Go well, Prophet TB Joshua

I had been thinking about what to write, with all that is going on in Nigeria. Then, gbam, TB Joshua, whom I was not planning to say anything about, at least not soon. I am older but we are almost age-mates. Sadly, as most of you would have heard. Prophet TB Joshua (TBJ) passed on on 5 June 2021, a week to his 58th birthday. His call to glory was reported across the world, on radio, TV and social media. Depending on which one you have been able to read or listen to, the commentary is diverse. Some are celebrating while others are mourning his death. As the body of Christ, we should not judge. I am sure that most of us will not be able to cast the first stone, abi (or can we)? But I am not going to preach in this eulogy because I am not a preacher.

I knew about TBJ when I was doing my first degree. As teenagers, we liked to poke fun into almost everything, and so many things happen in Nigeria. Lively country, full of happy people, who even celebrate sadness. Funny people. I think the Guru Maharaji was the first to arrive on the scene. Quite confronting, in a country that does not have any tangible Indian population. Guru Maharaji was even black; a Nigerian. And just then, around the mid-1985, this bearded man arose, and we heard that his headquarters was in the sleepy Lagos suburb of Ikotun-Egbe. And strangely, he called his group the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN). Again, we are not Jews and we do not have a sizeable Jewish population in Nigeria. If you are not Nigerian and are still wondering who we are; we are almost 99 % African; almost 98 % Nilotics – the people of the Nile. I won’t say more on this one in this article.

I think I must have visited Ikotun for the first time when I was preparing to depart for Australia in 1993. I did not visit the SCOAN. However, well before then, we used to read about TBJ and marvelled at his work. If any of our class-mates did anything strange, we would scream “TBJ” and laugh.

I got to really know TBJ many years later. I think I must have actually strayed into SCOAN in around 2015. I had gone to a conference in Germany and then passed through Nigeria to meet with officials of the Nigerian Institute of Animal Science at Abuja, and then flew to attend their conference at Ibadan, Nigeria. After the conference, I was dropped back at Lagos, to fly back to Australia. Staying over in Lagos on a Sunday, I asked a cousin to take me to SCOAN. He was not a fan of TBJ and declined. Rather, he called his Pentecostal pastor and we prayed in my hotel somewhere at Ikeja, Lagos. I am still friends to this Pastor but I still wanted to meet TBJ.

Finally, I did in early January 2016 when I returned to Nigeria on a holiday with my family. I am not sure I want to recount my experience but I would just say it was challenging. Maybe, let me do. We were told that we had to leave the hotel at 4 am. Challenge number one. How would one wake up two teenage boys to take a taxi at that unholy hour? We managed to leave the hotel at 5 am and got to SCOAN at about 5.30 am. My heart sank when I saw the queues, for male and female. I almost asked the driver to take us back to the hotel to catch our sleep. I persisted and wanted to feed my scientific mind. Is TBJ real? Is what he does real? What about all the foreign legion that flocks to SCOAN? Why are they going there? His church is even full of people who think that the African is not human. Why are they going there? These were the questions that motivated me to join the queue. The screening was hectic but professional. The officers tended to screen out local Nigerians from entering the main church, which can only hold about 20 000 or so. Those who know me would know that this would be a problem. IAM PROUDLY NIGERIAN. However, I kept my peace and I reasoned with the officers. There were people carrying the flags of my second country – Australia, the best country in the world. Did they have to travel 20 000 km to see a black man who could hardly speak correct English? There were Americans, Germans, Russians, Indians, Chinese, Africans and Nigerians. I felt humbled. I could immediately see that this was not where introducing oneself as “Professor” would work. I could see royalty at the place; there were Presidents and Prime Ministers; top-ranking government officials and you name it. So yes, there was a need to ensure that these people from distant places all got a seat in the Synagogue. The locals do protest but most of them with enough faith agree to stay in the overflow canopies, which themselves hold far more people than the Synagogue itself. The entire service was relayed live, wherever anyone sat anyway. In the main building, unless you were close to the front or on the first floor, you could hardly see TBJ physically, but he did move around a lot, especially when he touched people who came for prayers. Some days, he would touch almost all the thousands in the church. He would even suddenly leave the main building and go to the overflow canopies!

My wife and I managed to get in without our children. Our children were re-directed to the Children's church. All our pleas that we came from 20 000 km away fell on deaf ears. I lost my anger when we got into the Synagogue. Being Methodist (I salute my Founder, John Wesley), the songs were strange to me but good. Did I tell you we got to SCOAN at 5.30? Good. We got into the main building at about 8 am and sang songs of praise for the next 2 or 3 hours. Jeez. Then, we went into the testimony sessions for about 4 hours. I am not going to swear again. Lots of testimonies, to build the faith as the SCOAN officials told us. It helped. A BLACK MAN CANNOT BRIBE A WHITE MAN TO CONFIRM HEALING FROM HIM. I reasoned.

Hours later, I wanted to use the toilets but was stopped. Why, I challenged? The ushers were irritating but firm. They told me that the Man of God was soon coming out and no movement was allowed. If I wanted to leave permanently, they advised, they would let me go. Jeez. I held my wee and sat back. Then, there was a powerful song by Anu. I knew her name after 3 visits to the Synagogue. Before we went to SCOAN, my family had named her ”Yellow Pages”, after the winner of one of the Voice series, Caryse, in Australia. Anu can sing beautiful songs from any lyrics, just like Caryse.

Then, the church erupted. I looked around me to see what was going on but saw nothing. Then I heard the familiar voice: Good Morning. Emmanuel!! You may be seated. God’s time is the best. I was still lost but then I saw TBJ right on the screen in my front. I was not even on the main floor but on the first level. I looked to the altar, and there he was. He spoke for about 30 minutes; TBJ does not peach, he uplifts. Then he stopped, handed over the mic and began to pray for individuals. There was no way he would get to us. I felt sad but happy with my first visit to the Synagogue.

He met with visitors from outside Lagos and Nigeria at 8 pm until almost 11 pm. My boys could join in this one. He wore a pair of jeans and a T-shirt and was his simple best. We chatted with him; he prayed for us, and asked us to collect stickers and Morning Water the following day.

We went back to the Synagogue on Monday morning, at least not before 7 pm. We met at the overflow canopy, not the main building. This was my chance to find out more. Were they going to ask for N500k (about US$1700 at the time) from people to get a portrait of TBJ? They met with each family or individuals, to explain things to them. I told the lady who attended to us upfront that we were from Australia (fantasy land of wealth) over and over again. It did not touch her. She said that we could be partners, paying or non-paying. It did not matter to them. I was “disappointed” that they did not want to scam me! Well, we got our Morning Water and stickers and were asked to buy a DVD for N5000 (about US$16). I asked for more Morning Water so that I could pay more. They refused. These are not good fraudsters, I reasoned.

I think I need to end this fairy tale soon; it is ticking to 2.30 am. I am not going to say much about why I think there is no magic at SCOAN. TBJ is real. You only need to follow their links to see that they are genuine. They are not a denomination although there are people who worship there every week. TBJ would even tell visitors to return to their own churches after the visit! He would not accept tithes, rather admonishing the partners and visitors to give to the needy directly, unless they wanted to donate, so that he could use it to help people. And help, he did, across Nigeria and across the world. He went to Christian countries, Buddhist ones and Islamic destinations, and donated to even the Governments, to help the poor. I think his stand and pronouncement on tithing really killed his relationship with the Pentecostal groups.

One should only remember that religion is a matter of faith. Jesus Christ could hardly perform any miracle at Nazareth, his birthplace because they did not believe in him. Miracles are not a Christian thing only – Moslems, Buddhists, Hinduists, etc are all able to heal. For Christians, Jesus said that we could do more than him if we have the smallest faith and asked of God. We can, because now, he sits with the Father and intercedes for us. Do we have to be righteous to gain from his intercession? No. We all fall short of the glory of God. We should confess our sins. What the hell! I said that I would not preach.

 I have been to Synagogue five times. I cry for the Man of God and beseech God to grant him rest. The silence from the Pentecostal Federation of Nigeria? I am Methodist but I listen to all of you – Oyedepo, Adeboye (my condolences on the passing of Dare), Oyakhilome, Kumuyi, Enenche (Ayinya nwune nwune, my brother-in-law), Ibiyeomie, etc. Let us leave judgment to God. The videos about TBJ’s sinful life? I won’t comment. Read your Bible.

My condolences to his wife, Evelyn, his children, all the staff of SCOAN and partners all over the world. Emmanuel!!!

Prof Paul Iji resides in Fiji Islands. He writes this article in his personal capacity as a Christian and Nigerian. May the Holy Name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, be glorified forever and ever.