Remembering an enigma, a champion of faith – Prophet TB Joshua

If the enigmatic televangelist and the founder of Synagogue Church of All Nations, Lagos, Nigeria, Prophet TB Joshua were to be alive today, he would have celebrated his 62nd birthday. A colossus and a genuine preacher of the gospel, who lived by example Prophet TB Joshua; til his death, lived a life of service to humanity, touching lives in different ways. Like he used to say, “One life for Christ is all I have, one life so dear.

Prophet Joshua was a phenomenon, who built people rather than structures, he invested in winning souls and building disciples for Christ. His charity works were immense as he touched millions of the needy and distressed people across the world through his Emmanuel Tv team and partners.

For a man who was seen from different perspectives depending on your understanding of who he is, Prophet TB Joshua meant many things to many people. To many, he was a mentor that pointed the way to salvation for them, to some, he was a prophet sent by Christ to win souls and raise disciples and yet to others he was a controversial figure whose calling was questionable. But he had always told those in doubt of his calling, to ask God in prayers to reveal to them who TB Joshua really is.

Despite the attacks from different quarters concerning his miracle works, the reverred man of God never stopped doing good by allowing God to use him to heal, deliver, prophesy, teach and preach the word. He never hesitated to forgive and pray for those who had attacked him earlier but came back to seek for healing or help in one way or the other

He listened to cries of the needy and provided succour to the hopeless through his magnanimity. He never segregated, he lived an open life and made himself available according to Kwame Boateng, a Ghanaian based in Lagos

The frequent orchestrated attacks he received especially via the media, drew more people to the church specifically visitors from across the world. Every week the church played hosts to hundreds of visitors from across the world who thronged the church headquarters at Ikotun Egbe, Lagos, for one spiritual problem or the other.

Every year, SCOAN hosts millions of national and international visitors. The church has been reported to attract more weekly attendees than the combined number of visitors to Buckingham Palace and the Tower of London.

According to a newspaper report, figures released by the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), few years ago, indicated that six out of every 10 foreign travellers coming into Nigeria were bound for SCOAN.

Over two million local and inbound tourists visit the church, which also runs Emmanuel TV television station from Lagos, annually.

Emmanuel TV, a global Christian television station, reached a subscriber base of over 1 million on its YouTube channel garnering over 387 million views, making it the most watched Christian ministry, not exclusively focused on music programming, on the platform.

His YouTube channel, Emmanuel TV, had over one million subscribers and was the most-viewed Christian ministry on the platform before the channel was suspended by YouTube in 2021 for alleged homophobic hate speech. Prophet Joshua was described by media outlets as the “Oprah of Evangelism and “YouTube’s most popular pastor”.

Also, the SCOAN’s popular services have resulted in an enormous boost for local businesses and hoteliers.

This feat did not go unnoticed, as Prophet Joshua in his lifetime received several awards both locally and internationally.

He received a national honour for the award of the Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR), by the government of late former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua in 2008 . TB Joshua was also voted Yoruba man of the decade by Pan-Yoruba media outlet Irohin-Odua.
He was also named as one of Africa’s 50 most influential people by Pan-African magazines- The Africa Report and New African Magazine including several other honours and awards.

His prayer mountain tagged the Faith Resort ground has been transformed into a world class Resort Centre, which attracts visitors regularly, who needed a comfortable and serene environment to meditate and commune with God.

With the Emmanuel TV’s motto “Changing lives, changing nations and changing the world”, millions of lives have been transformed through the channel as the church continues to reach out to millions through its charity work across the world.

Prophet Joshua believed in building people’s faith, helping people discover their gift and talent, so some of the things used by the church was produced within the church, so says Chukwuma Benedict a member.

On 5th of June, 2021, the shocking death of the SCOAN founder was announced which threw the world into mourning. Though his death was a tragic loss to millions of Emmanuel Tv viewers and members of the church around the world, his good works has continued to resonate through Emmanuel Tv and it’s partners with his widow Pastor Mrs Evelyn Joshua now steering the ship as the leader .

Born on 12 June 1963, as Temitope Balogun Joshua, he went to be with the Lord on June 5th 2021, just few days before his 57th birthday.  Joshua’s home town was Arigidi, Akoko, Ondo State.

As the world celebrates an enigma who built lives , an epitome of humility and love, a mentor to millions of believers around the world, his good works and exemplary leadership has continued to resonate across the world as his legacy lives on.