The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, created a scene at the Youth Centre of the Redemption Camp, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, on Tuesday, when he kissed his wife, Folu Adeboye, on the stage during a book presentation in his honour.
Pastor Adeboye and his wife Folu Adeboye
Adeboye, who expressed surprise at the occasion, said he would have stopped the project if he knew about it, adding that he was undeserving of the honour.
Present on the occasion were Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo; former President Olusegun Obasanjo; Presiding Bishop of the Living Faith Church, Worldwide, Bishop David Oyedepo; and the General Overseer, Trinity House, Pastor Ituah Ighodalo.
Folu told the audience that she hid information about the book from her husband for one year, adding that she planned it to coincide with his 75th birthday.
While standing with Adeboye on the stage, together with their four children, she said her hubby was only informed about the event a day before.
The Master of Ceremonies teased Folu to tell the audience the pet names she gave her husband, demanding an expression of love since the occasion also marked 50 years of their marriage.
“Pastor ID, why are you fast? This is just presentation of a book, not marriage anniversary. Whatever you want, I will do it…,” she replied, as she hugged the husband and went on to kiss him as the audience erupted in excitement.
Adeboye, in his remark, expressed surprise at the book presentation, which was written by 40 people.
He said, “The event of today, without any doubt, has been a great surprise to me. This is because my wife hid it from me, and we don’t normally hide anything from each other, because we have been married for 50 years and we are still on honeymoon.
“People say I am humble, but people need to know where I am coming from. I cannot say I have any ability or wisdom. Everything has been the Lord Himself. When I was about 40 and I saw grey hairs on my head, I wondered why and God said I was carrying a burden that was not mine.
“God said, ‘I am just using you as camouflage. People need to see someone. So, I am putting you forward so that I can do the work from behind.’ So, everything that is happening in RCCG, nothing is of Adeboye at all; it is all about God. So, for you to say you are writing a book about somebody that is nothing, someone who has almost zero beginning, from a poor family and passed through secondary school by God’s grace. For God to allow today to happen without telling me, it can only be that He wants to draw your attention to Himself that if you allow Him, He will do great things, using you as camouflage.”
Adeboye said it was a miracle he was at the occasion as he had slept one hour a night during the seven-day convention of the church which ended on Sunday.
While appreciating people who wished he lived long, he said he would die when his assignment was over.
The cleric lauded his wife for always standing by him, saying she was the greatest gift he had aside from the Holy Spirit.
While recounting a year when they both fasted for 40 days three times over an issue, Adeboye said his wife refused to back out when he asked her to stop.
“If you can find a woman that can stand by you with 40 days of prayer and fasting, first, second, third time and willing to go with you as long as possible, then I will classify your wife as second to mine. Without my wife, I cannot be doing what I am doing today,”
The cleric later presented his four children to the gathering, describing them as God’s gifts to his family.
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