In and across Nigeria, both traditional and conventional media have been on ‘fire’ lately over the demise of the General Overseer of Synagogue, Church of All Nations (SCOAN), late Prophet #TBJoshua.
The reports in the media had largely given accounts how late Prophet #TBJoshua had touched lives during his life’s time using his ministry, SCOAN with scarce details about his birth, personal life, marriage, Education, and persecution suffered.
Notwithstanding, in this particular write-up on OurWorldGist , our top writer, Sani Michael Omakoji shall tell us all we need to know about late Prophet #TBJoshua
In what looks like “A to Z” of late Prophet #TBJoshua’s life, let us read what Sani Michael Omakoji has to say:
“Temitope Balogun Joshua (12 June 1963 – 5 June 2021) was a Nigerian charismatic pastor, televangelist, and philanthropist.
He was the leader and founder of Synagogue, Church of All Nations (SCOAN) with its headquarters in Lagos, a Christian megachurch that runs the Emmanuel TV television station from Lagos also.
#TBJoshua born in 1963 at Arigidi Akoko, Ondo, Nigeria and was widely known across Africa and Latin America and had a large social media presence with over 6,000,000 fans on facebook
His YouTube channel, Emmanuel TV, had over 1,000,000 subscribers and was the most-viewed Christian ministry on the platform before the channel was suspended by YouTube in 2021 for alleged homophobic hate speech. Joshua was described by media outlets as the “Oprah of Evangelism” and “YouTube’s most popular pastor”.
Joshua was awarded various accolades, notably receiving the Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR) by the Nigerian government in 2008 and being voted the Yoruba man of the decade by Pan-Yoruba media outlet Irohin-Odua.
He was called one of Africa’s 50 most influential people by Pan-African magazines The Africa Report and New African Magazine.
As of 2011, according to Forbes, Joshua was Nigeria’s third-richest pastor, although the claim was immediately refuted in a statement by the church because the church under Prophet #TBJoshua direct her wealth for humanity and God’s work without necessarily saving for self aggrandisement.
According to #TBJoshua, he spent 15 months in his mother’s womb and narrowly avoided death after a quarry explosion near his house sent rocks through its roof just seven days after his birth.
#TBJoshua, then known as Balogun Francis, attended St. Stephen’s Anglican Primary School in Arigidi Akoko, Ondo State Nigeria, between 1971 and 1977, but failed to complete one year of secondary school education.
In school, he was known as “small pastor” because of his love for the Bible.
He was reported working in various casual jobs after his schooling had ended, including carrying chicken waste at a poultry farm.
He organised Bible studies for local children and attended evening school during this period.
#TBJoshua attempted to join the Nigerian military but was thwarted due to a train breakdown that left him stranded en route to the military academy.
Synagogue, Church of All Nations (SCOAN):
Joshua wrote that in a heavenly vision he had received divine anointing and a covenant from God to start his ministry. Following this, Joshua founded the ministry organisation known as Synagogue, Church of All Nations (SCOAN).
From investigation, more than 100,000 members attend its weekly Sunday service; visitors from outside Nigeria are accommodated in the accommodation blocks constructed at the church.
The Guardian Newspaper once reported that SCOAN attracts more weekly attendees than the combined number of visitors to Buckingham Palace and the Tower of London. SCOAN’s popular services have also resulted in an enormous boost for local businesses and hoteliers: this implies that by multiplier effect, a lot of people are employed by this church.
Divinely, despite #TBJoshua’s popularity, the church has only one branch, located in Ghana. According to Joshua, “it is not yet time” for him to have branches worldwide as “it will be too much for my character”.
Religious tourism:
SCOAN has been described as “Nigeria’s biggest tourist attraction” and “the most visited destination by religious tourists in West Africa,” with thousands of foreigners flocking to attend the church’s weekly services.
Figures released by the Nigerian Immigration Service in the past indicated that six out of every ten foreign travellers coming into Nigeria are bound for SCOAN, a fact discussed in Zimbabwean parliament when addressing the economic potentials of religious tourism.
This Day newspaper also sometimes in the past reported that “about two million local and inbound tourists” visit SCOAN annually.
The church’s popularity has led to an increase in flight routes to Lagos from several African countries in 2013 till date: this revelation envisaged therefore that there might be decline in flight routes now that #TBJoshua is dead except otherwise the “wise Men ” in church maintain the momentum.
Potential relocation to Israel:
Joshua’s contribution to Nigeria’s religious tourism was highlighted when the cleric hinted at the possibility of relocating his ministry to Israel during a Sunday service.
Several prominent Nigerians opposed the relocation, urging Joshua to remain in the country, and citing the economic setbacks Nigeria would likely experience as a result of his potential relocation.
Anointing water:
Many people have said they were healed by anointing water that had been prayed over by #TBJoshua and given to those who were unable to physically attend his church in Lagos. Others say they were protected from deadly incidents because they were carrying the water with them.
Sad to recall that in 2013, four people died in a stampede in Joshua’s Ghanaian branch when an unadvertised service in which the water was being distributed drew huge crowds that exceeded the church’s capacity. The incident nearly brought Ghana’s capital city, Accra, to a standstill.
Joshua also made headlines when he claimed his anointing water could cure people suffering from Ebola. He subsequently sent 4,000 bottles of the water alongside a cash gift of $50,000 to the Ebola-stricken
Nation of Sierra Leone.
This came after Lagos State Health officials visited Joshua and requested that he publicly discourage Ebola victims from visiting his church for prayers.
Expectedly, to justify #TBJoshua’s claim, a Sierra Leonean politician later announced that the water helped stop the spread of the disease and cured several Ebola victims.
Celebrity deliverances
Ghanaian human rights lawyer Kwabla Senanu testified that he was delivered from a spiritual problem.
Similarly, Ghanaian musician Denise Williams said she was delivered from a demon that had pushed her to become a drug addict and to suicidal thoughts.
Veteran Nigerian Nollywood actress Camilla Mberekpe was also reportedly delivered at SCOAN.
Popular Nollywood actor Jim Iyke also said he received deliverance at SCOAN, and a video of the event subsequently went viral.
A video of Kenyan Olympic athlete Mercy Cherono receiving deliverance through Joshua’s prayers attracted widespread attention in Kenya. She subsequently testified in the company of her husband how the evil spirit had negatively affected her young marriage and career.
Foreign visits
Joshua travelled to Korea, Singapore, Indonesia, Australia, Colombia, Mexico, Peru and Paraguay to hold crusades.
He also visited Israel to receive a humanitarian award from ZAKA and to visit biblical sites. Joshua’s “Miracle Crusade” in Cali, Colombia in July 2014 was allegedly attended by over 150,000 people and held in the Estadio Olímpico Pascual Guerrero.
He travelled to the iconic Estadio Azteca in Mexico, and was allegedly visited by 500,000 people over two days in May 2015.
Joshua’s two-day visit to Estadio Monumental “U” in Lima, Peru, attracted nearly 100,000 in September 2016, making headlines in local Peruvian media.
In August 2017, Joshua held a Crusade in Paraguay at Estadio Defensores del Chaco. His visit caused a media storm when the Paraguayan parliament approved that the cleric be awarded the National Order of Merit, the country’s highest honour, which is usually reserved only for Paraguayan citizens.
Testimonies from those who were healed through Joshua’s prayers at the crusade made headlines in local media.
Nazareth:
In June 2019, Joshua held a two-day event at the Amphitheatre of Mount Precipice in Nazareth, Israel, the historic hometown of Jesus Christ.
The event was the subject of intense media scrutiny. Local religious officials told their followers to boycott the event and several small protests were held calling for the event’s cancellation.
However, an estimated 15,000 people travelled from over 50 nations to attend the event, significantly boosting local tourism.
Humanitarian work
A Forbes blogger estimated that Joshua spent $20 million on “education, healthcare and rehabilitation programs for former Niger Delta militants”.
There is also a rehabilitation programme for militants from Nigeria’s volatile Niger Delta region, repentant armed robbers and sex workers who came to the church for ‘deliverance’.
Community support
#TBJoshua provided financial aid to several communities in distress, notably providing two electrical transformers to a local community after theirs was burned beyond repair.
He donated over N26m to help restore electricity and put an end to over two years of power outage in four councils in the Akoko area of Ondo State.
The cleric has additionally made several large donations to police forces in Nigeria, Ghana and Colombia.
Scholarships
SCOAN has a ‘scholarship program’ which caters for the academic needs of students in their thousands, ranging from primary to tertiary education.
In 2012, Joshua sponsored a Nigerian student doing a PhD in Oxford University, with Nigerian media reporting she received £100,000 from the church.
He also gave a scholarship to a young Motswana to study at Harvard Law School in America.
Disaster Relief
After the 2010 Haiti earthquake, Joshua sent a team of medical personnel and humanitarian workers to the affected area, establishing a field hospital called ‘Clinique Emmanuel’.
He additionally sent support to Nations such as Philippines, India and Ghana in the wake of varying natural disasters. The ‘Emmanuel TV Team’ also assisted victims of the earthquake that struck the Nation of Ecuador in April 2016, providing over $500,000 worth of humanitarian aid.
Education
Joshua funded the building and running of a school in Lahore, Pakistan named ‘Emmanuel School’. He also rebuilt a school in a rural area destroyed by the 2016 Ecuador earthquake, travelling to Ecuador for the opening of the school in June 2017.
Support for migrants and deportees
Several groups of Nigerians attempting illegal travel to Europe through Libya have been supported at SCOAN following their deportation from the North African Nation with only the clothes on their backs.
Stories of the harsh conditions they encountered and Joshua’s subsequent assistance made headlines in several local newspapers.
Sports
In 2009, Joshua started a football club, My People FC, as part of efforts to help the youth. Two members of the team played for Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets in the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup. Sani Emmanuel, who apparently lived in SCOAN for several years, was Nigeria’s top-scorer and the tournament’s MVP.
Emmanuel and his colleague Ogenyi Onazi signed professional contracts with SS Lazio, Onazi a key player for the Nigerian Senior Team, the Super Eagles.
WBO International Light Middleweight boxing champion King Davidson Emenogu said that Joshua has financially supported him throughout his career and purportedly prophesied that he would be a world boxing champion.
Reconciliation Efforts
Joshua was involved in the meeting of the family of the late president of Liberia, Samuel Doe, with the former warlord Prince Yormie Johnson who was responsible for Doe’s death.
During this meeting the family publicly forgave Johnson who said it was through Joshua’s prayers that he stopped drinking alcohol and turned to Christianity.
The cleric also played a prominent role in reconciling broken homes and restoring families torn apart by false accusations.
Humanitarian Awards
In recognition of his humanitarian activities, he was awarded a National Honour by the Nigerian government in 2008 as well as receiving a letter of appreciation from the United Nations. He was further honoured as an Ambassador of Peace by the Arewa Youth Forum, a predominantly Muslim organisation, as well as being recognised with an ‘award of excellence’ by ZAKA, Israel’s primary rescue and recovery voluntary service.
Accomplished Prophecies
#TBJoshua has successfully predicted events in the lives of individuals who attend his church services as well as worldwide events, including a prophecy of Michael Jackson’s death, and the outcome of two African Cup of Nations (AFCON) final matches, which were won by Zambia and Nigeria respectively.
He has been voted by the public among the most famous prophets.
His prophecy about the impending death of an African president was widely reported in African press. #TBJoshua’s followers believe the prophecy concerned the former president of Malawi Bingu wa Mutharika who died in 2012, at the age of 78.
False rumors spread using Joshua’s name are known to have caused widespread panic in communities, affected sporting events, music concerts and led people to stop using social networks.
When Hamza Al-Mustapha, the Chief Security Officer of former Nigerian President Sani Abacha, was released after eleven years of imprisonment, his first port of call was to #TBJoshua’s church in acknowledgement of a ‘prophecy’ the cleric gave him when Abacha was still in power.
MH370 prophecy
SCOAN released a video when #TBJoshua predicted the Malaysia Airlines MH370 event. The prophecy received a lot of attention on social media and its accompanying YouTube video amassed over 1 million views.
Terrorist Attacks
Several terrorist attacks perpetrated by ISIS, Al-Qaeda affiliates and Al-Shabaab militants have been predicted by Joshua, including the November 2015 Paris attacks, the Garissa University College attack in Kenya, the Ouagadougou hotel siege in Burkina Faso and the 2016 Brussels Bombings.
He also predicted the Boston bombing attacks in America.
#TBJoshua’s prophecy in April 2016 that an impending terror attack would befall Ghana made national headlines in the West African Nation and led the national police to issue a statement calling for the general public to be calm and vigilant.
600 foreigners reportedly cancelled their visits to Ghana in the wake of the statement.
Days later, a captured Malian terrorist confessed that his group had planned to target Ghana.
2017 Zimbabwe coup
A video of #TBJoshua predicting “the military” of an undisclosed Southern African Nation embarrassing, killing or capturing “a President or Vice-President … or the First Lady of that Nation‚” surfaced on social media after the statement, which was made and recorded in August 2014, was interpreted as a prophecy of the 2017 Zimbabwean coup d’état against Robert Mugabe.
Coronavirus
#TBJoshua predicted that COVID-19 would disappear globally on 27 March 2020.
Influence In African Politics
A BBC Africa journalist once questioned whether Joshua was “the most powerful man in Africa” due to his influence in the African political sphere.
Ghana
Days after the late John Atta Mills became President of Ghana in 2009, his first port of call was #TBJoshua’s church for a thanksgiving service where he revealed the cleric had accurately ‘prophesied’ his ascension to power and specific details relating to his narrow victory over Nana Akufo-Addo.
Joshua was a regular visitor to Ghana during Mills’ early presidency and allegedly organised prayer warriors to be praying in Osu Castle.
Malawi
#TBJoshua’s much-publicised prophecy concerning the death of Malawian President Bingu Mutharika garnered intense media attention and was subsequently the subject of a Malawian government inquiry as his successor, Joyce Banda, is a devotee of the cleric. Banda claimed Joshua’s prayers healed her husband after he suffered a stroke and regularly visited Joshua in Nigeria while she was Head of State.
Tanzania
Joshua played the role of a peacemaker in the aftermath of the Tanzanian elections in 2015, visiting the country to meet and hold reconciliatory talks with President John Magufuli – a member of his church – and opposition leader Edward Lowassa. Commentators acknowledged his visit significantly reduced tensions in the country after the elections which the opposition party alleged were fraught with irregularities.
Liberia
Joshua was a key influence in former Liberian warlord Senator Prince Yormie Johnson’s decision to endorse the candidacy of George Weah for president in the 2017 Liberian elections.
His endorsement came days after the two were spotted publicly together in SCOAN, a visit that caused a media storm in Liberia.
Weah’s main opponent and former Vice President, Joseph Boakai, also allegedly requested to visit #TBJoshua in light of the elections.
Weah eventually won the election to become Liberia’s 25th President.
South Sudan
In November 2019, Joshua visited South Sudan where he was received by President Salva Kiir Mayardit.
He led Mayardit and his cabinet in prayers for peace at the nation’s Presidential Palace in Juba and called on leaders to overcome their differences in a message broadcast on South Sudan’s state television.
In February 2020, South Sudan finally formed a unity government with peace brokered between Mayardit and rival leader Riek Machar.
Emmanuel TV
Emmanuel TV, the SCOAN television station, was founded on 8 March 2006 by Joshua.
Its Sunday services are broadcast live.
Joshua’s programmes also air weekly on a number of local television stations across Africa.
It debuted on DStv and GOtv in November 2015, as well as StarTimes in February 2016.
In its profile on Joshua, the BBC described him as “Nigeria’s best known televangelist”.
Emmanuel TV’s motto is ‘Changing lives, changing nations, changing the world.’ The station is also known for its catch-phrase, ‘Distance Is Not A Barrier’, encouraging viewers to ‘pray along’ with #TBJoshua by ‘touching the screen’. There are several claims of people receiving miraculous ‘healing’ through these prayers, including popular Nollywood actress Tonto Dikeh who said Joshua’s prayers ended her 14-year smoking addiction.
Joshua earned a reputation for not focusing on the ‘Prosperity Gospel’ and Emmanuel TV is known as one of the few Christian channels that does not engage in fundraising on air.
YouTube channel
In April 2021, YouTube suspended Emmanuel TV’s channel as a result of alleged hate speech by Joshua in videos on the channel. At the time the channel was suspended, it had over 1,800,000 subscribers and 400 million views. The allegations of hate speech referred to claims made by Joshua in at least seven videos that homosexuality is the result of possession by demonic spirits and that homosexuality can and should be cured via spiritual deliverance.
At the time of the channel’s suspension, it was most-viewed Christian Ministry on the platform.
Google ranked one of Emmanuel TV’s YouTube videos as the fourth-most viewed clip ever within Nigeria.
Criticism and Controversy
Joshua has many critics and was known to be controversial.
Relationship with other pastors
Joshua was publicly condemned by several prominent pastors within Nigeria, his most vocal critic being Pastor Chris Okotie who described him as a ‘son of the devil’.
The Christian Association of Nigeria and Pentecostal Fellowship Of Nigeria both acknowledged Joshua was not a member of either organisation and denounced him as an ‘impostor’. Enoch Adeboye, David Oyedepo, Ayo Oritsejafor, Paul Adefarasin and Matthew Ashimolowo are among the pastors who publicly denounced Joshua, as did disgraced American megachurch leader Ted Haggard.
Blacklisted in Cameroon
He was ‘blacklisted’ by the government of Cameroon in 2010 and termed a ‘son of the devil’. Rumours of a visit by Joshua to Zimbabwe in 2012 led to an intense national debate, culminating with pastors and politicians strongly objecting.
HIV deaths In London
In 2011, several media houses in UK reported at least three people in London with HIV died after they stopped taking life saving drugs on the advice of their pastors. The HIV prevention charity African Health Policy Network (AHPN) believed that SCOAN “may” be one of those involved in such practices although the three in question have no demonstrable link to SCOAN. The BBC quoted SCOAN as saying “No, we do not ask people to stop taking their medication”.
Boko Haram confession
A self-confessed member of the Islamic sect Boko Haram came to SCOAN in March 2014, allegedly with plans to ‘bomb’ the church. According to him, it was Joshua’s prayers that prevented the plan and later compelled him to confess.
The subsequent clip of the confession went viral on YouTube.
Collapse of guesthouse
Main article: 2014 Synagogue Church building collapse
On 12 September 2014, a guesthouse collapsed in SCOAN’s premises in Lagos killing at least 115 people, 84 of them South Africans. Controversy has continued to swirl around the circumstances that led to the collapse, with the former Nigerian Minister of Aviation Femi Fani-Kayode alleging Nigeria’s intelligence agencies ‘blew up’ the building.
Personal life and Death
Joshua was married to Evelyn Joshua and had three children.
He died on 5 June 2021 after one of his evening services in Lagos, Nigeria, just one week prior to his 58th birthday. No cause of death was given as at the time of this compilation
From all of us at OurWorldGist, we hereby pray to God to give the immediate family of late #TBJoshua and His Followers the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss.
Compiled By,
Sani Michael Omakoji
City Centre Abuja- Nigeria
