Pastor Enoch Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, has called on journalists, content creators, and social media influencers to adopt a rigorous approach to fact-checking before putting out stories. Speaking during a special monthly thanksgiving service at the church’s national headquarters in Ebute-Metta, Lagos, which gathered media practitioners and creatives, the revered cleric cautioned that the unchecked spread of misinformation poses a serious threat to public trust and individual reputations. He emphasized that those who wield media platforms carry a heavy responsibility to investigate claims thoroughly rather than hastily echoing unverified narratives.
To illustrate the dangers of lax reporting, the cleric drew attention to a couple of past public misconceptions involving him that gained traction online. He specifically clarified a widely shared photograph showing him dressed in white and green attire while holding a placard, which many had claimed was a protest against former President Goodluck Jonathan. Setting the record straight, Pastor Adeboye explained that the image was actually captured during a peaceful prayer walk in 2020 around Ebute-Metta, organized strictly in adherence to directives issued by the Christian Association of Nigeria for churches to engage in neighborhood prayer walks. Pointing out the chronological flaw in the rumor, he reminded listeners that Jonathan had left office in 2015, years before the event took place under the administration of his successor, Muhammadu Buhari, yet the public and many media handlers accepted the false narrative without basic verification.
Addressing another instance of distorted framing, the respected spiritual leader cleared the air regarding comments he made about President Bola Tinubu. He recounted addressing an audience in the United States concerning the kidnapping of children in Oyo State’s Oriire community, where he merely noted that the President, acting as Commander-in-Chief, had given directives to secure their rescue. To his dismay, The remark was twisted into a sweeping endorsement of the administration’s overall handling of security. Expressing frustration over sensationalism, he noted how appeals for international support against terrorism were sidelined in favor of misleading headlines, prompting a reflective appeal for divine grace upon media practitioners. Reflecting on his own academic background, he shared that he once took an elective course in mass communication during his undergraduate days, where core tenets of investigative journalism and factual accuracy were firmly instilled.
Transitioning from media ethics to personal growth during his sermon, Pastor Adeboye explored the theme of human potential, describing it as an innate gift planted in every individual from birth with no one exempt or created by accident. Using the contrasting productivity of bees and wasps feeding on the same flowers to symbolize how different people harness opportunities, he warned that untapped capabilities remain dormant without deliberate development and deployment. He challenged creatives and professionals alike to look beyond mediocrity, pointing out that many talented individuals fail to reach global acclaim simply because they leave their potential unactivated. Concluding his message, he invited anyone who felt they had mismanaged or neglected their God-given abilities to seek renewal through faith and divine mercy to ultimately fulfill their purpose.
