An anti-LGBTI pastor who openly lobbies for conversion therapy has received an MBE from the British Royal Family.

Pastor Ade Omooba co-founded Christian Concern, a lobby group which seeks ‘to speak of Jesus Christ in public life – especially in the arenas of politics, law and the media.’

On Thursday (14 March), Omooba received his MBE from Prince Charles at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace in London. Queen Elizabeth awarded Omooba the Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) in her New Years’ Honors List for his voluntary work.

‘I look at all of the social projects we have done, all that we have accomplished, and then realise how it could easily all be, as it were, demeaned, destroyed, pulled down, unappreciated because of public policy,’ Omooba said after receiving his award.

‘I strive daily in life to be a personification of ‘Modest But Excellent’ (MBE) and that’s what the award means to me. The Queen honouring me in this way simply humbles me and encourages me to remain relentless in my pursuit of Modesty But Excellence.’

Voices of the Silenced

Christian Concern made headlines last year after Vue Cinemas in London refused to screen the group’s documentary on gay conversion therapy called Voices of the Silenced.

Gay conversion therapy is a widely discredited psudeoscience. It attempts to change a person’s LGBTI identity through prayer, counselling or medical intervention. It is widely outlawed, and described as torture by many health bodies and governments. The UK

But Omooba and Christian Concern stand by the practice.

‘Taking therapy for unwanted same-sex attraction can include two goals, depending on what the client wants: some people want to diminish their same-sex attraction and remain celibate; others also wish to see a development in their natural potential for opposite-sex attraction,’ a blog post post on the group’s site reads.

‘As this work is likely more common among Christians, the campaign to ban such therapy has anti-Christian and anti-social implications that reach well beyond this kind of pastoral care.’

Christian Concern is also anti-LGBTI and regularly posts content warning supporters of the ‘LGBTI agenda’.