In a powerful New Year message, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, has issued a clarion call to the Nigerian populace. He urged citizens to earnestly seek the face of God for mercy, which he described as the essential catalyst for a complete national turnaround and personal breakthroughs in 2026.
A Call for Divine Intervention
The octogenarian cleric delivered this charge on Sunday, January 4, 2026, during a Special Thanksgiving Service held at the Throne of Grace, RCCG's headquarters in Ebute Metta, Lagos. Adeboye anchored his sermon on the fundamental role of divine benevolence in human success and preservation.
"It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy," the pastor declared, quoting scripture. He elaborated that this means no individual possesses the inherent power to succeed without God's mercy. "The implication is that any man who is wise will always seek God's mercy, which is given liberally," he stated.
Anthony Joshua's Crash: A Case Study of Mercy
Pastor Adeboye pointed to a recent, high-profile incident as a tangible demonstration of God's merciful intervention. He referenced the survival of British-Nigerian boxing champion, Anthony Joshua, in a fatal auto crash on the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway.
The tragic accident, which occurred on the last Monday of 2025, claimed the lives of two 36-year-old British citizens, Kelvin Ayodele and Sina Gami, while leaving other passengers injured. Adeboye revealed a chilling detail from media reports: Joshua had exchanged seats with another person just before the collision.
"The people he exchanged seats with died. I don't know why, but the mercy of God said someone would still be alive today," the General Overseer explained, emphasizing that survival was not due to human cleverness but purely to divine discretion.
A Warning Against Abusing Divine Privilege
Adding a layer of solemnity to the call for mercy, Pastor Dele Balogun, the Special Assistant to the General Overseer on Administration and Pastor in charge of Region 1, addressed the congregation. He cautioned that God's mercy, while abundant, must not be taken for granted or abused.
"God is sovereign and does what pleases him. He decides on whom to show mercy. But man must be careful not to abuse the privilege; otherwise, He could withdraw it," Balogun warned.
He directly linked this warning to the socio-moral climate in Nigeria, stating that to be entitled to God's continuous mercy, repentance from evil is non-negotiable. "This is the reason we are calling on Nigerians to desist from all evil, such as kidnapping, armed robbery, and shedding of blood," he urged. "God opposes the shedding of blood, and a lot of innocent blood has been shed in this country."
The service culminated in prayers for all Nigerian families and their future generations, underscoring the church's belief that a nation's transformation begins with the spiritual posture of its people. The message from the RCCG leadership stands as a spiritual prescription for a nation in search of solutions, placing divine mercy at the center of hope for the New Year.
