Emmanuella Ngimbi takes a look into the controversial religious organisation that’s been making headlines – for all the wrong reasons
On the surface, SPAC Nation sounds great: a faith-based organisation committed to seeing the lives of young people transformed. According to their website, they offer the chance of an alternative life path, especially to young people who have been dejected, abused and simply overlooked. Many of whom are Black ex-gang members. However, despite the positive front portrayed in the media materials, SPAC Nation and its leader Pastor Tobi Adegboyega has been an increasingly popular topic in the news headlines, as well as in documentaries, due to controversial claims that it uses religion to fuel personal financial gain at the expense of their vulnerable members.
SPAC Nation first got a wave of social media popularity when a music video for SPAC-affiliated group Hope Dealers’ gospel-drill song ‘Trap Mash’ went viral in 2018. With items such as lavish cars and designer brands on display in the video, along with the group members’ wearing balaclavas, it sparked debate about whether it was appropriate for Christians to make music in this way. However, in an interview with social media figures Poet and Alhan Gençay, the Hope Dealers defended their video by saying they’re just ‘ordinary people that worship God’, after randomly placing £50,000 in cash on the table during the interview.
With wealth and an appreciation for luxury goods being such a large part of their outward messaging, this brought another question into the equation: with all the flash cars and designer brands being shown off, where was all this money coming from? With over 200 ordained ministers and pastors, as well as the support of 2,000 members, SPAC Nation receives tithes and offering from its attendees as is standard for many religious groups, but has been marred with accusations of money laundering and financial misconduct from ex-members.
A recent investigation undertaken by The Huffington Post found evidence that some pastors have pressured vulnerable young people who’ve joined the organisation to take out substantial loans of up to £10,000, leaving them in debt while the pastors lead extravagant lives. One ex-member Toye-Mary Sofidiya told The Huffington Post that she left SPAC Nation after Pastor George Jumbo applied for loans of up to £10,500 without her knowledge or consent using personal information she trusted him with.
Unfortunately, this isn’t an isolated incident; a concerned mother of an ex-member told The Guardian that her 20-year-old daughter had given £13,000 to the organisation in just three months, using her student loans, personal loans and loans on businesses she had set up with the help of the pastors.
Furthermore, the group are said to have links with the Conservative party in the Croydon borough, with Jayde Edwards, an unsuccessful Tory candidate in a recent council by-election, being a pastor in the church. Edwards sat one seat away from Conservative party leader Boris Johnson during the party conference, while lead pastor Tobi Adegboyega was also present. This collaboration has some accusing it of being a way for the Conservative party to gain votes from young Black people in Croydon. Steve Reed, the Labour MP for Croydon North, told local news: ‘The church leaders encourage politicians and senior police officers to come to their churches and say they have stopped young people becoming gang members.
‘Where it went beyond that was in the Fairfield by-election where the Conservatives put up a candidate that was a pastor in this organisation.’ He continued, regarding the claims of financial exploitation: ‘I tweeted my concerns about SPAC Nation and I got inundated with phone calls from people, people telling me they have been criminally exploited. I took the allegations to the police. ‘I think the Conservatives covered it up. It is immoral, to say the least, and illegal possibly.’
When it was announced that an MTV documentary, Reggie Yates Meets World, would be investigating SPAC Nation, a large number of those opposed to the workings of the organisation were excited and hopeful that important questions around the funding and makeup of the group would be answered. Instead, many viewers expressed disappointment, saying that Yates didn’t challenge or delve into controversial topics, but only touched the surface. When it was later revealed that Yates’ cousin is a minister at SPAC Nation, further upset was stirred.
The Metropolitan Police responded to the accusations and complaints raised, acknowledging the allegations and saying that they’re under review. A statement reads: ‘We have received allegations that pertain to potential fraud and other possible offences that relate to SPAC Nation. Officers are reviewing the allegations to identify if any criminal offences have potentially been committed. Once the review is complete, a decision will be made as to whether a criminal investigation is launched. We cannot comment any further at this time.’
The Charity Commission, who register and regulate in the UK also issued a statement about SPAC Nation on the 22nd November 2019, saying: ‘We are aware of the range of serious and troubling concerns about the charity SPAC Nation, which have been a subject of media reporting over the past week. Protecting people and safeguarding should be a governance priority for all charities, not just those working with children or groups traditionally considered at risk. We are following up with the new concerns raised with the trustees and are considering our next regulatory steps. We have not drawn any regulatory conclusions on these matters.’
Though it can be empowering to see young people finding a way out of negative surroundings, it’s important that the alternative isn’t harming them in the long run. SPAC Nation has denied claims of wrongdoing and exploitation. As the reviews continue, time will tell whether the troubling claims made against the group will get proved.
