Encomium
ADEBOYE, OYAKHILOME, EMERGE SOCIAL MEDIA KINGS
+ FULL LIST OF LEADERS ON FACEBOOK
Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, Rev. Chris Oyakhilome and Prophet Temitope Joshua are the leading clergy with the highest number of followership on Facebook in the war of popularity amongst the top 10 ministries on social media.
ENCOMIUM Weekly’s check on Friday, September 5, 2014, revealed that the 71 year old Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye emerged the leader of the pack.
The General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, who has identified the social media as a veritable tool for the propagation of the gospel made headlines few days ago when he hit the two million followers’ mark on Facebook.
Offering words of prayers and appreciation to his Facebook fans, the RCCG spiritual leader explained that social media platforms had come handy for his evangelisation.
Adeboye, who towers higher than President Goodluck Jonathan in terms of social media following, is also the most visible Nigerian clergyman online.
In February, a creative online intelligence firm, Alder Consulting, in a report ranked Adeboye as the cleric that makes the most prolific use of social media in the country.
“I would like to thank you all for making me hit the two million followers on Facebook. May the Lord bless you and speedily answer all your prayers in Jesus name. Let us continue to spread the good news,” a message penned by Adeboye on Facebook read.
To register his appreciation, Adeboye posted a new photograph on Facebook, with a “Thank You” inscription on it.
Apart from Facebook, Adeboye, who is also active on Twitter, YouTube and Google+, as of Wednesday (September 3) boasted a combined online following of 2,386,201.
Writing on his Twitter page, the septuagenarian confessed that God had been very faithful to him in all his dealings.
“Because Jesus was before me, He was there when my life was being planned. He is the one that knows and can change my destiny. No man can. I challenge you to take a critical look at your life. Are you making progress or going about in circles?
“If God is with us, we can fight anyone and win but if God is against us, we are finished. May the covenant-keeping God help me remain faithful to you as you have remained faithful to me”.
Controversial clergy whose marriage is on the verge on crumbling, Rev. Chris Oyakhilome emerged second by hitting 1.4 million on facebook. The charismatic preacher whose ministry, Christ Embassy is one of the ministries for the upwardly mobile youngmen and women all over the world has been using the social media for a long while to register his presence in the industry as a healing minister.
Another leading religious leader leveraging on the new media is the founder of the Synagogue Church of All Nations, Prophet Temitope Joshua.
Just as thousands of worshippers throng the popular televangelist’s Lagos-based church, his social media pages are also a beehive of activities as they receive thousands of visitors on a regular basis. His facebook followers alone who are addicted to his page are 1.37 million.
Apart from having presence on Facebook, Twitter and Google+, TB Joshua is one of the few clergymen in the country who make use of Pinterest.
Pinterest is a social network that allows users to upload, save, sort, and manage images known as pins and other media content, such as videos and images through collections known as pinboards.
Prosperity preacher and founder of Living Faith Church worldwide, popularly known as Winners Chapel, Bishop Oyedepo came fourth. Although he is the richest amongst them with a net worth of over N500 billion, he is not too keen on social media until recently when his Facebook account has become fully operational. His followers are 958,394.
Stylish preacher and motivational speaker, Pastor Matthew Ashimolowo came fifth with a growing base of 657,193 followers. This
did not come as a surprise to many as his ministry, KICC, has one of the largest black church members in Europe.
Conservative clergy and shepherd in charge of Deeper Life Bible Church, Pastor W. F Kumuyi emerged sixth with a followership of 0ver 300,000. We reliably gathered that the church who has one of the highest number of branches in Africa toed the line not too long ago. The ministry has been very conservative as regards modernization. That’s why the church members were noted for going against the ownership and viewership of television which was allegedly labelled instrument of satan. But they have caught up with the fact that if they don’t want to be left behind in the battle for popularity and winning of souls to the kingdom, they have to embrace the social media.
Flamboyant pastor and president of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Bishop Ayo Oritsejafor strolled into the 7th position with a total sum of 116,127 followers.
Firebrand deliverance minister, Dr Daniel Olukoya came 8th. Although his ministry is one of the fastest growing churches in Nigeria, he is not a fan of social media like his colleagues. Thus, his fan base and followers on Facebook is paltry 97,137.
This is not unconnected to the fact that his ministry, Mountain of Fire Ministries is widely noted for deliverance and fire prayers with little attention for social media.
Success power preacher, Rev. Sam Adeyemi followed suit as number eight with an ardent followership of 66,970. The gentle minister with a viable ministry widely known as Daystar Christian Centre gained prominence through his popular programme, Success Power. That’s why his fanbase on Facebook is steadily on the rise.
The tenth person is billionaire clergy, Paul Adefarasin. Interestingly, he has constant followers of 58,744. The versatile preacher and General Overseer of House on The Rock is one of the few clergy who understand the power of social media. Although his ministry does not represent numerous branches like other popular pastors, he still maintained his social media very well.
– FEMI OYEWALE
