Nigerian pastor Tobi Adegboyega, founder of SPAC Nation church, has spoken out about his legal battle against deportation from the UK. The 44-year-old pastor, who has been accused of fraud and overstaying his visa, addressed the controversy in an interview with the BBC.

Adegboyega explained that he came to the UK in 2005 on a visitor’s visa at the age of 25 but failed to legalize his stay. He attributed this to losing track of time and assuming his family was handling his immigration matters. “I lost track of time,” he admitted, referring to the nearly 10 years it took him to address his status.

The deportation case stems from allegations of a £1.87 million fraud linked to the misuse of church funds. These claims led to a tribunal ruling in favor of his deportation to Nigeria. However, Adegboyega denied the allegations, describing them as accusations from “disgruntled members” of his church. He stated, “There is no deportation order. This is still an ongoing issue, and judges will make the final decision.”

Adegboyega also highlighted the positive impact of his church, particularly in tackling youth violence in the UK. He shared that SPAC Nation has been instrumental in removing knives from the streets and addressing gun violence.

Despite these efforts, Adegboyega has often faced criticism for his extravagant lifestyle, including his use of luxury items. Addressing this, he said, “I dress in a way that connects with the generation I’m speaking to, so they are not drawn to drug dealers.”

The charismatic pastor remains focused on his mission and maintains his innocence as the legal proceedings continue. For now, he hopes the judges will consider his contributions to society while reviewing the case.