Nigerian pastor Tobi Adegboyega has lost his deportation battle despite claiming it would breach his human rights.
Adegboyega, who is the cousin of Star Wars actor John Boyega, failed to convince an immigration tribunal that he should be allowed to remain in the UK. He led SPAC Nation, a church that was shut down after investigations revealed it had failed to properly account for more than £1.87 million in outgoings.
The 44 years old pastor has been living in Britain unlawfully since overstaying a visitor’s visa that allowed him to enter the country in 2005. The case follows findings that his church operated with a lack of transparency, leading to its closure.
Adegboyega argued that deportation would breach his right to family life under the European Convention of Human Rights, as he is married to a British woman. His legal team portrayed him as a “charismatic” community leader who had helped hundreds of young people from London’s black communities. He claimed his work had been “lauded” by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson and senior Metropolitan Police figures, though no testimony from them was presented to the court.
He contended that projects he had masterminded in London would collapse without his presence. However, the Home Office argued that “all is not as it seems” with Adegboyega’s church activities. Former members alleged the church was a cult where impoverished young people were pressured to donate money through loans, benefit fraud, and even selling their blood.
The tribunal heard that various incarnations of Adegboyega’s church had been shut down by either the Charity Commission or the High Court due to financial concerns. The Charity Commission concluded there had been “serious misconduct and/or mismanagement in the administration of the charity” over a substantial period. Reports suggested church leaders maintained lavish lifestyles amid allegations of abuse.
Adegboyega maintained that no criminal charges had ever been filed regarding his church’s finances and claimed that many attacks on SPAC Nation were politically motivated. He also insisted allegations about the church being a cult were unfounded.
The Home Office urged the tribunal to consider all these factors when evaluating whether Adegboyega was “of real value to the UK.” The tribunal found Adegboyega’s evidence to be “hyperbolic in many instances” and said he had “sought to grossly inflate his influence.” They dismissed claims about his extensive community work, stating, “We find it to be implausible that he has the time to undertake all of this work personally.”
The tribunal ruled that SPAC Nation’s work would not “collapse or even significantly suffer” if Adegboyega left the UK. In their final judgment, they determined that refusing leave to remain was “wholly proportionate.” They noted that Adegboyega’s family and private life relationships were all established while he was in the UK unlawfully and concluded these relationships “would survive his return to Nigeria” and any interference would be “limited, and lawful in all the circumstances.”
