Nigerian Televangelist T.B. Joshua Courts Controversy In Death As He Did In Life
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NAIROBI, Kenya — Temitope Balogun Joshua — better known as T.B. Joshua — was a Nigerian charismatic pastor and televangelist whose ministry was dogged by one controversy after another until his death on June 5, 2021.
Now it seems controversy has followed the man to grave.
A new documentary, by BBC’s Africa Eye, has unearthed sordid details of what took place at his Synagogue Church of All Nations. Following a three-year investigation, the expose has former members of the church on camera accusing Joshua of all sorts of wrongdoing, including allegations of mind control to physical abuse, sexual exploitation, rape and even forcing women to have abortions.
For example, a former female member claimed Joshua took her virginity in a room at the top floor of the church complex where he lived. She claims she was then forced to procure an abortion.
As was to be expected, the documentary has stirred a hornet’s nest across Africa. As a result, battle lines have been drawn between those who doubted T.B. Joshua’s ministry — maintaining that the BBC had just confirmed what they knew all along — while supporters see the hand of Satan and a compromised media out to bring down a servant of God.
Agomo Paul, who claims he was the de facto No. 2 to Joshua, said he witnessed some character flaws in the man over the years.
“He passed as a man of great humility. However, there was a cruel side to him that saw him severely punish those who crossed him,” he said.
Agomo said Joshua was fixated with the idea of taking his gospel to White people — starting with South Africa and then later the United Kingdom and the United States.
“He did this by distributing thousands of VHS cassettes of his preaching and it soon started paying dividends with people from these countries flocking SCOAN,” he added.
When the BBC documentary aired earlier this month, one of the first people to support it was Ninyo Odimji, a medical doctor and a commentator on Christian issues. As far back as three years ago (when Joshua was still alive), Ninyo raised issues with the preacher, especially his teachings of Chrislam which is an amalgamation of Christian and Islamic doctrines.
Content retrieved from: https://religionunplugged.com/news/2024/1/11/nigerian-televangelist-tb-joshua-courts-controversy-in-death-as-he-did-in-life.
