The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Enoch Adeboye, on Saturday appointed a new head of the church’s branch in Nigeria.

The new overseer in charge of the Redeemed Church in Nigeria is Joshua Obayemi.

Mr. Adeboye announced he was stepping down from the position, and will now be the general overseer of the church’s international arm.

Mr. Adeboye was born on March 2, 1942, in Ifewara, Osun State.

He had his B.Sc. in Mathematics at University of Nigeria Nsukka, and subsequently got his PhD in applied Mathematics from the University of Lagos, and worked as a lecturer in Mathematics at the universities of Lagos and Ilorin, before going into full time priesthood in 1984.

After joining the RCCG in 1973, he began working to translate the sermons of its then Pastor and founder, Josiah Olufemi Akindayomi, from Yoruba into English.

In 1981, Mr. Adeboye was appointed General Overseer of the church.

He took over from Rev. Akindayomi, who died the previous year.

For three years he performed the role part-time, still lecturing at Ilorin.

He finally gave up his university position to preach full-time.

The church, which was not well known prior to Mr. Adeboye’s ascendance, has grown phenomenally, to become Nigeria’s biggest, with branches in about 190 countries, including more than 14,000 in Nigeria.

Mr. Adeboye has said that his aim is to put a church within five minutes of every person on earth.

He married Adenike, 68, in 1967.

NAN reports that Mr. Obayemi was appointed the new Nigeria overseer at the Annual Ministers Thanksgiving at Shimawa, in Ogun State.

Mr. Obayemi was the Special Assistant to the General Overseer (SATGO) on Finance.

Mr. Adeboye also appointed Johnson Odesola, who was the Special Assistant on Administration and Personnel, as the church Secretary. (NAN)

Editor’s Note: This post has been updated to reflect that Mr. Adeboye has not retired, as he now oversees the RCCG’s global arm.