Nigeria's 'miracle maker':TB Joshua: Nigeria's best known televangelist
September 18, 2014
The church building that collapsed in Lagos last week, killing dozens of people, was owned by one of Nigeria's best-known evangelists, TB Joshua. The BBC's Tomi Oladipo profiles the popular preacher who has claimed to perform miracles, including curing blindness and people with HIV.
From a country littered with burgeoning churches, Temitope Balogun Joshua, or TB Joshua, as he's known, is one of the biggest exports of Nigerian charismatic Christianity.
Prophet Joshua was born to a poor family on 12 June 1963, claiming to have been in his mother's womb for 15 months. Later in life he claims to have seen a vision in which popular biblical figures commissioned him to preach and perform miracles. It was then that he started The Synagogue, Church of All Nations (SCOAN), with eight members. Rush for anointing water Today, like other popular Nigerian preachers or "men of God", TB Joshua is wealthy, influential and highly revered for the office he holds. People come from around the world to the SCOAN headquarters in the Ikotun district in Lagos to seek healing and to witness prophecies. When the Ebola outbreak began in West Africa, the Lagos State government, recognising the vast reach and influence of this preacher, asked that no victims of the disease be brought to the church for healing so that there was no threat to other members of the congregation. He agreed to suspend some of the church's healing programmes but he is said to have sent 4,000 bottles of "anointing water" to Sierra Leone that he says could cure the disease. TB Joshua says this special water, delivered in small bottles, positions users "for mercy, favour, healing, deliverance, blessing, prosperity and fruitfulness". However, in 2013, the desire for the anointing water led to the death of four people in a stampede in the Ghanaian capital, Accra. The deaths occurred when members of his church rushed to the alter to receive the water. The preacher was criticised following this incident but police in Ghana said it was difficult to apportion blame. Predictions Best known for his prophecies, TB Joshua claims to have predicted numerous events, from the death of Michael Jackson, to the disappearance of the Malaysian plane MH370. [caption id="attachment_12102" align="alignright" width="300"] TB Joshua is one of the wealthiest evangelists in Africa. His services are filmed and sold online[/caption] In the case of Michael Jackson, TB Joshua said to his congregation: "In his own area he is famous. He is known everywhere. Great. Too great. Because I see something will begin to happen to that star and that will likely end in him to pack his load and go to the journey of no return but I don't know when that journey [is]." After Michael Jackson's death, the preacher claimed this was the subject he had spoken about six months earlier. His critics have described his predictions as vague and able to be manipulated to suit any event. This has not deterred the thousands of followers who throng his church services seeking direction. TV influence The South African politician Julius Malema, Malawi's former President Joyce Banda, Zimbabwean politician Morgan Tsvangirai and the former president of Ghana, the late John Atta Mills, are among the prominent Africans who have paid homage. One arm of the SCOAN is Emmanuel TV, a television station that broadcasts the preaching of TB Joshua around the world, as well as the accounts of people who say their lives were changed for the better because of this ministry. The testimonies include stories about financial prosperity, inexplicable recoveries from illness and even people being awakened from the dead. Prophet Joshua is also known for his charity work - and Nigeria's former president, the late Umaru Yar'Adua, awarded him the Order of the Federal Republic, one of the country's highest honours. [caption id="attachment_12103" align="alignleft" width="300"] Men and women fall to the ground during "healing" sessions at the Synagogue Church of All Nations[/caption] One of his prominent projects is My People FC, a football academy which has produced at least two of Nigeria's bright prospects: Ogenyi Onazi, who plays for Italy's SS Lazio, and Sani Emmanuel. Many Nigerians refrain from criticising preachers like TB Joshua. However, the growth of the internet and social media has revealed increasing opposition to wealthy mega-church pastors. "We don't subscribe to his brand of Christianity so we cannot endorse what he does," said one Anglican bishop, who refused to be named. *Source BBC]]>
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HELLO EVERYONE OUT THERE HOW I WAS HEALED BY PROPHET TB JOSHUA HE SEND ME HIS ANOINTING WATER HE INSTRUCTED ME ON HOW TO GO ABOUT IT AND I DID SO THERE IS NOTHING GOD CANNOT DO I THOUGHT I WILL REMAIN SICK FOREVER BEFORE ALMIGHTY GOD SAVE ME AND WIPE MY TEARS my name is Helen Asmund from Canada, the greatest testimony i have ever seen in my life i want to use this great opportunity to thank prophet Tb Joshua the man of God.i was having a breast cancer over 5moths, everyone around me run away from me even my husband who i think he loves me so much told me is over i cried and cried no body could help me out i went to the best hospital in Canada no solution, all hope was lost, on one faithful day as i was going online i saw a testimony of this great man of God Tb Joshua (tbjoshualivescoanminitries@gmail.com) that people sharing about him how he has been helping people i never believed that this will work out but not withstanding there is nothing God can not do, so i decided to contact his Email: tbjoshualivescoanminitries@gmail.com i explain all my problems to him he told me not to worry about if really i believe in God the most high i shall be healed. he told me what to do i quickly follow up with his instruction i never let money be my problem. within the next 2day my illness and pains were healed, my brothers and sisters there is nothing God can not do if you have not given your life to Christ please try and do so once again his email:tbjoshualivescoanminitries@gmail.com if you have any problem similar to this you can contact him and your problem shall be solve, i will not stop sharing his name as a testimony because he brings me joy and happiness now i am happy my husband is back. any problem regarding as follow you can contact him God almighty is great 1) If you want your ex back. (2) if you always have bad dreams. (3) You want to be promoted in your office. (4) You want women/men to run after you. (5) If you want a child. (6) You want to tie your husband/wife to be yours forever.
The church building that collapsed in Lagos last week, killing dozens of people, was owned by one of Nigeria's best-known evangelists, TB Joshua. The BBC's Tomi Oladipo profiles the popular preacher who has claimed to perform miracles, including curing blindness and people with HIV.
HELLO EVERYONE OUT THERE
HOW I WAS HEALED BY PROPHET TB JOSHUA HE SEND ME HIS ANOINTING
WATER HE INSTRUCTED ME ON HOW TO GO ABOUT IT AND I DID SO THERE IS
NOTHING GOD CANNOT DO I THOUGHT I WILL REMAIN SICK FOREVER BEFORE
ALMIGHTY GOD SAVE ME AND WIPE MY TEARS
my name is Helen Asmund from Canada, the greatest testimony i have ever
seen in my life i want to use this great opportunity to thank prophet Tb
Joshua the man of God.i was having a breast cancer over 5moths, everyone
around me run away from me even my husband who i think he loves me so
much told me is over i cried and cried no body could help me out i went
to the best hospital in Canada no solution, all hope was lost, on one
faithful day as i was going online i saw a testimony of this great man
of God Tb Joshua (tbjoshualivescoanminitries@gmail.com) that people
sharing about him how he has been helping people i never believed that
this will work out but not withstanding there is nothing God can not do,
so i decided to contact his Email: tbjoshualivescoanminitries@gmail.com
i explain all my problems to him he told me not to worry about if really
i believe in God the most high i shall be healed. he told me what to do
i quickly follow up with his instruction i never let money be my
problem. within the next 2day my illness and pains were healed, my
brothers and sisters there is nothing God can not do if you have not
given your life to Christ please try and do so once again his
email:tbjoshualivescoanminitries@gmail.com if you have any problem
similar to this you can contact him and your problem shall be solve, i
will not stop sharing his name as a testimony because he brings me joy
and happiness now i am happy my husband is back. any problem regarding
as follow you can contact him God almighty is great
1) If you want your ex back.
(2) if you always have bad dreams.
(3) You want to be promoted in your office.
(4) You want women/men to run after you.
(5) If you want a child.
(6) You want to tie your husband/wife to be yours forever.