It is with great shock and heavy heart that we received the news of the sudden death of one of the most prominent televangelist and prophet of God on 5th June, T.B. Joshua, founder and General Overseer of the Synagogue of All Nations, a church located in Egbeda Ikotun, Lagos Nigeria. Shortly before his demise and precisely just a few days before his death, he recorded a short video informing his followers and well-wishers of the need to redirect their focus from his 58th birthday which was to be celebrated on June 12 as usual. He spoke from his heart about the impending danger that looms in Nigeria and to that effect admonished his followers not to take any risk travelling from across the globe to Nigeria for his birthday. Rather, he indicated that June 12 should be used to pray and fast for Nigeria.
He also emphasized the importance of considering the needy which is an act of generosity as well as the heartbeat of God. In his words: ‘there are many birthdays ahead to celebrate’. As if the man of God knew he won’t make it to his 58th birthday which is on June 12, he prepared the minds of his followers to engage in spiritual activities that profits and that you may wish to believe was his last message to them and a message of great importance which revolved around spiritual development and charity endeavours. Recall that Jesus at Caesarea Philippi once asked his disciples about who themselves know him to be. This sequel the information they brought before Jesus about what people outside know him to be. In the same vein, people are bound to have perceived T.B Joshua differently and that is life for you.
Nonetheless, there is one thing that resonates and that is the highly impactful philanthropic work of this man of God not only in his neighborhood but outside where thousands of people will miss his direct impact on their lives.
T.B Joshua was gifted as a miracle worker though his method of dispensing treatments has been very controversial being at variance with the conventional methods known to Nigerians. Just as all the popular and highly placed ministers of God in Nigeria are in the eyes of bloggers as very controversial ranging from the kind of miracles they claim to have performed in their churches to other concerns such as financial impropriety, living flashy lives and neglect of the needy around them. What difference can one make between the kind of miracles performed in the Synagogue of all Nations through Pastor T.B. Joshua, though scary ones and those performed in other churches like Winners Chapel where some of the people healed in their testimony were said to have vomited live snakes, live fish, talisman, cowries and the like?
Miracles in Nigerian churches are a subject of controversy and to this end, any attempt made trying to ascertain their authenticity will amount to pursuing the shadow and will end in a fiasco. Since we as human beings are limited in the use of our senses to unravel mysteries, judgement therefore from the use of such senses can only be inaccurate. When you err in vision, you cannot but stumble in judgement. Let’s leave judgement to God and appreciate the good that Prophet T.B Joshua did in his own little way to put smile on the faces of people.
Supo Ayokunle, President of the Christian Association of Nigeria – CAN
On a final note, one would have thought that if not all the ministers of God in Nigeria, at least the prominent ones among them including the PFN and the Christian Association of Nigeria should have sent their condolences to the families of Late Prophet T.B. Joshua. Not doing so to me is an expression of spiritual hypocrisy and moral bankruptcy and on the other hand, it may be that they are still holding prayer sessions for his ‘come back’. For with God, nothing is impossible. We of the Giantability Media Network use this medium to convey our hearty condolences to the families of Late Prophet T.B. Joshua, his church members worldwide as well as well-wishers and we pray that God grant them all the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss. Indeed, the mighty has fallen and the weapons of war are perishing. May the Lord uphold his church. Amen! Adieu Prophet T.B. Joshua.
By Samuel ‘Tunji Adeyanju
Great one. May His souls rest in perfect peace.