Encomium
SIX years after, Pastor Adejare Adeboye has ordered for two more private jets to complement his Gulfstream v Jet.
ENCOMIUM Weekly reliably gathered that on Sunday, November 16, 2014, the General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church Of God admitted to his key pastors that he has shopped for two more private jets to ease the stress of missionary assignments. Close aides of the clergy revealed to ENCOMIUM Weekly that he informed them that initially his plan was to shop for one private jet as a means of easing the herculean task of going to oversee their branches scattered over 160 countries of the world.
Although he didn’t mention to them the specs of the jets but sources revealed that the two brands might be a Gulfstream G550 and a Bombardier challenger 604.
Checks by us revealed that a Gulfstream G550 goes for over $40million which is about N6.7 billion while Bombardier Challenger 604 is about $30million (N5 billion).
The two jets will cost the humble Daddy G.O as he is fondly called about N12 billion.
Information available to us revealed that the jets might be picked in few months time and that funds for it are from partners committed to his missionary vision.
“He said his missionary journeys have doubled as he will be travelling monthly to different parts of the world for programmes and that his schedule is so tight. Thus, the need for him to shop for those two jets as a means of bailing himself out of the good troubles that has caused.”
The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye acquired a private jet which cost about N4 billion via Bahamas on Sunday March 8, 2008.
The jet is a Gulfstream 4XP (G500) with registration number 707EA; a private jet range fresh from the production line and it came in a day after the man of God celebrated his 67th birthday at the Lagos-Ibadan Express road camp ground of the RCCG.
The Gulfstream 4XP is a business jet produced by Gulfstream Aerospace, USA. In a class of its own, the G500 is a transatlantic aircraft capable of traveling across the continents of the world at 7,480miles (12,038km) with a measurement of 96ft 5inches, wing span of 93ft 6inches, height of 25ft 10inches empty weight of 21,000kg, and a load weight of 24,721kg.
The aircraft came with a warrant and support maintenance crew, polished interior, CD player, TV, microwave, convertible leather seats, and a whole lot.
While being criticised for acquiring private jet in 2008 he made a case for mega-pastors owning private jets. He argued that jets are a necessity for effective evangelism especially when you head a church which has its membership spread across 160 countries.
Adeboye, in an interview with Al Jazeera, said, “There are things you need,” to perform the task he does as the general overseer.
“When you have to oversee churches in 160 countries, you can’t do that on a bicycle,” he added.
Other prominent pastors who have acquired private jets are Bishop Davis Oyedepo of the Winners’ Chapel and the president of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor.
-FEMI OYEWALE
