ENUGU: The Archbishop Emeritus of the Anglican Ecclesiastical Province of Enugu, Most Rev. Prof. Emmanuel Chukwuma, has questioned the continued silence of the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, on the challenges confronting Nigerians.
Chukwuma raised the issue while speaking about the worsening socio economic conditions in the country, including economic hardship, rising inflation and concerns over governance.
The outspoken cleric expressed surprise that Adeboye, one of Nigeria’s most influential Christian leaders, had not been more vocal about the difficulties facing ordinary Nigerians.
Chukwuma said he could not understand why the RCCG leader had remained quiet while Nigerians continued to struggle with the impact of the country’s economic and security challenges.
The Archbishop Emeritus went further by alleging that Adeboye’s silence could be connected to financial support or patronage from First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, who is also an ordained pastor within the RCCG.
According to reports of Chukwuma’s remarks, the Anglican cleric questioned whether the relationship between the RCCG leadership and the First Lady had influenced Adeboye’s willingness to speak publicly about national issues.
The allegations were reported by 247 Ureports on August 12, 2026, which said Chukwuma accused Adeboye of failing to speak forcefully about the deteriorating economic conditions because of alleged financial influence from the First Lady. The publication described the claims as allegations and reported that attempts to obtain responses from representatives of Adeboye and the Office of the First Lady were unsuccessful at the time of publication.
Chukwuma’s comments have drawn renewed attention to the role of prominent religious leaders in Nigeria’s political and social affairs. He argued that senior Christian leaders have a responsibility to act as a moral voice for the people, particularly when citizens are experiencing widespread hardship.
The controversy also comes against the background of the longstanding public visibility of Adeboye on national issues. While the RCCG leader has previously spoken about matters affecting the country, including governance and insecurity, critics have continued to debate whether his interventions have been sufficiently forceful on the policies of the present administration. Historical reporting confirms that Adeboye has made public comments on government responsibility and national challenges.
Chukwuma himself has a long record of outspoken commentary on Nigerian political and economic affairs. In previous years, he has criticised government policies, warned about insecurity and spoken strongly on issues affecting citizens.
Social media posts circulating the latest remarks have focused particularly on Chukwuma’s statement that even the head of the Redeemed Church had not been speaking about what was happening in Nigeria. Multiple posts attribute the statement to Chukwuma and identify him as the Anglican Archbishop Emeritus of Enugu Ecclesiastical Province and former Bishop of Enugu Diocese.
However, the allegation that Adeboye’s silence is the result of financial inducements remains an allegation made by Chukwuma and should not be treated as an established fact. The available report does not provide independent evidence proving that Adeboye received financial inducements from the First Lady in exchange for remaining silent.
As of the publication of the report reviewed for this story, no direct response from Pastor Adeboye or the Office of First Lady Oluremi Tinubu had been reported.
The development is likely to fuel further debate over the relationship between Nigeria’s religious leadership and political authorities, particularly at a time when citizens are demanding stronger accountability and more outspoken responses to the country’s economic and security problems.
