Early on Monday, January 8, the British Broadcasting Corporation broadcast a three-part documentary in which former followers of the late Prophet Temitope Balogun Joshua, also referred to as TB Joshua, the founder of the Synagogue Church of All Nations, accused the prophet of manipulating people, abusing his physical form, and pulling off false miracles.
In addition, they had claimed that he had planned forced abortions in the church and had raped women.
The prophet had been embroiled in numerous scandals even before he passed away at the age of 57 in June 2021, two months after it was rumored that he had suffered a stroke.
In the three-part series, which aired for more than fifty minutes each, the ex-disciples also charged the prophet with hiding the true cause of the church’s guest house collapse in 2014. According to official records, 116 people were killed in the collapse, with 84 of them people reportedly being South Africans.
However, in spite of the incriminating disclosures made by the deceased cleric’s former pupils from many countries, including as South Africa, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and Nigeria, the prophet’s adherents appear unfazed by the charges.
Business as usual
When Saturday PUNCH visited the Ikotun-Egbe region of Lagos State on Wednesday, it was bustling with commercial activity, in contrast to the reactions the accusations and the BBC documentary sparked on social media. Even three years after his passing, people carried on with their lives as if they were oblivious to the scandals that had followed the guy.
The several stores selling clothing and beverages in front of the church continued to function as if nothing had happened. A restaurant near the church was playing music as a group of men entered to drink bottles of beer, which they needed to relieve the heat after a short downpour.
There was also a betting store full with young men. Nothing in the surroundings seemed strange. It was just another day in the life of the locals.
The street that leads to the church, T. B. Joshua Street, has large pictures of the late prophet and his wife.
Despite the fact that the church only had services on Sundays, followers of the late prophet were permitted to pray outside the building while the interior of the building remained locked.
Some of the devotees were seen by our correspondent worshiping in front of the late cleric’s pictures. Some were observed touching the faces of the late prophet and his wife, who were shown in a giant banner on the street, before they started to pray, while others were observed praying loudly and without shoes.
Only church workers were seen going in and out of the church.
The results of Saturday PUNCH revealed that there are two categories of workers in the church: those who live and work in the same building as the late prophet, known as disciples, and other workers who are employed to carry out duties in various departments, such as food, medical, and sanitation.
A former employee—who wished to remain anonymous—told our correspondent that Tuesdays were the day for the weekly workers’ service.
The church revealed in a 2021 article on its website that during the once-weekly church service, which was only held on Sundays in its large church buildings, it had over 50,000 visitors each week.
Data from the Nigeria Immigration Service, which showed that six out of ten foreign visitors to Nigeria were likely heading for the SCOAN, further supported this.
Also in 2018, a tourism expert, Gbenga Onitilo, during the Nigeria Travel Week, disclosed that “SCOAN in Ikotun receives the highest number of tourists in Nigeria. It stands alone as a city.
Additionally, our correspondent learned that the church provides lodging for believers inside the building, but at reasonable dollar prices that include two meals a day and other amenities. This information is available for seven days.
The cost of a seven-day visit varies depending on the style of lodging, from $800 for shared bunks to $4,000 for a five-star standard room. The price range for the VIP rooms at SCOAN is $12,000 to $15,000 per week, according to destinali.com, an internet portal.
A man identified as Uche and his wife approached our correspondent when he arrived in the region on Wednesday afternoon. They had thought that our correspondent had come to remain for the week in order to attend the church service.
Adjacent to him, there were individuals who were aggressively searching for attendees of the church who were unable to pay for luxurious hotel accommodations. According to checks, hotels in the region charge about N15,000 a night.
The middle-aged man with dark skin, who appeared to have consumed alcohol based on his breath smell, informed our correspondent that nothing had changed since the BBC documentary was released, with people continuing to pour into the area in quest of the church’s solutions to their issues.
At N2,000 per night, our correspondent was brought to a hostel with bunk beds for six people in a dimly lit, poorly ventilated room.
Janet, a different woman from Abuja who had been staying at the hostel for two weeks in search of a miracle, was in the room and expressed faith that one would come.
She expressed her opinion and stated that she was unmoved by the new accusations.
“That’s how it usually is, even right from when the ministry started. Just forget about what they are saying. Whether good or bad, anything social media, I don’t believe. Don’t be discouraged,” Jane told our correspondent thinking she was talking to a potential convert.
She added that she was committed to the church and followed it.
“I always follow them on Emmanuel TV. We only do services on Sundays, before then, if you want to pray you walk around the church premises and pray.”
Just as our reporter was about to adjourn, a new worshiper from the North showed up to partake in the church’s activities.
Uche, however, cautioned our correspondent to secure her lodging in advance because all of the inexpensive hotels near the church would be reserved by Sunday.
T. B. accusers are promoting us – Business owners
Though patronage has been low since the SCOAN founder’s death, the president of Pilgrims Hostels Association of Nigeria, Ikotun, Adedayo Adekanbi, told our correspondent that the accusations against the late preacher would only prompt inquisitive people and worshippers to throng the region in no time.
He said, “Since T. B. Joshua died, things have been very slow but the wife is trying. People are still lodging but it is not like it used to be when the man of God was alive.”
“Although there is no programme currently going on in the church now when the general overseer announces any programme, you will see people trooping out en masse to attend.”
“All our agents are still lodging people. You know, it is a church of God. No matter the condemnation, the church has come to stay. I don’t believe in whatever people are saying to blacklist the man.
Also, a receptionist in one of the hotels located along the street of the church who identified herself as Jennifer described the allegations as “good business” for traders in the area.
“Any time you hear this kind of news, be prepared to see a large crowd of people coming here and it is good business for us too,” she added.
Worshippers unfazed
When Saturday PUNCH visited a resident, Mrs. Folasade, she showed no signs of hiding her unwavering support for T. B. Joshua. At the door of her residence on a street right opposite the church was a large imposing but fading photo of the late cleric. She carried what appeared to be an identity card with T. B. Joshua’s face on it, demonstrating her even more devotion to the guy and his teachings.
When our correspondent enquired if the old woman was a church member, she gladly produced her ID card, which was partially concealed by the wrapper wrapped to her bosom.
“You don’t even need to ask,” she said proudly as she pulled it out.
Despite the negative report, Mrs Folasade is among the countless worshippers who believe the late Ondo-born prophet could have done no wrong.
She said, “It is not the first time that we would hear those kinds of things about our pastor. It won’t stop us from being loyal to him. This Sunday (tomorrow), you will see for yourself whether the news will stop you from receiving your healing so that you can confirm what we say about the church.”
Another worshipper, identified as Tope, claimed that the accusers were jealous of the SCOAN founder’s generosity.
Speaking with our correspondent, she said, “Those people (former disciples) were talking nonsense. I will continue to follow T.B. Joshua. Do you know what T.B. Joshua has done for foreigners?
“He built schools for them and trained their children in the best universities. They (the former disciples) just want to collect money. If the Synagogue decides to use one as a scapegoat, the lies will stop.
I benefited from his kindness – Ex-worker
Joshua, who passed away, was well-known for his charity. He was seen on Emmanuel TV on multiple occasions delivering food, cash, and scholarship gifts to underprivileged individuals.
One of those who profited from his kindness but wished to remain anonymous revealed to Saturday PUNCH that she was a former employee.
Recalling her days in the church said, “On Tuesdays, we had workers’ service and that service alone was more than what some churches have on Sundays. Sometimes on that Tuesday, everyone was sure of getting something to go home with. It got to a point where it seemed like it was our way of life.”
She also revealed that she also was a recipient of one of his scholarship programmes.
Speaking further she said, “No one needed school fees and it got to him and he didn’t provide. Some of the people who took part in that (BBC) interview were people who made the process difficult.
“If he approved money to be given to someone as school fees and it went through them (the accusers), there was a 90 per cent chance that the real beneficiary would not get the full amount, that is if they would get any at all.
“My first-year school fees came from him. Some of those people accusing him were the ones who didn’t let me get the full sum I was supposed to get. He gave me N95,000 cash but I didn’t get the others because of the people who were in charge.”
According to her, the only allegation against the late T.B. Joshua that she could agree with was his anger issues.
“I lived in a discipleship for six months. The only part I agree with is that he had anger issues. When he got angry, everyone took cover. I even remember that once, he told the church to pray for him that he had anger issues.”
Another resident, Chima, who operates a tricycle in the area said though he was not a member of the church, he did not believe the documentary.
“The thing is that people are looking for ways to bring down the church but the church is progressing. Since the man died, a lot of people have been saying bad things about him.
“It is going to be three years since the man died and they’re bringing up these allegations. Who will answer them? If you are here to get deliverance, receive your deliverance and go your way,” he told our correspondent.
However, the church’s public affairs director, Dare Adejumo, told Saturday PUNCH that SCOAN has not made an official statement, despite media reports citing the church as saying that the people who talked in the BBC program were not known to it.
Asked if the church would ever respond, he said, “I cannot say exactly because they are still on it.”
