Temitope Balogun Joshua, also known as TB Joshua, was a well-known religious leader from Nigeria. He established the Synagogue and the Church of All Nations (SCOAN). Many people know him for his faith healing, which is frequently broadcast on Emmanuel TV. He was not only one of the country’s most popular, controversial, and “enigmatic” religious leaders, but also one of the world’s wealthiest pastors.
Early Life and Education
Balogun, Temitope Joshua was born on June 12, 1963, as the son of a Yoruba man from Arigidi in Akoko local government in Ondo State, Nigeria. He was born into a poor Christian family, and while we don’t know much about his parents, we do know about his older brother, Sunday Balogun. His father died when he was very young, and he was placed with an extended family.
Before his death, the prophet claimed to have had an unusual childhood beginning with his birth. He claimed he was born 15 months after his mother became pregnant with him. He also claimed that when he was three days old, a large boulder from a quarry site crashed through the roof of their house, missing him by a few inches. Following the heinous incident, his mother named him Temitope, which means “What God has done for me is worthy of thanks.”
Temitope Joshua did receive some formal education. He received his primary education at St. Stephen Anglican Primary School in Agbaluku, Ondo State, and then went on to high school in their village, where he dropped out due to his poor background before leaving to work on a poultry farm. TB Joshua was known as a “small pastor” in school because of his love of the scriptures and ability to predict events in his community. He later enrolled in evening classes.
Career
His attempts to enter the modern world were not fruitful, as his attempts to enter the modern world failed several times. One of these occasions was when his plans to join the military were derailed by a mysterious engine failure on his way to an interview at the Nigerian Defense Academy in Kaduna, Nigeria.
Finding TB Joshua, who was already known and referred to as a small pastor in his community, toeing the ministerial path will not come as a surprise. Joshua grew up teaching people the Bible, which he claimed he learned from God Himself. He claimed that he was constantly taught the scriptures in his dreams. Joshua was an active member of the Anglican Church in his village and was even called on several occasions to chair the children’s Harvest/Thanksgiving ceremony in his church.
Back in school, he was a leader of the Student Christian Fellowship. Joshua, on the other hand, had a different story to tell about his call to start a ministry. He claimed to have had a personal encounter with God in 1987, when, while in a three-day trance, he saw a hand point a Bible to his heart, and the Bible immediately entered and was immersed in his heart.
He also claimed to have seen the Apostles and Prophets of old with someone he identified as Jesus Christ. According to TB Joshua, he heard God give him a “divine commission to go and carry out the work of the Heavenly Father.” He claimed to have received messages from God Himself through the Holy Spirit ever since. The Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) was founded shortly after with a handful of members and quickly grew to become one of Nigeria’s most influential churches.
TB Joshua was only 24 years old when he founded The Synagogue, Church of All Nations (SCOAN) in 1987. He began his business in a run-down house in Lagos State’s Agoda-Egbe neighborhood. More people visited the new ministry as word of his miraculous healings and prophecies spread across the country. The Synagogue, Church of All Nations, was later relocated to the outskirts of Lagos to accommodate a large number of congregants.
Personal Life
The Nigerian televangelist was married to Evelyn Joshua, with whom he had three children. He proposed to her during their first meeting, emphasizing his proposal right away. Later, he claimed that their meeting was divinely orchestrated. The prophet claimed that he had seen her in a vision four days before they met. Evelyn had previously visited him, but he was not present – she was in desperate need of advice. Her second visit went well because she was able to locate him in his office.
Mr Joshua also kept his family out of the spotlight; his wife rarely appeared alongside him, and none of his children were known to the public. They were also not publicly associated with his ministerial duties. Three daughters were born to the couple. Serah (firstborn), Promise (secondborn), and Heart are their names (last born). They are now adults and have chosen different careers. Serah was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2015 after graduating from the London School of Economics. On May 8, 2021, she married Tanzanian Brian Moshi. Sarah is a lawyer, and her husband works in the tourism industry. Promise Joshua, on the other hand, studied International Relations and Politics at the same university.
Publications
- The Mirror (2006).
- What The Future Holds (2009).
- Astounding Miracles of God: At the Synagogue (2017).
- The Wicked Ordinances (2019).
- 450 Fire For Fire Prayers For Difficult Situations (2020).
- FERVENT Praying Dangerous Prayers Against Stubborn CASE (2020)
- Daily Time With God: A Time with Jesus Christ is a Time Well Spent (2020).
- How to Cast Out Demons and Evil Spirit (2020).
- Deliverance From Marine Spirit Influence & Spirit Spouse & Children (2020).
- Demon Possession Evil Spirit Altar & Marine Attacks With Powerful Prayer Points (2020).
Awards
- Awards In 2008, TB Joshua was conferred with the National Honor of OFR by the Nigerian government for his humanitarian endeavours.
- He was honoured as an Ambassador of Peace by the Arewa Youth Forum for his humanitarian work.
- He was one of Africa’s 50 most influential people by Pan-African magazines The Africa Report and New African Magazine.
Impact and Influence
Joshua, a Nigerian preacher, was best known for his philanthropic nature, especially when it came to helping the needy and sponsoring people. Prior to his death, he made social and economic contributions both at home and abroad while carrying out his ministry. According to Forbes, the Minister spent more than $20 million on causes such as education, healthcare, and rehabilitation programs for former Niger Delta militants, sex workers, and repentant armed robbers who come to his church for deliverance and possible assistance.
Other aspects of his impact and influence are his charity acts, providing disaster relief to victims of the Haiti earthquake, among others.
- 2014 – He donated over $100,000 to the National Metropolitan Police Force in Colombia, and $50,000 was given to Ebola victims in Sierra Leone.
- 2015 – He donated $40,000 plus food and essential supplies to victims of severe flooding and fire in Accra, Ghana; he donated N10 million plus a Medical Ambulance to the Boko Haram internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the Kuchingoro area of Abuja, Nigeria.
- 2016, 2017, 2019 – He chartered a cargo plane to carry tonnes of relief aid to the victims of the earthquake in Ecuador, Mexico, and Albania, respectively.
- 2020 – He donated N30 million to the Lagos State Government for COVID relief, plus hundreds of thousands of dollars to numerous people worldwide who suffered from the economic fallout of the lockdowns.
Net Worth
T.B was unquestionably wealthy. He had a beautiful home and a fleet of luxury cars. He owned a Range Rover and a Mercedes Benz, among other vehicles. According to rumors, he also owned a private jet worth around $60 million. The preacher was one of Africa’s wealthiest religious leaders, with a net worth of $10 million at the time of his death.
