How desperate people wanted $1 to hit N10,000, opposed Dangote refinery- Pastor Adeboye

The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Enoch Adeboye, has been in the news in the past 24 hours following his views on Nigeria’s economic crisis.

The famous cleric also trended over claims that his prayers helped stabilise the Naira’s daily depreciation against the dollar.

On 8 November, PREMIUM TIMES reported that the Naira appreciated significantly in the official market, trading at N1,639.50 to the dollar, marking a 2.5 per cent improvement compared to its previous exchange rate of N1,681.65 to the dollar.

During the Abuja Special Holy Ghost Service 2024, Pastor Adeboye, in a sermon uploaded to the church’s YouTube page on 9 November, revealed that his prayers, along with those of his congregation and some Nigerians, led to divine intervention in halting the Naira depreciation.

Pastor Adeboye, who served as the second national president of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria attributed the Naira’s depreciation to the country’s reliance on oil importation.

He explained that President Bola Tinubu’s removal of fuel subsidies aimed to address importation challenges and broader financial issues.

However, he alleged that individuals who were unhappy with the policy created additional problems for Naira.

He said: “We spent billions of Naira on our refineries, yet they didn’t work. So, we can keep on importing fuel. That’s why when President Bola Tinubu came in, the very first day he came, he said that the money we spent on importing petrol was cancelled. We were all rejoicing, saying ‘Thank God’ but some people were angry — those making money from importing petrol.

“Then they decided we would create a problem, and suddenly, the Naira began to go down fast. I cried to my people, saying they should pray, and some joined. Because of the way the Naira was declining then, if God had not intervened, $1 would be about N10,000 by now. But God stepped in. That’s to show you we need prayers, and this has nothing to do with politics because I’m not a politician, and I’ll never be one; that’s not my calling.”

Refineries

Pastor Adeboye criticised the ongoing importation of fuel despite Nigeria’s surplus crude reserves.

The 82-year-old further alleged that individuals responsible for the Naira crisis deliberately sought to undermine Aliko Dangote, Chairman of the Dangote Group, and his refinery project.

He highlighted that despite the billions allocated for Nigeria’s four non-functional refineries, specific individuals opposed Mr Dangote’s success by maintaining their grip on fuel importation.

The newspaper reported that the Dangote Refinery began supplying petroleum products to the local market in April. Since then, it has faced various challenges and disputes with state-owned Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) and other agencies. 

“God raised someone who said he would build a refinery on his own, and he did. If all governments fail, their own will succeed. Suddenly, we heard he had to import crude oil from America for his refinery. I said, ‘Ah, we will take crude oil to America, and this man will go and bring it back because some people said they would not give him crude oil.’

“Some of us prayed and cried to God, and He intervened. They then agreed to give him crude oil, but they decided how much he would sell it for. Just in case you don’t believe me, check the Wednesday newspaper. Some people said they would sue him and ask the court to compel him to agree to their terms because they want to continue importing oil abroad. I read it in the newspapers,” said Pastor Adeboye.

More woes

The Osun-born clergyman stated that after Mr Dangote overcame those who refused to sell crude oil to him, others emerged, insisting they must dictate the price at which he sells his petrol.

Pastor Adeboye noted that Mr Dangote built his refinery to alleviate Nigerians’ suffering by ensuring its functionality, but some individuals hindered his efforts from achieving the desired impact.

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He said, “I asked, are we under a curse? We have four government refineries into which more money is poured, yet none works. And now, God has brought someone to build one that will work. Dangote is not my relative, nor is he from my village, and he’s not a Christian, but he’s a Nigerian who asked, ‘Why must my people suffer when I have the means to build a refinery that will work and produce petrol?’ Some people are saying they won’t allow him to sell, and the case has gone to court.

“They said they’ll force him because we must continue importing. We need to pray. How many of you agree we should pray? My daughter prayed for Nigeria, asking God to arise for the masses because we suffer. The people insisting, by force, that we must keep importing already have more money than they could ever spend. Yet they continue to tell us how much they want to sell petrol for.”

The father-of-four voiced his concern over the nation’s economic situation, highlighting that the average person can no longer afford food once considered staples for the commoner.

“Everything has been affected. The other day, I sent my children to buy me roasted plantain, my favourite, and they returned and told me how much one cost. I said, ‘This is the commoner’s food—why is it costing so much? Roasted plantain is now priced in dollars. No, God is going to do something. We need restoration,” he added.