T.B. Joshua, Nigerian pastor, televangelist, philanthropist, leader and founder of The Synagogue, Church of All Nations (SCOAN) passed on Saturday, June 5, 2021 at the age of 57.
The actual cause of death had yet to be made known.
Popularly known as Prophet T.B. Joshua, he was one of the most controversial and “enigmatic’’ Nigerian pastors of our time, especially with his preaching style and records of miracle performances.
T.B. Joshua, who was born on June 12, 1963 in Ondo State, Nigeria, reportedly stayed 15 months in his mother’s womb before he was given birth to.
According to the SCOAN website, Joshua attended St. Stephen’s Anglican Primary School (Ikare-Akoko, Nigeria, 1971-1977).
He had only one year of secondary education before he left to work in a poultry farm.
While in school, he was known as ‘small pastor’ because of his love for the scriptures and gift for predicting things that would happen in his community.
He was also said to have been the leader of ‘Scripture Union’ while in school.
He had taught children at evening classes and done some menial jobs before he had a revelation to set up a ministry while on a 40-day fast.
In 1987, T.B. Joshua founded The Synagogue Church of All Nations under the bridge linking Ejigbo and Egbe in Lagos State, with just few members.
The church later grew to have large number of members within and outside Nigeria, Africa and Latin America.
He later established the Emmanuel TV television station from Lagos which has wide viewership especially as it is on cable TV.
T.B. Joshua was a known philanthropist and noted for helping the needy and sponsoring persons.
‘My People FC’, a football club he started in 2009, was part of his efforts to help the youth and two members of the team, Sani Emmanuel and Ogenyi Onazi, played for Nigeria Golden Eaglets in the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup.
Also, three players of the club were sponsored abroad to play professional football in Sweden.
He was so popular that the Wikipedia documented his social media presence to be massive with no fewer than 3.5 million fans on Facebook.
The WBO International Light Middleweight boxing champion King, Davidson Emenogu, had said that T.B. Joshua financially supported him throughout his career.
A man of many clouts, Forbes in 2011 wrote that T.B. Joshua was the third-richest pastor in Nigeria with estimated net worth of between $10 million and $15 million.
He was so popular that the Wikipedia documented his social media presence to be massive with no fewer than 3.5 million fans on Facebook.
“His YouTube channel, Emmanuel TV, has over one million YouTube subscribers.
“He was the world’s most viewed Christian ministry on the platform before it was suspended.
“He was described as the “Oprah of Evangelism” and “YouTube’s most popular Pastor”.
Like many influential men, TB Joshua was not without controversies.
On Sept, 12, 2014, a guesthouse collapsed in the SCOAN’s premises in Lagos, killing no fewer than 115 people.
Speculations continued to trail the circumstances that led to the collapse, with the former Nigerian Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, alleging that “Nigeria’s intelligence agencies ‘blew up’ the building’’.
Also, his relationship with other clerics was not smooth and he was publicly criticised.
The public also questioned the miracles that occurred in his church.
Yet, TB Joshua, was unperturbed and in a 2006 book, “The Mirror”, he said: “Whatever I am today is a product of the conviction that victory through Christ Jesus is victory indeed. The rest is history.”
TB Joshua Rape Cases
Evidence of widespread abuse and torture by the founder of one of the world’s biggest Christian evangelical churches has been uncovered by the BBC.
Dozens of ex-Synagogue Church of all Nations members – five British – allege atrocities, including rape and forced abortions, by Nigeria’s late TB Joshua.
The allegations of abuse in a secretive Lagos compound span almost 20 years.
The Synagogue Church of All Nations did not respond to the allegations but said previous claims have been unfounded.
TB Joshua, who died in 2021, was a charismatic and hugely successful preacher and televangelist who had an immense global following.
TB Joshua Fake Miracles
In a documentary by the BCC, a significant aspect of the strategy used by TB Joshua invloved the fabricating of “miracles,”.
According to one of his associate pastors named Agomoh, individuals who were purportedly “cured” were frequently remunerated to simulate or exaggerate their symptoms before the alleged healing occurred.
In certain instances, he asserted that individuals were unknowingly administered drugs or given medication to enhance their conditions while attending the church.
Subsequently, they were convinced to provide testimonials regarding their recovery.
READ ALSO: TB Joshua’s “daughter” reveals how her own “father” rap.ed and broke her vir.ginity (Video)
