Enoch Adejare Adeboye, fondly called “Daddy G.O.,” is one of the most influential Christian leaders of our time. He was born on March 2, 1942, in the small village of Ifewara in Osun State, Nigeria, into a family so poor that he often recalls not owning a pair of shoes until he was 18 years old. Despite this humble beginning, young Adeboye displayed a remarkable thirst for education. In 1956, he gained admission into Ilesha Grammar School, where he fell in love with science and mathematics, subjects that would shape the early part of his career.
Adeboye pursued higher education with diligence. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in 1967. He later obtained a Master’s degree in Hydrodynamics in 1969 and capped it with a Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics in 1975 from the University of Lagos. His ambition was to become the youngest Vice-Chancellor of a university, and for some years, he taught at the University of Lagos and later at the University of Ilorin.
However, his life took a dramatic turn in 1973 when he gave his life to Christ at the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), then led by Reverend Josiah Olufemi Akindayomi. Adeboye initially served as an interpreter, translating Pastor Akindayomi’s sermons from Yoruba to English. His intellectual clarity and humility quickly made him a trusted minister. In 1975, just two years after his conversion, he was ordained as a pastor in Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) a rare and exceptional rise in the church’s history.
When Pastor Akindayomi passed away in 1980, he had left behind a prophecy that Adeboye was to succeed him. In 1981, Adeboye became the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God. At that time, RCCG was a relatively small Nigerian church with only about 40 parishes. Under Adeboye’s visionary leadership, it has grown into one of the largest Pentecostal denominations in the world, with branches in more than 190 countries and millions of members globally.
Adeboye is widely known for his emphasis on holiness, evangelism, and prayer. He introduced large-scale gatherings such as the monthly Holy Ghost Service, attended by hundreds of thousands of worshippers, and the annual Holy Ghost Congress, which in 1998 drew a record crowd of over seven million people in Lagos. These meetings have become some of the largest Christian gatherings in the world.
Beyond the pulpit, Adeboye is a prolific writer and author of over 60 books, including the globally distributed daily devotional Open Heavens, which is published in many languages and read by millions across continents. His teachings are also broadcast through television, radio, and online platforms, extending his ministry far beyond church walls.
For his contributions, he has been honoured both nationally and internationally. In 2008, he received the Nigerian National Honour of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR) and was listed by Newsweek magazine as one of the 50 most powerful people in the world. He has received honorary doctorate degrees from several universities and keys to cities in the United States, including Detroit, Dallas, and Baltimore.
On the personal side, Adeboye married Foluke Adenike Adeboye in 1967, and together they have four children and several grandchildren. Despite his global influence, he is admired for his humility, simplicity, and deep devotion to family and faith.
Today, Pastor Adeboye is celebrated not just as the General Overseer of RCCG but as a global spiritual father, a man whose life story, from barefoot village boy to one of the most respected ministers in the world, inspires millions. His legacy is anchored on faith, discipline, and an unshakable belief that with God, nothing is impossible.
