Pastor Adeboye. Source: RCCG UK
Claim: Pastor Enoch Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), allegedly led a protest against former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2014.
Verdict: Misleading! The picture was taken at a protest against Christian killings in 2020 under the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration.
Full Text
On February 21, 2023, a Twitter user with the handle Bibi Baby Boy @escobless tweeted a photo showing Mr Adeboye with other men dressed in suits and paramilitary uniforms holding placards as a sign of protest.
The Twitter user shared the image with a caption suggesting that the cleric was leading church members in a protest against Mr Jonathan in 2014.
The tweet garnered over 3,000 retweets and over 7,224 likes and reads: “In 2014, RCCG led a march against Jonathan cos they wanted Buhari with the hope that Osinbajo will take over in 2023. Four days to the polls with one viable Christian on the ballot named Peter Obi they’re suddenly quiet. Pastor Paul Adefarasin is telling us to vote Saul. Frauds!!”
But how true is the claim?
Verification
To check the claim’s veracity, DUBAWA did a Google reverse image search to check its origin.
Results from the search showed that the image was captured in 2020 during Mr Buhari’s administration. Findings revealed that the photo was from a peaceful protest, led by Mr Adeboye, against widespread killings in the country at the time, as seen here and here.
Meanwhile, according to a report by Vanguard Newspaper, Mr Adeboye had earlier in 2010 sent a petition to stage a one-million protest against the spate of insecurity in Nigeria. However, a thorough online search shows that the protest did not hold.
Conclusion
The viral photo was originally taken in 2020 during Mr Buhari’s administration – not in 2014 as claimed. Mr Adeboye did not lead a protest against Mr Jonathan in 2014. The photo was, therefore, shared in the wrong context to mislead people.
He actually led a one million man march against insecurity during Jonathan’s government. And a prayer walk during Buhari’s government.
He used a more recent image in his tweet, and as a journalism outfit, you shouldn’t have just done a search on the image only.
Or at least your conclusion should have said that the image used was not the one done during Jonathan’s government, instead of this mistruth.
Lastly Adeboye has the right to protest, and also the person who is calling him out. If Adeboye don’t protest, he too should go and protest.