Seunfunmi Joshua
On Monday, January 8, 2024, the BBC unveiled a documentary with 25 eyewitnesses and alleged victims who claimed they lived with TB Joshua at various times on his church premises.
Temitope Balogun Joshua, popularly known as Pastor TB Joshua, is the founder of The Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), in Lagos, Nigeria.
Before his death in 2021, TB Joshua has always come under scrutiny from the media and the general public following strange happenings over the years in his church.
He posthumously faces scrutiny again in a BBC documentary investigating allegations of sexual crimes, garnering significant public attention.
Here’s what we learnt from the BBC documentary.
TB Joshua’s Videos Weren’t A Coincidence, He Was A Master Planner Who Used VHS Videos
In an old interview footage from the documentary, TB Joshua explained the reasoning behind capturing everything on camera, stating, “If Jesus wasn’t recorded in the Bible, you would not believe that he’s the same yesterday, today, and forever.”
Former SCOAN core member Agomoh Paul, stated that, approximately 90% of the ministry’s earnings were invested in VHS videos, with Joshua giving a clear directive to the camera crew: “Record everything.” These videos showcased healings at SCOAN, reinforcing the authenticity of his miracle-focused message.
The directive by TB Joshua definitely had an impact as abroad based former members of SCOAN, Rae & Anneka were introduced to TB Joshua’s ministry through these videos.
Rae from the UK shared with the BBC, “The day it started was the day I was shown videos from SCOAN. Nothing was ever the same. We didn’t know what we were going to see. As soon as it started playing, it had a profound effect on me.”
Anneka, in her own words said “It was an African church. I was like ‘What am I seeing? What am I watching?’ They were quite graphic. There was no warning. It was private body parts that were swollen and oozing with pus. People with cancers and growth just being vulnerable and desperate. It was shocking to see.”
A Man of God with Anger Issues
Several former church members asserted that despite presenting a holy facade to the world, TB Joshua had a severe temper.
One member shared an experience, saying, “One of my jobs was writing articles for the church. He called me in and said, ‘Where’s the article? Have you not published it yet?’ And I said, ‘Sorry, sir. I’ve not published it yet,’ and he slapped me.”
Another member recalled that people would flee when the clergyman was angry, and those who remained were subjected to slaps. The belief was ingrained that being slapped by him was considered an honor as it signified being close to Jesus.
The Sexual Abuser
Several women, who were once under TB Joshua’s discipleship, alleged that they were sexually abused by the clergyman. Abisola, one of his earliest female disciples, claimed she was raped throughout the 14 years she was a member. She also revealed how the clergyman would ask her to find virgins.
“TB Joshua asked me to find virgins for him, to bring young girls into the disciple fold. In the midnight, this person would be called into his bedroom so that he could disvirgin them.
“We went into his room, and I stood there. He said, “Off your clothes,” so I removed my clothes. He just pointed, so I lay down, and then he raped me. He broke my virginity. I was screaming, and he was whispering in my ears that I should stop acting like a baby. I was 17 years old. I was underage,” another ex-member of SCOAN told the BBC.
A Man of God Obsessed With Oyinbo (The Whites)
Paul, the self acclaimed former second-in-command to TB Joshua, claimed the preacher exhibited a significant preference for a white audience. “He had a special interest in oyinbo,” said the former SCOAN member.
Paul exposed some of the tactics employed by Joshua in the documentary, claiming he distributed VHS videos of miracles and confessions to a white pastor from South Africa, asking him to share them in his home country. These tactics proved successful in attracting a white congregation, and Paul noted, “The greatest thing that pumped Synagogue church was when the foreigners started coming.”
TB Joshua definitely built a community of loyal and dedicated followers, this helped spread the church’s message and recruit new members easily. Abisola and Paul revealed to the BBC that they targeted vulnerable white individuals, particularly the unmarried ones, as they were perceived as easier to manipulate.
Paul explained, “Some intelligent disciples are sent to stalk the whites. We don’t approach anyone; we look at you and how you fall into what is happening in SCOAN.”
Another reason for his obsession for white people was also attributed to the fact that TB Joshua wanted to enslave them as payback for what the whites did to his forefathers. In Paul’s words, Joshua said “I will teach them a lesson, I will show them..”
The 2014 Guest House Collapse Was Due To A Structural Defect
On September 12, 2014, a guest house at the SCOAN ministries in Ikotun-Egbe, Lagos, collapsed, an incident which stands as one of the most devastating disasters to hit a place of worship in Africa, claiming the lives of 115 people.
Two days after the collapse, TB Joshua publicly attributed the incident to an aircraft that purportedly flew over the building used to accommodate visiting pilgrims.
In the documentary, Emmanuel, a former SCOAN worker, asserted that the church building had a structural defect. Rae also supported Emmanuel’s claim, stating to the BBC that the late TB Joshua disregarded professional advice and expanded the building against recommendations.
In her words, she said, “The building collapse is a prime example of life under TB Joshua. It’s a series of cover-ups. This incident was so significant that it was nearly impossible for him to conceal.”
Final Thoughts
TB Joshua might be late but his name may not be forgotten quickly in the memories of a lot of people across the world for some of the revelations in this documentary.
For some, all allegations against him are valid while the others claim he was an actual Man of God.
