Worshippers, Residents Mourn TB Joshua’s Death; Plus His Times, His Legacies

Posted by Oludare Fase Featured, Latest Headlines, News, News Across Nigeria, News From The State Sunday, June 6th, 2021

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Worshippers at The Synagogue, Church of All Nations (SCOAN) were on Sunday thrown into deep mourning over the sudden death of Founder of the church, Prophet Temitope Babatunde Joshua.

Joshua, popularly known as Prophet T.B Joshua, died on Saturday at the age of 57, as announced on the church’s website.

NAN correspondent who visited the Synagogue at the Ikotun area of Lagos State where the church is located, reports that residents and members expressed shock over the sudden demise of the prophet.

Some of the worshippers had come to church enthusiastically looking forward to the prophet’s ministrations and counselling, only to hear the untimely sad news.

It was an atmosphere of despair and uncertainty as the members who had come for service and counseling unaware of the death, were seen in tears at the gate of the church.

Most of the members and residents felt their hope of miracles were shattered and openly cried to God to wake and bring back to life the popular televangelist whom they called “Daddy”.

Mr Celestine Okwuosa, a Faithful, said that the pastor preached on death at the mountain on Saturday and made comments on his passing, and afterwards passed on.

Okwuosa, said that he believed the pastor had the premonition of his demise before the time.

According to him, the world will miss him dearly and church members will miss him for his great deeds.

“Going to three years now, there has not been church service in the church auditorium.

“But the pastor only books people online and take them to the mountain for prayers and other programmes due to the lockdown,” he said.

Mrs Bola Adeniran, a resident of the area, who had yet to come to terms with the reality of the situation, said that the pastor could not have died but was resting.

Adeniran who listed so many things that the pastor had done for the benefit of the people.

She said the electricity transformer that served the area was given to the community by the late T.B Joshua.

“There were sets of less privileged persons that he gave money every week to sustain their wellbeing.

“We, all the people of the area, are in disbelief over the news and we are praying for God to revive him to continue his good works,” she said.

Mrs Melinda Soares, a member of SCOAN, who came in from Seme, said “Baba”, as Joshua was fondly called by his followers, died for Nigeria.

“Baba has finally died for Nigeria! This has always been his wish. I have never seen a man of God like him. He does what he says and says what he does.

“He still said the same thing yesterday on the mountain where we went. His death is a pointer to the fact that God’s will for Nigeria is finally coming to pass,” Soares said.

Mr Perter Lucas, another member, said God took Joshua at a very early age so that, through him, there would be peace in Nigeria.

Mrs Ifeoma Cherechi, a member of the Church, said that Joshua had been her helper over the years.

“Now that he is gone, I am at a loss. Without him, I would not have known Lagos State.

“God, please bring Baba back and take us. He should not die. Let it be that you called him to give him a message to us.

“He has been a good father to me, my landlord and my children, both financially, spiritually and physically. He has always been there for me.

“What will be my worth now? How will my life and that of my family be?,” she cried.

Meanwhile, members who came to worship but couldn’t gain access to the Church auditorium, have continued to praise and worship at the Church entrance.

They prayed for the repose of Joshua’s soul and prayed that God would brought him back to life.

TB Joshua: His times, His Legacies

Popularly known as Prophet TB 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.

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 the 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 to predict 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, TB Joshua founded the Synagogue, Church of All Nations under the bridge that links 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.

TB 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 for Sweden.

The WBO International Light Middleweight boxing champion King, Davidson Emenogu, had said that Joshua financially supported him throughout his career.

A man of many clouts, Forbes in 2011 wrote that 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 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 it 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.”

Nevertheless, Joshua made impact in education, healthcare, peace and reconciliation, among others.

A Forbes blogger said that it was estimated that Joshua spent $20 million on “education, healthcare and rehabilitation programmes for former Niger Delta militants”

He was receptive to repentant persons who cut across all walks of life including rehabilitation of repentant militants, armed robbers and sex workers who came to the church for ‘deliverance’.

The SCOAN has a scholarship programme that sponsors many students in the primary, secondary and even tertiary institutions.

In 2012, it was widely reported that Joshua sponsored a Nigerian student doing a PhD in the U.K.

His humanitarian relief involvement was outstanding as Joshua supported efforts in the 2010 Haiti earthquake, and April 2016 in Ecuador, where he gave humanitarian aid worth over $500,000.

In Ecuador, he funded the rebuilding of a rural school destroyed during the earthquake.

Joshua had sent a team of medical personnel and humanitarian workers to the affected area in Haiti and also instituted a field hospital called ‘Clinique Emmanuel’.

He also supported several groups of Nigerian returnees to settle back into the country, following their attempt to travel illegally to Europe.

One of his most significant reconciliatory efforts was his involvement in the meeting of the family of the late President of Liberia, Samuel Doe, with the former warlord Yormie Johnson, who was responsible for Doe’s death.

The Nigerian government in recognition of his humanitarian activities, gave him a National Honour, Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR) in 2008. The United Nations also gave him a letter of appreciation.

The Arewa Youth Forum, predominantly Muslim organisation, recognised him as Ambassador of Peace and ZAKA, Israel’s primary rescue and recovery voluntary service, gave him an ‘award of excellence’ .

Mr Kunle Olowoopejo, the Executive Chairman, Egbe-Idimu Local Council Development Area (LCDA) in Lagos, described TB Joshua as a complete definition of what humanity should be.

According to him, he was generous and no matter your colour, ethnic, tribe, language or religion you may belong to, his hands of fellowship has no bound and that’s why both young and old keep echoing “Alaanu Mekunnu lo.” (the lover of the poor has gone)

According to the Synagogue church, Prophet TB Joshua left legacy of service and sacrifice to God’s Kingdom of which will continue to live on for generations yet unborn.

Joshua was married to Evelyn Joshua and had three children.