8 Controversies That Trailed TB Joshua in His Life Time
Founder and senior pastor of the Synagogue, Church of All Nations (SCOAN), Temitope Balogun Joshua popularly known as Prophet TB Joshua, died on Saturday, June 5 2021, in Lagos, Nigeria.
His death sent shockwaves across Nigeria and the whole world as Christians woke up to his death on Sunday morning.
While the late cleric was respected in many quarters during his lifetime, there were certain issues that trailed his ministry while he lived.
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Today, June 12 would been his 58th birth anniversary. The late clergyman had planned to celebrate his birthday with prayer and fasting, saying “let us dedicate this day to prayer and fasting. Don’t forget the needy. By the grace of God, more birthdays are ahead.”
While he his wish for more birthdays was cut short, here are eight controversies that trailed Prophet TB Joshua he was still alive.
1. Relationship With Other Pastors
Joshua has been 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 have both acknowledged Joshua is 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.
2. 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.
3. 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 lifesaving drugs on the advice of their pastors. The HIV prevention charity African Health Policy Network (AHPN) believed that The SCOAN “may” be one of those involved in such practices although the three in question have no demonstrable link to the SCOAN. The BBC quoted The SCOAN as saying “No, we do not ask people to stop taking their medication”.
4. Private jet
On 14 September 2015, it was reported that Joshua “secretly purchased a $60 Million Gulfstream G550 Private Jet”. These rumors were dismissed as false by a media aide of Joshua.
5. Boko Haram confession
A self-confessed member of the Islamic sect Boko Haram came to The 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 and proved very controversial. A group known as the “Movement for Accountability and Good Governance”, has called for the investigation of the incident based on the claims that were made.
6. Collapse of guesthouse
On 12 September 2014, a guesthouse collapsed in the 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.
7. Panama Papers
Nigeria’s Premium Times newspaper stated that Joshua incorporated a company called Chillon Consultancy Limited in the British Virgin Islands in June 2006, based on reports stemming from the Panama Papers leak. Joshua immediately denied his involvement, stating on Facebook, “I am not a businessman and have no business whatsoever. What God has given me is more than enough.”
8. Threat by Muslim cleric
A prominent Nigerian Muslim cleric, Sheikh Hussaini Yusuf Mabera, threatened to drag Joshua to court for “describing Jesus Christ as God”.
Source: Wikipedia
