UK Parliament debates Pastor Tobi Adegboyega’s SPAC Nation, labels church a “cult”

The UK House of Commons has formally debated the controversies surrounding Pastor Tobi Adegboyega and his church, SPAC Nation, following serious allegations of financial exploitation and cult-like practices.

During the session, parliamentarians directly labelled the group a “cult”. They raised deep concerns that it was actively targeting vulnerable, young Black individuals in economically deprived parts of London.

The debate focused on allegations that church leaders pressured young members into taking out substantial bank loans, committing benefit fraud and giving up large sums of money to fund the leadership’s lavish lifestyles. In the wake of the discussion, MPs pushed heavily for formal investigations by law enforcement.

The scrutiny eventually spiralled into heavy legal action. Following an investigation by the UK’s Insolvency Service into alleged financial misconduct, the UK High Court ordered the mandatory winding up and closure of SPAC Nation in June 2022. The court found that the organisation failed to transparently account for at least £1.87 million in expenditure.

Adegboyega, who entered the UK on a visitor’s visa in 2005 and overstayed for roughly a decade, also faced a prolonged battle over his immigration status. A UK immigration tribunal subsequently dismissed his appeals, clearing the path for his deportation to Nigeria because of his unlawful stay and the surrounding financial scandals.

The pastor has consistently denied the fraud allegations, dismissing them as campaigns run by disgruntled former members.