Tobi Adegboyega, the 44-year-old former leader of the infamous SPAC Nation church, is facing deportation back to Nigeria following a ruling by an immigration tribunal.
The church, once celebrated for its flashy and unconventional practices, was shut down after investigations, including those by The Telegraph, revealed serious financial misconduct. SPAC Nation failed to properly account for over £1.87 million in outgoings, raising red flags about its operations.
Adegboyega, who had been living in the UK unlawfully since overstaying a visitor’s visa in 2005, argued that his deportation would breach his European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR) right to family life, as he is married to a British woman. He also pointed to his community work with SPAC Nation as a reason to stay.
However, the tribunal ruled otherwise, with the Home Office stating that “all is not as it seems.” The church had been closed down by both the Charity Commission and the High Court due to concerns over its finances and lack of transparency. Despite Adegboyega’s insistence that the accusations were politically motivated and that SPAC Nation wasn’t a cult, the tribunal found these defenses insufficient to override the deportation order.
A first-tier immigration tribunal initially rejected the former church leader’s appeal for leave to remain in 2019 based on his right to family life.
Following his appeal, the tribunal maintained that the church’s questionable financial practices were enough to justify the ruling.
With the case making headlines, many are left wondering: is this the end for Adegboyega and SPAC Nation, or just the beginning of a larger story about the transparency of faith-based organizations? Stay tuned for updates as this dramatic legal battle unfolds.
