Pastor Tobi Adegboyega, the high-profile leader of SPAC Nation—now rebranded as Nation Family—has refuted claims of an impending deportation from the UK amidst allegations of financial misconduct involving his church.
Speaking to the BBC, Pastor Adegboyega clarified: “There is no deportation order. Let me make that clear.” He added that the legal matter surrounding his immigration status remains “an ongoing issue.”
Immigration and Legal Troubles
Pastor Adegboyega, who arrived in the UK in 2005 at the age of 25 on a visitor’s visa, said he assumed his family had handled his immigration paperwork. However, this was not the case, resulting in nearly a decade-long delay in regularising his status.
“I lost track of time,” he explained, while emphasizing that relocating his church to Nigeria, should deportation occur, would be “impossible.”
In December, the UK Charity Commission found evidence of “serious misconduct and/or mismanagement” in the administration of SPAC Nation. However, Pastor Adegboyega dismissed these findings, asserting, “It is false. They have been on this thing for the past four years.”
Allegations of Financial Exploitation
This isn’t the first controversy surrounding the church.
In 2019, a BBC Panorama investigation alleged that SPAC Nation financially exploited young members of its congregation. Accusations included coercing members into taking out loans and engaging in benefit fraud to make donations. The church denied these claims, and Pastor Adegboyega reiterated his stance, saying:
“If you have 1,000 people in a place, are you telling me 30 people will not be disgruntled? How on earth do you run an organization without disgruntled people?”
The church, established in 2012 as a UK charity, aimed to support vulnerable individuals, combat gun violence, and rehabilitate young offenders. Pastor Adegboyega claims the church has removed hundreds of knives from the streets and provided practical support for at-risk youth.
“We believe in a practical approach to help a community—young people coming out of low socio-economic backgrounds, taking them out of crime,” he said.
Criticism of Lavish Lifestyle
Pastor Adegboyega has faced criticism for his opulent lifestyle, which includes designer clothing, luxury watches, and high-end vehicles. He arrived at the BBC’s central London office in a Lamborghini, accompanied by a G-Wagon carrying his entourage.
Defending his lifestyle, he stated: “I put on what is right, what connects to the generation I’m speaking to so they are not attracted to drug dealers.”
Despite the allegations and controversies, Pastor Adegboyega maintains his innocence and the integrity of his mission, dismissing claims against him and his church as exaggerated or unfounded.
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Opeoluwa Benson – Content Researcher
