At least 11 leading Nigerian Pentecostal leaders may be forced to retire as a result of the government regulation that made Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye to announce his retirement as General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) on Saturday morning, January 7, 2017.

The rule, by the Financial Regulations Council (FRC), stipulates that heads of non-profit organisations such as churches, mosques and civil society groups now have a maximum period of 20 years to lead their organisations. They are not permitted to hand over to their families.

Investigations published this morning by SUNDAY PUNCH said that “apart from Adeboye, the law would cause leadership changes in other churches, where their general overseers had spent more than 20 years in that capacity.”

The report went further to say: “Some of the general overseers to be affected by the regulation include Dr. Daniel Kolawole Olukoya of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries, who has spent 22 years as the general overseer; Bishop Mike Okonkwo of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (35 years); Pastor Kumuyi (43 years); Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor of Word of Life Bible Church (29 years); Rev. Chris Okotie of the Household of God ( 29 years); Kingsway International Christian Centre’s Pastor Matthew Ashimolowo (24 years); Winners Chapel’s Bishop David Oyedepo (35 years).

“Others are Pastor Chris Oyakhilome of Believers’ LoveWord International (26 years); Pastor Sam Adeyemi of Daystar Christian Centre (21 years); Pastor Tunde Bakare of Latter Rain Assembly (27 years); House on the Rock’s Pastor Paul Adefarasin (22 years), among others.”

News Express reports that Pastor Adeboye, who succeeded the late founder of RCCG in 1981, announced his retirement at the Annual Ministers Thanksgiving of the church held yesterday at the Redemption Camp located along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

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