By Seyi Gesinde
June 16, 2026
It is becoming deeply concerning how easily some voices in public discourse have turned a respected spiritual leader of global influence into a target of constant criticism. Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye is not a newcomer to Nigeria’s spiritual and social landscape. He is an 84 year old man who has walked through decades of service, sacrifice, leadership and influence, long before many of those now casting aspersions were even born.
There comes a point when a society must pause and ask itself a difficult question: have we become so consumed by anger that we no longer recognise honour when we see it?
At this stage of life, he stands among the very senior citizens of the nation, having moved through youth, adulthood, and old age in a long uninterrupted journey of service. For decades, he has served, prayed, taught, mentored, comforted the grieving, inspired the hopeless, and pointed millions towards faith and hope. Yet today, some speak of him as though he owes them another lifetime of service.
What exactly are they demanding from an 84 year old man?
Do they expect him to be leading protests on the streets, marching under the scorching sun, confronting security forces, and carrying the burden that rightly belongs to younger generations?
An 84 year old man is not the one to be expected to lead street protests or take on the burden of political confrontation. That responsibility naturally belongs to those actively engaged in civic life and public action, most of whom belong to the category of his critics, use your physical strength, energy, and presence to engage the government. If something must change, then it is not to be transferred upward to an elder who has already given decades of service and should now be accorded honour, dignity, and rest from public agitation and controversy.
If you possess the strength, energy, and conviction to demand change, then it is upon you to step into that space. History has already assigned responsibilities to each generation, and those responsibilities cannot be outsourced to an octogenarian.
A man who has spent decades labouring for society should not be spending the evening of his life defending himself against the very people who ought to be protecting him.
More importantly, the accusation that he is indifferent to the nation’s pain is simply unfair.
Pastor Adeboye has never expressed sympathy for terrorists. On the contrary, he has publicly urged security authorities not only to eliminate terrorists but also to identify and deal decisively with those who sponsor and fund them. That is not the language of indifference. It is a clear call for justice, accountability, and national security.
Beyond that, those who know him understand something deeper. He is first and foremost a man of faith who operates within the framework of spiritual conviction and divine guidance. As Scripture affirms in Romans 8:14, For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. Whether one agrees with his approach or not, it is impossible to separate his public life from the faith that has shaped it for decades.
Not every battle is fought on the streets. Some battles are fought on the knees.
Not every assignment is activism. Some callings are spiritual.
Not every voice is meant to shout. Some voices are meant to intercede.
The tragedy of this moment is that many of those criticising him are not his contemporaries. They are not his age mates. They have not walked the distance he has walked or carried the burdens he has carried. They have not reached the stage of life he now occupies.
One day, if life permits, they too will understand that old age does not erase value, it only redefines role.
A healthy society does not discard its elders because they no longer run as fast as they once did. It honours them, protects them, listens to them, and builds on their legacy, while younger generations take up the demands of a changing time.
The painful irony is that in condemning a respected elder for not doing what younger people should be doing, some critics are unknowingly setting a standard that will one day return to them. The measure used today will not disappear tomorrow.
At 84, should not be the one proving himself to society. Society should be proving that it still understands honour, gratitude, and the dignity of age.
Leave Baba Adeboye alone, he is not your mate.
He has fought his battles.
This generation must fight its own.
