Enigmatic Nigerian Mega Pastor, T B Joshua Dies at 57

The Enigmatic Nigerian Mega Pastor, T B Joshua has died at the age of  57. 

The renowned televangelist, who was the founder and senior pastor of the Lagos-Based Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), died of an undisclosed cause, revealed by his Church Leadership.

Prophet T.B. Joshua, the founder of The Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), passed away one week before his 58th birthday, his church said in a statement Sunday.

His Facebook Page, T B Joshua Ministries wrote to confirm his demise:   “On Saturday 5th June 2021, Prophet TB Joshua spoke during the Emmanuel TV Partners Meeting: “Time for everything — time to come here for prayer and time to return home after the service.” 

The popular pastor who was a father was one of the most influential pastors in Africa with his attendant millions of television and social media followers. Every Sunday, more than 15,000 people attend his Sunday Services from all over the world. 

Many African presidents, senior government officials, international football players, musicians and other high-profile guests have worshipped in his church.

Confirmation of His Death

“God has taken his servant Prophet TB Joshua home … His last moments on earth were spent in the service of God,” the church wrote on its Facebook page on Sunday, without giving further details.

“God has taken His servant Prophet TB Joshua home ….. as it should be by divine will. His last moments on earth were spent in the service of God. This is what he was born for, lived for and died for.”

One of the pastor’s lawyers Olalekan Ojo also confirmed his death.

“I confirm that the man of God, Pastor TB Joshua passed away on Saturday after his evening programme,” Ojo told the AFP news agency.

The prominent Pastor rose to fame in the 1990s at a time when there was an explosion of televangelism in Nigeria and many parts of Africa. He was one of the most followed preachers in Nigeria and across Africa,” Our Staff Reporter said.

He was also popular in South America where he had held many religious campaigns.

Joshua’s cause of death was not stated. Since his rise to prominence in the late 1990s, the popular preacher has been renowned for his philanthropy, prosperity teachings, and purported healings and miracles.

SCOAN plays host to dozens of international guests and local celebrities who visit the worship centre for prayers.

Emmanuel TV, the broadcast arm of the church, airs in Africa on DSTV, a satellite service owned by the South African firm MultiChoice. Joshua’s ministrations and humanitarian outreaches in different parts of the world are showcased on the popular video platform.

Documented Controversies

Over his lifetime, Prophet TB Joshua was well acquainted with controversy. From the brushes with the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) during the early days of his ministry to his verbal spats with Rev. Chris Okotie.

 His denunciation by the Nigerian Pentecostal Movement as well as the recent deactivation of his Youtube Account for policy violation, after he posted videos claiming to have  ‘cured’ gay members of his congregation of their sexuality.

In April, the Pastor’s YouTube channel, which has more than 1.8 million subscribers and 600 million views, was shut down over allegations of hate speech against LGBTQ people.

In one of his videos, watched more than 1.5 million times, a woman is seen being hit violently to “cure” her of her sexuality.

Homosexuality is illegal in Africa’s most populous country, and “homosexual acts” can carry a 14-year prison sentence.

It is like Our Men of God are Closer to the Altar than Heaven

A Round of Disgust for A Degenerating Humanity

https://edition.cnn.com/2021/06/06/africa/tb-joshua-dies-synagogue-intl/index.html

Facebook had also removed several videos on Joshua’s page, which has more than 5.7 million followers, for his anti-LGBTQ remarks.

In 2011, Forbes listed Pastor T B Joshua as the third-richest Pastor in Nigeria with an estimated net worth of between $10 – $15 million. The claim was however refuted by the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN).

In 2014, a building on the premises of the Synagogue Church of All Nations collapsed, killing more than 100 people, most of whom were foreigners from South Africa.

While authorities say the building collapsed because of structural defects, TB Joshua insisted the building was blown up by a small plane that he claimed flew over it shortly before it came down.

TB Joshua was known for making predictions and for his claims to cure various ailments and to make people prosper through miracles.

He was, however, controversial, with critics questioning his claims and saying he profited from people seeking hope.

In 2015, the popular Nigerian Pastor was in trouble in Ghana when a stampede occurred while his Ghanaian church adherents were trying to get to the holy water anointed by the respected Man of God. This unfortunate stampede led to the death of four people with 30 more injured. 

The Ghanaian Police investigated the deaths and concluded that the Church had not anticipated the number of people who attended the church, with worshippers arriving as early as 2 am. “All of us were caught by surprise,” police spokesman Freeman Tetteh told the BBC World Service. 

Outpouring of Tributes

Tributes have been pouring in from all over the world, following the death of the famous controversial Pastor. Japheth Omojuwa, a Nigerian Social Commentator described Joshua’s death as “a big loss to Nigeria.”

In his words: “TB Joshua is a big loss to Nigeria and the Ikotun end of Lagos especially. His church is one of the major points of tourist attractions to Nigeria and I can’t begin to imagine the impact of his death on businesses, people and the less privileged in that area. May he Rest in Peace.”