Tobi Adegboyega, the pastor of the controversial SPAC Nation church, has lost his deportation battle after it was revealed that the church was involved in a £1.87 million fraud case. The church, which ran inappropriate ‘safe houses’ for vulnerable black people, had the majority of its income not going through a bank account. After failing to account for nearly £2 million of outgoings, SPAC Nation has been shut down. Adegboyega, who is the cousin of Star Wars actor John Boyega, is now facing deportation to his native Nigeria following the misuse of funds by the church.
Adegboyega’s deportation was ruled by an immigration tribunal despite his claims that it would breach his right under the European Convention of Human Rights to a family life, as he is married to a British woman. His lawyers argued that his community work with SPAC, which focused on helping young people from black communities in London, should be taken into account. However, the Home Office raised concerns about the church, with former members alleging that it is a cult that exploits impoverished young people to donate money through loans, benefit fraud, and even selling their own blood. Additionally, there were allegations of lavish lifestyles and instances of abuse within the church leadership.
Having lived in the UK unlawfully since overstaying on a visitor’s visa in 2005, Adegboyega applied for leave to remain in 2019 but his application was dismissed. The tribunal highlighted the serious misconduct and mismanagement in the administration of the charity, as concluded by a Charity Commission investigation. Despite Adegboyega claiming that no one had faced criminal charges over the church’s finances and that attacks on him and SPAC Nation were politically motivated, the evidence presented led to the decision to deport him. The tribunal emphasized the need to consider these factors when evaluating Adegboyega’s value to the UK.
The Home Office argued that the community projects founded by Adegboyega could either close or reduce in size if he was deported. However, the final judgment took into account the allegations of cult-like behavior and financial misconduct within the church, suggesting that Adegboyega’s deportation is necessary. The Charity Commission’s investigation revealed a sustained period of serious misconduct and mismanagement in the administration of the charity, leading to further scrutiny of Adegboyega’s role in the organization. Despite his claims of unfounded cult accusations and politically motivated attacks, the evidence presented in the case has led to the decision to deport Adegboyega to Nigeria.
Overall, the deportation battle of Pastor Tobi Adegboyega sheds light on the controversial activities of the SPAC Nation church and the allegations of financial misconduct and cult-like behavior. Despite Adegboyega’s arguments about his contributions to the community and the impact of his deportation on his family life, the evidence presented in the case has led to the decision to remove him from the UK. The ruling by the immigration tribunal highlights the importance of accountability and transparency in religious organizations and the need to address allegations of exploitation and abuse within such institutions. Adegboyega’s case serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of financial mismanagement and misconduct within charitable organizations.
