endorsing every position the activist has taken.
A pastor can bless a political aspirant without becoming part of the aspirant’s campaign organisation.
Christian ministry does not operate according to the rules of political parties.
Jesus taught His followers to pray for those who oppose them. He taught love, forgiveness and compassion even in situations of disagreement.
If Christians begin to say that we can only pray for people with whom we agree, then we have misunderstood one of the foundations of Christian ministry.
WHAT EXACTLY DID PASTOR ADEBOYE SAY?
This is where we must exercise caution.
According to Sowore’s own account, Pastor Adeboye said that he followed his activities, regarded his path as honourable and expressed confidence in his “triumph.”
We should take Sowore’s account seriously because he was one of the participants in the private conversation.
But we should also be responsible in interpreting it.
The meeting was private.
There is no publicly available transcript of the entire conversation.
Therefore, it would be dangerous to take one reported expression and build an entire political endorsement around it.
What does “triumph” mean?
It could mean success in life.
It could mean success in his convictions.
It could mean that his efforts to advocate for what he believes in will eventually produce results.
It could have a spiritual meaning.
It could, in the context of a political candidate, understandably be interpreted by some as encouragement concerning his political journey.
But encouragement is not necessarily the same as an electoral endorsement.
That distinction matters.
We should not put words into Pastor Adeboye’s mouth that he has not publicly spoken.
At the same time, we should not dismiss Sowore’s account simply because some people dislike his politics.
Both errors are unnecessary.
SOWORE’S OWN ACCOUNT DESERVES TO BE HEARD
There is something remarkable about Sowore’s own description of the encounter.
He did not present the meeting as a political endorsement by the RCCG.
In fact, he specifically stated that his visit was not intended to promote a political agenda. He expressed appreciation for the warm reception from the congregation and for Pastor Adeboye’s prayers.
Whatever one’s political opinion of Sowore may be, that part of his account deserves to be acknowledged.
Sometimes we allow our feelings about a political actor to influence how we interpret everything that happens around him.
If we like him, we interpret events generously.
If we dislike him, we interpret them suspiciously.
That is not a healthy way to conduct public discourse.
THIRTY YEARS LATER
There is also a human dimension to this story that should not be lost.
Sowore says he first met Pastor Adeboye in 1996.
Thirty years later, they met again at the same place.
Whatever political differences may exist between people, there is something deeply human about meeting someone again after three decades.
The young activist who stood against campus cultism in the 1990s is now a presidential candidate.
The pastor he encountered then remains one of Nigeria’s most recognised Christian leaders.
Life has taken both men through different journeys.
Yet they were able to meet again.
They were able to speak.
And according to Sowore, Pastor Adeboye prayed for him.
Why should that automatically become a source of controversy?
Could we not simply recognise the humanity of the moment?
PASTOR ADEBOYE HAS A HISTORY OF PRAYING FOR NIGERIA
This is also not the first time Pastor Adeboye has used an Independence-related service to pray for Nigeria.
In 2023, during the RCCG October Thanksgiving Service, Pastor Adeboye prayed for God to heal Nigeria and spoke about the need for freedom from sickness, poverty, terrorism and other forms of bondage.
In 2025, the RCCG’s Independence thanksgiving again included prayers for political leaders, government officials, electoral institutions and the Nigerian people.
And in 2026, the theme of the service was “Acceptable Service.”
Reports from the service show that Pastor Adeboye spoke about the responsibility of Nigerians, particularly leaders, to understand their purpose and serve God and humanity faithfully. He emphasised that true service must be motivated by the right reasons.
That is the broader context.
The service was about service.
It was about Nigeria.
It was about prayer.
It was about responsibility.
It was not created around one political aspirant.
THE CHURCH MUST REMAIN A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE CAN MEET
There is a larger lesson here for Nigeria.
Our country desperately needs places where people can meet without first asking, “Which party are you supporting?”
The church should be one of those places.
A Christian leader should be able to receive an APC member, a PDP member, a Labour Party member, an AAC member or an independent-minded citizen.
That does not destroy the church’s neutrality.
It demonstrates its openness.
In fact, the ability to sit together despite political differences is one of the things Nigeria needs most.
We cannot continue to preach national unity while refusing to speak to people who disagree with us.
We cannot demand tolerance from politicians while practising intolerance in our religious communities.
We cannot ask Nigerians to reconcile while turning every handshake into a political conspiracy.
CRITICISM IS LEGITIMATE — MISREPRESENTATION IS NOT
Let me be clear: Pastor Adeboye is not above criticism.
No human being should be.
Religious leaders can be questioned.
Political leaders can be questioned.
Activists can be questioned.
Journalists can be questioned.
Churches can be questioned.
But criticism must be fair.
There is a difference between saying:
“I disagree with Pastor Adeboye’s position.”
and saying:
“Pastor Adeboye has endorsed this political candidate.”
The first is an opinion.
The second is a factual claim that requires evidence.
There is also a difference between asking:
“Why did Pastor Adeboye pray for Sowore?”
and declaring:
“Pastor Adeboye has endorsed Sowore for President.”
The first invites conversation.
The second requires proof.
This is why taking words out of context can be dangerous.
A sentence can sound very different when removed from the circumstances in which it was spoken.
A private pastoral conversation can be made to sound like a political manifesto.
A prayer can be presented as an endorsement.
A word of encouragement can be turned into a campaign statement.
And before long, a simple human interaction becomes a political controversy.
That is not fair to anyone.
PASTOR ADEBOYE’S POSITION AS A FATHER IN THE FAITH
There is another dimension that deserves our attention.
A father does not stop being a father because his children disagree with one another.
He may have children who support different political parties.
He may have children who hold different opinions.
He may have children who are activists.
He may have children who are government officials.
He may have children who are not interested in politics at all.
Yet he remains their father.
That is how many Nigerians see Pastor Adeboye.
For decades, he has occupied the role of a spiritual father to people across different generations and social backgrounds.
That means he must be able to interact with people whose political opinions are completely different from his own.
His pastoral responsibility cannot be restricted by party membership.
If he begins to ask, “Are you APC or PDP?” before praying for someone, then something fundamental has gone wrong.
The church should minister to the person, not the political party.
WE MUST BE CAREFUL WITH OUR WORDS
Nigeria is a country where words carry consequences.
A careless statement can inflame an already sensitive political environment.
A misleading headline can cause thousands of people to form an opinion without reading the original story.
A social-media post can spread in minutes.
That is why people with influence must exercise restraint.
While defending the role of Pastor Adeboye it should not be taken as an attack to Sowore simply because he is a political activist.
Those criticising Pastor Adeboye should not attribute political endorsements to him without evidence.
And those reporting the story should distinguish clearly between:
what was said,
who said it,
what has been independently verified,
and what is merely an interpretation.
That is journalism.
That is responsible public discourse.
And that is how a mature democracy should function.
LET US NOT LOSE THE BEAUTY OF THE ENCOUNTER
Perhaps the most important part of this entire episode is the possibility of reconciliation across differences.
An activist met a pastor.
A political candidate met an elder statesman.
A man who has spent years criticising aspects of Nigeria’s political establishment was received warmly in a church.
He was allowed to worship.
He was introduced to the congregation.
He met the General Overseer.
He received prayer.
And he left expressing appreciation.
That is not a bad picture of Nigeria.
Indeed, perhaps we need more of it.
We need more Nigerians who can disagree without hatred.
We need more leaders who can listen without immediately becoming defensive.
We need more religious leaders who can speak to people across political divides.
We need more politicians who can enter places where their opponents also worship.
We need more citizens who can separate disagreement from hatred.
Nigeria cannot survive if every difference becomes a war.
THE CHURCH MUST CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR EVERYONE
The responsibility of the church is clear.
Pray for Nigeria.
Pray for the President.
Pray for governors.
Pray for legislators.
Pray for judges.
Pray for civil servants.
Pray for political aspirants.
Pray for those in government.
Pray for those in opposition.
Pray for the rich.
Pray for the poor.
Pray for the young.
Pray for the elderly.
Pray for those who agree with us.
And, yes, pray for those who disagree with us.
That is Christianity.
That is what 1 Timothy 2 teaches.
The church should never become so politically divided that it loses its ability to pray for the nation as a whole.
CONCLUSION: LET A PRAYER REMAIN A PRAYER
The encounter between Pastor Adeboye and Omoyele Sowore should be viewed within its proper context.
Sowore attended the RCCG National Thanksgiving Service by invitation. He met Pastor Adeboye privately afterwards and reported that the General Overseer prayed for him, described his path as honourable and expressed confidence in his eventual triumph. Sowore himself said that his visit was not intended to promote a political agenda.
The same service was attended by other political figures, including the sitting Lagos State Governor and APC governorship candidate Obafemi Hamzat. The public programme focused on service, patriotism, prayer and responsibility to Nigeria.
That broader context matters.
Pastor Adeboye is a General Overseer.
He is a father in the faith.
He is an elder statesman.
He is a spiritual leader whose congregation includes Nigerians with different political affiliations.
His ministry cannot be reduced to one election, one candidate or one political party.
He has a responsibility to pray for people.
He has a responsibility to pray for Nigeria.
He has a responsibility to encourage people to pursue honourable lives.
And he should be able to do that without every pastoral conversation being turned into a political declaration.
We can question leaders without misrepresenting them.
We can disagree without demonising.
We can scrutinise public figures without taking their words out of context.
And we can have political differences without losing our humanity.
Perhaps, therefore, the most appropriate lesson from the Adeboye-Sowore encounter is not about who supports whom politically.
It is about whether Nigerians can still meet across their differences.
Thirty years after their first encounter, two Nigerians met again.
One is a renowned pastor and elder statesman.
The other is a political activist and presidential candidate.
They spoke.
They listened.
And one prayed for the other.
Perhaps we should allow that prayer to remain a prayer.
Nigeria has enough political battles.
The church should remain a place where people can come, worship, receive counsel, receive prayer and encounter God — regardless of the political party they support.
And in a nation that desperately needs healing, reconciliation and unity, sometimes the most powerful political statement may simply be the decision to treat one another as human beings before treating one another as political opponents.
