Victims of late TB Joshua/SCOAN Seek Government inquest into BBC documentary and Police Intervention Against The Synagogue Church of all Nations and their supporters Over Threats To Lives & Harassments A group of Nigerians who suffered various abuses from the late popular clergyman, TB Joshua, has reached out to the police authorities, appealing for intervention and protection against harassment, cyberbullying, and threats to their lives allegedly perpetrated by the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) and Prophet Jeremiah Omoto-Fufeyin. In a petition, addressed to the state governor, Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, Inspector General of Police in Nigeria, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ministry of Justice – Citizens Rights, Ministry of Justice – Attorney- General, FIDA, and Presidential Library Abeokuta submitted on 6th February 2024, the group said it was facing fresh problems because it had courageously come forward amongst other people with unpleasant revelations regarding the atrocities and abuses allegedly experienced while they were members and disciples of the late leader of SCOAN, Prophet TB Joshua. The BBC investigative documentary gained nationwide attention following of the release, which exposed alleged rights abuses committed by the late clergyman. The victims, who consisted of local and foreign nationals, had bravely shared their personal accounts of sexual abuse, rapes, abortions, ill-treatments, and manipulations they endured while associated with SCOAN and under the influence of T.B. Joshua. In their petition, the former disciples who are Nigerians, including Bisola Hephzi-bah Johnson, Paul Godswill Agomoh, Ajoke Godswill, Emmanuel Ezemkwere, Babatunde John, and Eyiowuawi Michael, emphasized the importance of freedom of speech and the right of individuals to share their stories, particularly when it involves matters of abuse and injustice. However, the victims claim now face fresh incessant harassment, cyber-bullying, and threats from SCOAN and its allies since speaking out about their experiences, adding that the trauma they endured during their time with T.B. Joshua has already left lasting scars, and the additional burden of harassment further exacerbates their plight. In light of these distressing developments, the group has called upon the Nigeria Police Force, under the able leadership of Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun, Federal Ministry of Justice, FIDA, Department for State Security Service DSS and other concerned authorities to take immediate action. The victims have requested the following actions:
1. Conduct an immediate investigation into the allegations made by both local and foreign ex-disciples against T.B. Joshua and the Synagogue Church of All Nations.
2. Provide adequate protection and support for the individuals who have come forward, ensuring their safety and well-being.
3. Undertake a thorough review of existing laws and policies related to religious organizations to ensure they provide sufficient protection for the rights and safety of their members.
4. Collaborate with relevant authorities to address any criminal activities that may be uncovered during the investigation.
5. Issue a public statement condemning harassment, cyberbullying, and threats against individuals exercising their right to speak out against abuse.
The alleged victims also urged the police authorities to give due consideration to their plea and take appropriate actions to safeguard their rights and dignity.
The group is currently receiving support from rights group, Bisola Johnson Foundation/Freedom To The Captive Platform, as they navigate their ordeal.
This is how I lost my beloved sister to death through TB Joshua’ deception, and how late TB joshua stole from my family and also tried to sexually molest my 12year old daughter. I’m the Swiss lady Christine she is talking about, and Mary is my beloved late sister, whom evil TB Joshua killed. Everything Ms. Theresa Johnson said is nothing but the truth. James Obiorah introduced us to this fake prophet. My beloved sister was just 24 years, was taking her medication and was in good health condition under the care of her European Doctors in Switzerland, until James Obiora came with some of TB Joshua’s miracle healing videos to our house, he pleaded with us to visit the prophet, whom he was calling his spiritual father, assuring us that our sister will be totally healed when we visit TB Joshua in Nigeria.
My daughter was not up to 14 years, she was 12years it a shame that this pedophile is not behind bars. What happened to my sister is beyond words and many innocent souls that I met in Synagogue that died around the same time my beloved sister past on. They were also asked and forced to stop taking their medication, I know several of them. I’m very disappointed and still very sad, in the manner that my beloved sister Mary was mishandled, hiring this testimony from THERESA BROUGHT BACK SAD MEMORY AND UNCONTROLLABLE TEARS, reliving this horror over again!
What Bisola did not mention is that they advised us to leave my sister Mary and one of our Swiss friends that also passed away behind, the reason was that it was just 5 day’s left for the miracle water that was done every month, we were told that once my sister bath with that water she will be permanently healed. That is the only reason we left her behind and fly back to Switzerland because we had to go back to work. She was in very good health when we left her and happy, she even escorted us to the car as we were heading to the airport, I can’t forget her beautiful smile as she was waving bye to me, little did I know that this was going to be her last smile. I tried to call her over 10 times every day when I got back to Switzerland but never had the chance to talk to her again.
Bisola and many other disciples that picked the phone kept on giving me excuses one after another, either she was sleeping or away in the crowd. A few days later, I received a very short phone call from Theressa instructing me to go to Zurich airport just a few hours before the flight landed at Zurich airport to pick up my sister, was very happy to hear that my sister was finally coming back home, but the joy did not last long! When I got to the airport, I almost passed out when I saw my beloved sister……She was in a very bad condition, it was the most horrifying and very painful experience in my life, that I will never forget, my sister was speechless and was in a coma lying half dead.
Bisola never told me the condition my sister was in when she called me, and when I called her to ask what happened she refused to pick up our calls, she only picked my phone one time very short when my sister died, and when I told her my sister died, we were blamed for her death, we were told that it was either our fault or my late sister’s fault, that she was healed but probably she had some sins she did not confess, I called TB Joshua, but he never picked our calls. They were so hurtless and cold-blooded, absolutely no sympathy or any kind words of consolation. The Swiss doctors almost sued us for allowing this fake prophet to stop my sister from taking her medication including the Swiss guy we brought to synagogue who also passed away later on.
A lady nurse from England that we met in synagogue also died shortly after going back to England, she was taken out of her medication too. I found it very difficult to forgive myself for ever taking my beloved sister to the Synagogue and letting her remain behind in the hands of those evil creatures. To be honest, when Bisola contacts me through Facebook, I was not happy and did not take it easy with her at all, after years of going through all the pains and the sorrows, not knowing what happened to our sister, and the most painful thing is her videos of testimony was all over on TV, even though they knew she was dead, they still used her videos of her planned fake testimonies that she was healed.
After the burial, I even flew back to the synagogue to find out what actually happened since they refused to pick my calls, but Bisola and all other disciples were not amazed to see me, TB Joshua hide from me, every one of them totally ignored me and was warned not to tell anyone that my sister Mary died. TB Joshua assigned few of his disciples to watch my every move and whom I was talking to as I was trying to investigate the course of the sudden death of my sister during those two days I spent there, I left to go back without any answer. I trusted Theresa so much and I took her as a sister, she begged me to bring my daughter with me the second time of our visit to meet TB Joshua, that he wanted to pray for her, knowing that this man was a pedophile and she even told me that TB Joshua wanted me to leave my daughter at the Synagogue church, when we said NO,
TB Joshua himself pleaded with us to let our daughter remain there, and we said NO. And for me to hear this to on this YouTube today that his intention was to destroy my innocent daughter live too is still very disturbing to me, and I’m glad we did not let that happen. It took me some time to forgive Theresa as she remorseful begged for forgiveness if took God to touch my heart to be able to forgive her. I felt her sincerity and guilt. I’m glad she was able to get out of that dark hole, I’m glad and admire her boldness to expose this evil practice in that Synagogue of Satan. I know Kanu, Amokachi and James Obiora, I also met some Nigerian actors and actress in the synagogue two of them died too. Since my beloved sister tragic incident. I have learnt the hard way, never to ever trust any of the so-called prophets or men of God. TB Joshua used us, we were like his Swiss bank, thinking about it want to make me throw out. Bisola called me several times and gave me a list of the things TB Joshua needed; you can be sure they were not cheap. Was in Synagogue more than 3 times, when I look back during those days, I always ask myself how blind was I……!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I Confirm that every word that Bisola saying about TB Joshua is nothing but the truth… I’m glad she is standing up for the truth. I’m so surprised to hear my own story and my name on this YouTube. People that are calling Bisola a liar are ignorant and most of them are totally brainwashed. Maybe because they have not experienced a loss of a loved one in such a brutal manner. TB Joshua killed my sister Mary……And many others that I personally met there, we exchanged the phone numbers, and that’s how I found out about their death. Visiting SCOAN was a curse for me, after Mary died, I lost 5 members of my family back to back.
By Samson Folarin Contributor : Bisola Hephzi-bah Johnson
A posthumous trial or post-mortem trial is a trial held after the defendant‘s death. Posthumous trials can be held for a variety of reasons, including the legal declaration that the defendant was the one who committed the crime, to provide justice for society or family members of the victims, or to exonerate a wrongfully convicted person after their death. Due to the heavy cost, they are usually held only under extraordinary circumstances.
In 897, the body of Pope Formosus was exhumed and taken to trial in what became known as the Cadaver Synod. Formosus died seven months earlier and was accused of perjury by John III. His corpse was taken to court, clad in papal vestment and propped on a throne. Witnesses came forward to testify against him. Formosus, after all evidence, was pronounced guilty. Upon conviction, his clothes were torn as his pontificate and decisions were revoked. The fingers he used in blessing the congregation were cut off. Then he was re-buried.
This macabre trial, which I came across recently, ran through my mind as I watched with horror the disturbing revelations from the BBC documentary on Prophet TB Joshua of the Synagogue Church of All Nations. I wondered if TB could face posthumous prosecution for the allegations of rapes, abortions, assaults, occultism, slavery, and manipulation levelled against him by his former disciples and members, including five Britons. A South African woman even claimed she aborted three times for TB Joshua! I felt sad and angry at the same time.
Truth is, most of these heart-rending tales of abuse are not new. Late investigative journalist Kolawole Olawuyi unraveled this mess more than two decades ago. As a reporter on the Metro desk those days, I wrote several stories on this man, particularly the mysterious deaths and curious cover-ups in his church with the connivance of his indoctrinated disciples. Some of his former members also made videos and wrote books, desperately calling attention to the alleged atrocities of TB Joshua. Many of these stories were discredited and described as rantings of aggrieved and envious haters because late TB Joshua paid heavily on his hired Media PR who helped him to create a personality/character that doesn’t exit. Image launderer, dirty cleaner journalists who helped him to do the needful each time he was in trouble. Amongst them were: Dayo Thomas, Dele Momodu, Idika Kalu, Jide Osikoya, Bolaji Tunji, Sonny Irabor, Ogundipe, Femi Oyewale, John Edwards, Olabanji, and many others.
Instead, heads of governments and world leaders flocked to TB’s church at Ikotun Egbe, a backwater community in Lagos, to endorse his unconventional methods that made him a pariah in Nigerian Christian circles. But now that the BBC has made this film with graphic details and testimonies, maybe there will be a push for some retribution on his estate.
I, however, have two concerns with regards to the sexual allegations. First, there are many more TB Joshuas in Africa, keeping thousands of gullible ladies in religious bondage. These are felons with specialties in sophistry and sophisticated nonsense, who have perfected a system of keeping young innocent girls in sexual servitude. In Nigeria, a few of them have been exposed. Some of their victims have spoken to local media, revealing the dirty things done behind closed curtains, far from the klieg lights of public performance. But the justice system has failed them. Their cries of pain have been drowned by the hosannah screams of followers of these powerful and untouchable pastor-preneurs, who are being protected by a complicit, enabling society that shields them from accountability and responsibility.
In 1988, Jimmy Swaggart, a popular televangelist, was accused of consorting with a sex worker at a time the church in America was rocked with different sex scandals involving top pastors. Swaggart had exposed a few. With no hiding place, he sobbed in front of his 7,000 congregation, confessing to his “moral failure” as he resigned his position. I am not sure anything like this has happened in Nigeria, the most religious country in the world. And yet, we have an unenviable record of sexual exploitation through the pulpit. In a series of investigations I conducted last year on a particular prominent pastor accused of raping at least three of his female members, I discovered these pastors blackmail and harass their victims with compromised security agents. Attempts were made to bribe me as well, but I refused. Now, the accused is facing prosecution as his naïve members and followers are made to believe their ‘papa’ is only a victim of political persecution. There are more of his ilk. The unfortunate thing is that we may never know how much havoc they have caused until they die like several pastors whose licentious relationships only came to light after their demise. For TB, it was apparent in his lifetime, but he somehow evaded justice.
My second worry is that the BBC film has a lot of ramifications and implications. But the greatest for me is the toll it could take on Nigerians and the Christian faith. TB Joshua, in his lifetime, was one of the biggest exports of Nigeria. While the country struggled to attract tourists, the SCOAN effortlessly drew thousands of worshippers from different parts of the world. At a time, eight out of 10 tourists arriving in Nigeria were said to be going to TB’s church. Many converted to Christianity because of him. But now that the lid has been blown on Pandora’s box, the Nigerian Christian community will take a major hit. Many will turn sceptics. Some will backslide. A few might even want to stop going to church. With Nigeria’s bad reputation, true Christian leaders will face increased scrutiny when they go to other countries.
But whatever happens, I am strongly convinced that miracles, as supernatural acts of God, are real. There are also true ministers of God in Nigeria and Africa. Without making excuses for monstrous rapists, a few undisciplined preachers may have fallen into sexual sins because they could not handle the attention that comes with increased fame. Pastors are not the only ones guilty of this. There are artists who sleep recklessly with fawning female fans, lecturers who abuse their position as loco parentis to rape students, and managers who sleep with recruits and younger colleagues as condition for favour and promotion. A common thread runs through them all: abuse of power and indiscipline! The only difference is that spiritual leaders are expected to be beacons of integrity and chastity. When they fail, the mess is almost unforgivable.
I commend all the courageous men and women, particularly the former disciples, who spoke to the BBC after going through such horrendous and traumatizing ordeals at the hands of a man they trusted. To be a victim of sexual abuse and talk about it openly can be very difficult. Now their stories have a global audience. I understand that the plan was to confront TB Joshua with these allegations, but he died while interviews were running for the two-year investigations. I urge young girls facing sexual exploitation and enslavement whether in religious or secular circles to enlist the support of reputable rights groups and journalists. Don’t suffer in silence. Confront that fake prophet like Ajoke, TB Joshua’s daughter, did on behalf of those women, despite being ostracized by her father. The government and the church failed in the handling of the grievous allegations against TB Joshua, even after his guest house killed 116 people. There must be proper accountability for these crimes. I demand apologies from those who failed to defend the victims in spite of their outcry.
9 Years today, it was exactly 3month after Abdul-Fatai Balogun alias TB Joshua celebrated his infamous birthday on 12th, June 2014 that his guest house collapsed on those who visited SCOAN from different walks of life in desperation for miracles; but ended up in body bags as they die violent death. Extremely sad and tragic were the many lies and cover-ups in SCOAN known to be deceptive; and up till today, nothing has come up to tell the world what truly happen, but we know exactly what happened. INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST WITH LEGAL PROOF THAT TB JOSHUA WAS AN ABUSER OF WOMEN AND WAS ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BUILDING COLLAPSE is the house to open our eyes to the Truth. Our prayers and thoughts are with the families of the departed.
Deception Of The Age is Unmasked in this Book-THE TB JOSHUA I KNOWPeople eyes are beginning to open, read the experiences of people across the world in – Reasons You Should Not Visit The Synagogue ‘church’ Of All Nations
Be Prepared! Let’s Do it Again! This has been going on for many years in case you don’t know. If you are concern and led, kindly join us closely or from distance to pray and to fast. No tithes, No offerings required. It is strictly service unto God. And please do not go on hunger strike, which is fasting without purpose. There is a purpose for everything. God bless! We keep you posted on the daily Zoom link. Our 4 prayer points haven’t changed:
Prayer for the true Church of Jesus Christ (not buildings but the people of God) and ministers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Prayer for the pulpit bandits and charlatans to be exposed and repent genuinely.
Prayer for the spiritual and religious captives to be set free and fulfilled God’s purpose for their individual life.
Prayer for the Gospel of Jesus Christ to spread around the world. Blessings 🙏
JOINT PRAYER SESSION ON ZOOM AT 8PM Nigeria Time Freedom To The Captives Movement is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: June Fasting & Prayer Time: Jun 1, 2023 08:00 PM Universal Time UTC Every day, until Jun 7, 2023, 7 occurrence(s) Jun 1, 2023 08:00 PM Jun 2, 2023 08:00 PM Jun 3, 2023 08:00 PM Jun 4, 2023 08:00 PM Jun 5, 2023 08:00 PM Jun 6, 2023 08:00 PM Jun 7, 2023 08:00 PM Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system. Daily: https://us05web.zoom.us/meeting/tZclce6orT0vGtd8Otfmo9tI3jv6w7-TjY5p/ics?icsToken=98tyKuGrpj0tGteTtRmERpwqGo_oKPTztiFYjbdZxDDxBS1cOxffZehUZKUoXeza
Day 1 Of Prayer & Fasting Thanksgiving & Mercy Bible Text: “Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise! Give thanks to Him; bless His Name!” Psalms 100:4 Prayer: We give God, our Father All the Glory as we are ushered into the King’s awesome presence by His Grace and sanctified by the Blood of Christ. You Alone Are Worthy our Everlasting Father. 2 Bible Text: “Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” And all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that had been thrown down.” 1 Kings 18:30 Prayer: We ask for Your mercy as we confess all our wrongs before You and repair the broken altar in our hearts by the washing and cleansing of Jesus Christ’ Blood for our right-standing with You. JOINT PRAYER SESSION ON ZOOM AT 8PM Nigeria Time Freedom To The Captives Movement is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: June Fasting & Prayer Time: Jun 1, 2023 08:00 PM Universal Time UTC Every day, until Jun 7, 2023, 7 occurrence(s) Jun 1, 2023 08:00 PM Jun 2, 2023 08:00 PM Jun 3, 2023 08:00 PM Jun 4, 2023 08:00 PM Jun 5, 2023 08:00 PM Jun 6, 2023 08:00 PM Jun 7, 2023 08:00 PM Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system. Daily: https://us05web.zoom.us/meeting/tZclce6orT0vGtd8Otfmo9tI3jv6w7-TjY5p/ics?icsToken=98tyKuGrpj0tGteTtRmERpwqGo_oKPTztiFYjbdZxDDxBS1cOxffZehUZKUoXeza
INNER POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT FOR THE TRUE CHURCH TO BE ABLE TO OPERATES IN THE LIFE OF GOD.
Bible Text: And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in Heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in Heaven.”Matthew 16:19 NKJV
Prayer: Father, we pray that no distractions, no power of the flesh or power from the pit of hell would render the authority which Christ has given to His people (Church) to be ineffective/useless. We pray for the fresh breath of the Holy Spirit to fill His people (Church) afresh that we might operate as God’s representative on earth as we ought to, in Jesus Mighty Name. The power of the gates of hades will fail/fall before the Church of Jesus Christ.
JOINT PRAYER SESSION ON ZOOM AT 8PM Nigeria Time Freedom To The Captives Movement is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: June Fasting & Prayer Time: Jun 1, 2023 08:00 PM Universal Time UTC Every day, until Jun 7, 2023, 7 occurrence(s) Jun 1, 2023 08:00 PM Jun 2, 2023 08:00 PM Jun 3, 2023 08:00 PM Jun 4, 2023 08:00 PM Jun 5, 2023 08:00 PM Jun 6, 2023 08:00 PM Jun 7, 2023 08:00 PM Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system. Daily: https://us05web.zoom.us/meeting/tZclce6orT0vGtd8Otfmo9tI3jv6w7-TjY5p/ics?icsToken=98tyKuGrpj0tGteTtRmERpwqGo_oKPTztiFYjbdZxDDxBS1cOxffZehUZKUoXeza
Bible Text: This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the Truth. 1 Timothy 2:3-4 NLT
Prayer:: Dearest Everlasting Father, we thank You for Your good thoughts towards everyone You have created for Your Glory. This is the reason You have sent Your Son to the world of sin. We pray that Your will be done on earth as it is done in Heaven. May Your Reign of Justice, Peace, Love and Power be extended to the hearts of all men as everyone comes to the knowledge of Your Truth (Christ) to be saved genuinely. The Holy Spirit of God, empowers us (followers of Christ) afresh to live life worthy of our calling, an effective life of sanctification that represents Your Kingdom as we ought to, that we might bring more sons unto Glory through our characters and ministrations that witnesses for Christ; in Jesus Christ Mighty Name we pray
JOINT PRAYER SESSION ON ZOOM AT 8PM Nigeria Time Freedom To The Captives Movement is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: June Fasting & Prayer Jun 3, 2023 08:00 PM Jun 4, 2023 08:00 PM Jun 5, 2023 08:00 PM Jun 6, 2023 08:00 PM Jun 7, 2023 08:00 PM Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system. Daily: https://us05web.zoom.us/meeting/tZclce6orT0vGtd8Otfmo9tI3jv6w7-TjY5p/ics?icsToken=98tyKuGrpj0tGteTtRmERpwqGo_oKPTztiFYjbdZxDDxBS1cOxffZehUZKUoXeza
Today, as one of those that God pulled back from the brink of hellfire through His Mercy. I will not hold my peace nor fold my hands seeing others going on opposite direction of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and are led by the vicars of darkness, to be slaughtered in the abattoir of bewitching dark world through doctrines of falsehood; and I will become unconcerned about their souls. Never! I shall be unrelenting in my unapologetically raising proclamations against such evil acts even if I am a last man standing, I will intensify in exposing their activities. So, help me God!
Deception Of The Age is Unmasked in this Book-THE TB JOSHUA I KNOW
Whatever you are going to read in this piece happened. I am putting this up in a very simple narrative that people will understand. I am not publishing this to condemn anybody or to praise anybody.
Every child of God owes it a duty to narrate his experiences to encourage others on this pilgrimage called life.
I will keep the names of some of my senior editors and colleagues secret as I have no permission to use their names here. But many of them are my friends on Facebook and may be reading this piece.
In 2001, I did a story on a lady who was taken to The Synagogue Church of all Nations(SCOAN) for healing. She did not survive after that. Her mother was furious and said she suspected foul play. That story was published in Saturday Champion.
As was normal with me then, I loved to travel all over Nigeria to investigate feature stories. Earlier I had submitted a proposal to travel to do a feature story on the devastation of erosion in the five South East States. I embarked on the journey the week the story was published. We had a tradition in Champion newspapers then. Whenever you traveled, you were expected to report at the state office of the state you traveled to. This was to ensure transparency and for contact and logistics support.
I traveled on a Saturday and on Sunday evening, I reported at the state office at Rotibi Street Owerri. I was barely 30 minutes in the office when the phone rang. There was no GSM then. The Correspondent picked the phone, and I overheard my Editor asking if he had seen me in Owerri. The Correspondent said I was there with him. The Editor demanded to speak with me. He asked me a few questions and added that I should produce a good story. I thanked him. He hung up.
But I became curious. He asked me when I left Lagos, when I arrived in Owerri, the hotel where I was staying, etc. Some of the questions were already answered in the application to travel I submitted to him which was approved and money advanced to me.
Unknown to me, the story of the Lady at the Synagogue had caused an earthquake. They didn’t know that the story was released to the media by one of the Prophet’s trusted aides.
I was to learn later that T.B. Joshua had contacted the publisher and had complained that the story was false. The Publisher demanded my immediate sack.
The Managing Director/Editor-in-chief then said it would be wrong to sack me as the story was balanced and that I made efforts to speak to the Prophet’s media aides.
However, the Editor was asked to carry a rebuttal or apologize. He rejected both options blatantly and rather chose to be sacked. Why did he take such an extreme position?
He said in the midst of the crisis, a delegation of the media team of SCOAN had met with him in the office and had presented a recorded interview with me where I denied authorship of the story and that the story was given to me and paid for by the Redeemed Christain Church of God.
He asked them when and where the interview was conducted, and they said about an hour ago at the Redeemed Church. I am not a member of the Redeemed Church. While they were still with him in the office, he placed a call to Owerri and that was when he spoke with him. Immediately, he concluded that there were some hidden dimensions to the matter. They were not telling the truth. How they cloned my voice, I never knew as I did not have the opportunity to listen to the audio.
I was never privy to any discussions on the matter. Somehow, I was not sacked, the Editor retained his job. But a high-powered delegation was raised to go and make peace with T.B. Joshua. The team included the Managing Director/Editor-in-chief, some Executive Directors of Champion Newspapers and some friends of the prophet, notably, late Edith Ike-Okongwu and late Chief Alex Akinyele, a former minister of information. There was also a serving senior military officer, a Major General, whose name I cannot correctly recollect now. A truce was reached.
But this opened a troika of revelations. Not many knew that T.B. Joshua had many senior journalists in Champion House he was reaching out to and who represented his interests. He was enraged that they could not stop the story. He immediately dispensed with their services.
The Prophet invited me to come and see him several times, I rejected it based on advice.
He was to pass a message through one of the aides that I and the Saturday Editor would see his ‘bad side’.
Some weeks later, I slept one day and I heard God speak to me loud and clear.”I have cancelled all the evil plans of T.B. Joshua against you.” I woke up afraid and shivering.
A few years later, I was to become Acting Editor Saturday Champion, Deputy Editor Daily Champion and Editor, Daily Champion. Before then, I had made a decision that I was not going to do another story on SCOAN and its members. T. B. Joshua began sending goodwill messages to me including gifts. I never objected to them on the belief that God had already delivered me from whatever evil he planned against me. Then he invited me to his office. I began visiting him often and we began phone exchanges.
He had a very large heart. You will never visit him and go home empty-handed. He loved humanity.
Each time I visited him, he would take me to his inner chambers, and we would discuss as friends.
But there was something strange and unusual about him that gave me great concern. One, he normally called me on the phone between 1am and 2am. There were two people that normally called me at that hour, T. B. Joshua and my friend, Ogbeni Lanre Banjo. Ogbeni Banjo was a one-time governorship candidate of Gani Fawehinmi’s National Conscience Party (NCP) who lives in America.
If my phone was not within reach, there was a way I knew who was calling me. If the call was from T. B. Joshua, the curtains in my house will first shake as if under the influence of a wind for some seconds before the phone will ring out. I told my wife and a few friends and colleagues about this.
The second strange thing I noticed about him was that no matter the distance he was standing, if I am at his back he would notice my presence, even if I am in a crowd he would walk straight to where I was. He could see you coming to him even if you are kilometers away. I also noticed that his movements were jerky and unpredictable. If he was walking with you, he may gallop or run or alter his direction as if being pushed. He would be talking to you and suddenly he would keep silent as if listening to a voice.
On October 28, 2009, he invited me to SCOAN. He was donating some transformers to neighboring communities. I took one of our Senior Reporters, Ufomba Uzuegbu with me to cover the event. I had already told him about my concerns with these strange observations. We were late to the event. T. B. Joshua was already addressing the crowd in the church. There could have been over 500 people there. We decided to enter from the front entrance where his back was. Immediately we entered, he stopped his speech. He turned and said, “my friend is here, my friend is here.” He came down from the rostrum, held me by the hand and took me straight to his office. After the event, my colleague who observed everything said I should not bring him to SCOAN again because there was something abnormal about him.
I used to watch wrestling a lot. Whenever I come back home late after production, I could stay up till 4am watching wrestling and movies. Not any longer. On this day, I was in the parlour watching wrestling with my wife. The curtains started shaking vigorously, I looked at the clock, it was 2am. I said to my wife, “it’s T.B. Joshua, it’s T.B. Joshua.” Immediately my phone rang out. “Hello Prophet,” I said. ” How are you, friend…,” he said.
My wife stood up and went to the bedroom. When I finished the call, she came out and knelt down: “Please I beg of you let today be your last day you will see this man or pick his call. You either choose him or choose me and my children. This man is not normal.” Of course, I chose my family. I never called him again, never picked his calls and never visited him.
One of his top media aides-he was running a successful PR firm in London before he met T.B. Joshua who asked him to relocate to Nigeria and head his media unit- sought an audience with me. I went to Toyin Street Ikeja where he opened up to me, how he had to run for his dear life.
Justus Nwakanma, Nigeria
Runner-Up: Arts & Culture Award
Bio: Justus is Deputy Editor of the Daily Champion in Lagos. He joined the Champion Newspapers as Senior reporter in 2000. He has been a journalist since 1992, working initially with The Guardian and has since worked with the Lagos Eagle Newspaper, Ebony and Source Magazines and Hallmark Newspapers. He holds a B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Mass Communication.
Ancestral curse can be defined as an evil or misfortune that follows a particular person as a result of being born into a family lineage; inherited family problems. A curse that follows a person as a result of the mistake of his forefathers: like Adamic curse (Genesis 3:17), Ahab curse (1 kings 21:21-26), etc. Many church people have disturbed themselves so much and caused many Pastors, Prophets and Church Leaders to eat fat from this menace. Different booklet for Personal Deliverance Prayers written by the likes of Pastor Olukoya of Mountain of Fire Ministries (MFM); Evangelist Paul G. O. Moses and many other authors contains prayers against lineage curses, premature deaths in the family, divorces, poverty, accidents, frequent breakdown of marriages, abnormal behavior, etc. It is said that at present, several churches include “deliverance” program in their activities “since failure to do so amounts to losing members to churches that include such activities”.
The belief that people’s misfortunes are due to curses they inherited from their forefathers is fast gaining popularity among a growing number of churches in Africa and other parts of the world. Consequently, millions of professed Christians are flocking to pastors for deliverance from perceived “ancestral curses”. Since Christians are to be guided by the words of God in the Holy Bible and not by the precepts of men, we must seek the guidance of the Scriptures in order to be on safe grounds on all issues of doctrine. This belief in ancestral curses has become quite widespread. It would be recalled that due to their belief in ancestral curses, five youths from Malawi, in early September this year , threw themselves into a fire after saying their night prayers. It was a bizarre case of mass suicide. Their father told a local newspaper that when he noticed his children’s strange behaviours recently, he complained to local authorities that the children had established a strange church in his house and that they commenced their prayers around 10.00 p.m. each day. He had tried stopping them without success. On that fateful night, the youths, in the course of praying, made fire with some household items which they had soaked in petrol. At a stage they took off their clothes and jumped into the fire holding copies of the Bible. Three of them died on the spot but two were rescued and taken to a local hospital. The young men were said to have acted on the advice of a local pastor who told them that their parents were responsible for their joblessness and their not ,getting married. He advised them to burn the items in their home because that was where the parents hid their magic. The village head, blamed the churches, whom he said were misleading the people for this horrible incident. He promised to summon the religious leaders in the area so that they could explain “what type of worshipping this is.”
Another text some cite to support the doctrine of ancestral curses is the belief among the Jews of old that “The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge?” (Ezekiel 18:2) In other words, they believed that the sins of their fathers were visited upon the children, independent of the moral conduct of the latter. It is important to note that God rebuked the Jews for such belief as He does not deal with men in that way. Hence in verses 3 and 4 God stated: “As I live, saith the Lord GOD, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel. Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.” (See also verse 20)
The British Empire was built at the back of conquest and colonization. The British ancestors went on a killing and conquering rampage all across the world and millions were starved and killed in India, millions more were murdered across various African nations. Yet they flourish today, and having a better living. No Ancestral curse or sin of the forefathers is holding them down. Why?
USA 🇺🇸 was built on the extermination (Native Americans) of one race And enslavement of another (African Americans). Their ancestors committed unimaginable atrocities and crimes against humanity. But today they’re regarded as the greatest nation on earth, they have a reasonable living. There’s no Ancestral curse or sin of the forefathers holding them down.
Australia 🇦🇺, committed the worst world un-talked about genocide. The aboriginal Australians have been technically wiped out. The Tasmanian Australian literally are extinct, all orchestrate by present day Australian ancestors. Yet they are living good, better quality of life. No Ancestral curse, no sin of the forefathers causing them poverty and misfortune.
Germany 🇩🇪, committed the forgotten horrific genocide in Namibia 🇳🇦. Same Germany caused the WW1 that claimed lives of millions, same Germany caused the WW2 that claimed millions of lives, including the 6million Jews and those killed in gas chambers. Today Germany is the European and world economic giant. Better living all round for her citizens. No Ancestral curse, no sin of the forefathers hindering their growth and development.
Belgium, never forget that king Leopold II Of Belgium killed 15million Congolese and amputated thousands of innocent children for not picking enough cotton. Belgium is flourishing, developed and reasonably comfortable for her people. No Ancestral curse, no sin of the forefathers causing misfortune, hindering progress and growth.
But back home in Africa , televangelist, pastors and fraudsters called men of god are busy extorting unsuspecting individuals and families their little hard earned money to liberate them from Ancestral curse and sin of the forefathers, which is apparently the cause of their misfortunes, breakdown in marriage and business. The deaths and road accidents are all linked to the Ancestral curse and even the father’s names you bear. Ancestors you don’t even have any prove of what they did or didn’t do. But they are your problem? But why is the same curse not holding your counterparts from across the Atlantic, whom their own ancestors have documented atrocities?
I’m sure if these five countries, UK, USA, Australia, Germany & Belgium were to bring ships and planes to Africa right now to start shipping and flying people to their countries for slave trade, millions will fight to be the first to enter. Some will even come with their own chains, because they don’t want to be told, you can’t be enslaved because there’s no more chains. Many of your pastors and Ancestral curse preachers will be the first to jump in. To be enslaved in countries their ancestors committed some of the worst and horrific world recorded evils.
There’s nothing like Ancestral curse or sin holding or stopping your family progress or community growth or our National development. Our choices, decisions, what we’ve done or haven’t done in various aspects of our lives are our problem. The ineptitude of our leadership class running our governments are the curses preventing our growth and development not the so called Ancestral curse.
This is reality, take responsibility for yourself, and start demanding for accountability and responsibility from your government. Be financially wise by saving for the raining day, don’t eat your tomorrow today. Be wise, take right decision, Go for the gold, do not wait. Stop being busy on the rocky horse, go for the stallion. Stop wishing to go to school, go and get the form and fill the application. Stop wishing to get married, be entangled and knot it as you present all your goals, plans and desire before the Lord Proverbs 3:5-6.
Rom 8:1 says “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” The effect of ancestral curses in a Christian’s life is as a result of ignorance of who we are. Hos 4:6 “my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. “Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children.”
Colossians 1:13-14 explained how and when our deliverance occurred. What Jesus Christ accomplished on the Cross was Total. Let me give this analogy: In crude oil, there are many by-products after processing. Out of Crude oil comes: Liquefied fuel – includes gasoline, kerosene, diesel, motor oil; Lubricants – machineries; Paraffin Wax – Cosmetics ; Petroleum Coke – Industries; Asphalt – Building road and bridges; Petrol Chemicals; Sulfur – fungicides; Propane- cooking.
So also, in Christ’ death, our Salvation, deliverance, blessings, provisions, protection are all guaranteed and completed. Colossians 2:10 says, “And ye are complete in Him, Who is the head of all principality and power.”
John 8:36 came directly from the Master Himself, He said, “If the Son therefore shall make you free (you are not free half-way), ye shall be free indeed.”
If you could believe in what your family did wrong, why can’t you believe in what Jesus Christ did Right?
Philippians 2:9-11 says “Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God, the Father.
SYMPTOMS OF DECEPTION #1: When people don’t have personal relationship with Jesus Christ but are comfortable with using elements like: water, oil, salt etc that are provided for them by their charlatan pastors to appease the strange god they do not know. They will prefer to have deep intimate with their so called men of ‘God’ rather that than to have direct communication with their Heavenly Father. This is the reason they are contented and enjoys calling on a third-party god, the god of their pastors.
SYMPTOMS OF DECEPTION #2: They will prefer to Exalt [praising, glorifying] the men of ‘God’ more than they praise the One who laid down His Life for their redemption – Jesus Christ.
SYMPTOMS OF DECEPTION #3: ….the ‘God’ of “My Pastor” phenomenon….
SYMPTOMS OF DECEPTION #4: The [abuse] and mis-context of the ‘twins’; “do not judge” and “touch not the anointed” They do not know or realize that God was not referring to Moses and Aaron alone, but the whole congregation of Israelites (1Chronicles 16:22; Psalm 105:15).
SYMPTOMS OF DECEPTION #5: Fights and follows Staged [rehearsed] miracles and ‘prophesies’
SYMPTOMS OF DECEPTION #7: The syndrome of regarding one gift of the Spirit or office of ministry superior than the others.
SYMPTOMS OF DECEPTION # 8: “I don’t care what [he/she] does behind, but God is using him/her mightily” We will know them by fruits not by gifts.
SYMPTOMS OF DECEPTION #9: The so called ‘Deep Revelations’ that contradict the Logos [written Word] and those without biblical references. [The Spirit and the Bible are one]
SYMPTOMS OF DECEPTION #10: Paying homage to angels.
SYMPTOMS OF DECEPTION #11: Helping God by believing that the name of Jesus (Philippians 2:8-9) is not enough but you need to have some mediums [anointed elements stuffs]. The Bible record usage of mediums but it was not a doctrine and was never sold.
SYMPTOMS OF DECEPTION #12 My church, My congregation, My sheep Syndrome “Nobody who leaves [my] church/ministry succeed where they go.” Some people are afraid to leave some ministries/ churches because they have been told that they will be cursed.. [The church of the LORD is not a secret cult] RUN FOR YOUR LIFE
SYMPTOMS OF DECEPTION #13: Paying money to be prayed for; healing, deliverance, special prayers, seeing /meeting a man of ‘God’ etc. Freely you have received, freely you must give. For the gifts of YHWH can not be bought by money.
SYMPTOMS OF DECEPTION #14: “I was born already baptized with the Holy Spirit in the womb. “ Run away from such people!
SYMPTOMS OF DECEPTION #15: The miracle money phenomenon. Our Father in heaven is not a magician please take note! And when the foundation of your relationship with God is based on your physical needs, you will suffer in the hands of Charlatans.
SYMPTOMS of DECEPTION conclusion: Deception is real and spreading like wild fire. The author of Deception is the devil and he has human agents around us. The target is men not animals. The purpose is to attack the people of God from within the church. The enemy within is lethal than enemy without. Please, whenever you go to Church or gathering of the saints, do not forget your brains at home.
Please, Don’t be hungry for the manifestation of Spirit, be hungry for YHWH and His Word of Truth. Be reminded that we are commanded to test every spirits and believe not anything that looks spiritual.[1 John 4:1]. If you don’t stand for something, you will fall for anything. We ought to know that both YHWH and satan operates in the spiritual; and if you don’t allow the Holy Spirit to guide you, you can be led astray. Every gift of The Spirit is subject to counterfeiting, that’s why we have the gift of discernment of spirits. Every Shepherd must be on guard against deception by teaching the flock the ways of the Spirit. Every sheep should learn how to test every ‘pasture’ that looks edible. But How to the spirits???
WHEN THE CHURCH BECOMES A BUSINESS 1) Pastors function like CEOs 2) Members are turned into customers 3) Other churches are seen as competitors 4) Evangelism is reduced to marketing 5) Church planting looks more like franchising 6) Numbers are primary measure of success 7) Prayer and Word study are replaced by formulas 8) Revival is reduced to fund-raising program 9) Preaching sounds more like motivational speech. All the people do is shout “I receive, Amen,” throughout the concert. I mean the “service”. 10) Praise and Worship is turned into a performance. The best actors are made the worship and praise leaders. 11) The Spirit of God is reduced to “emotionalism”. No real power of God other than hypnosis and sensationalism. 12) The goats are entertained instead of equipping the saints 13) Disciples of Christ have become papa’s sons, daughters and fans. 14) The Church, a living Body has now become a lifeless body 15) A leader’s empire is built instead of the Kingdom of God advancement. 16) The pastor becomes the super man and Jesus Christ reduced to just another religious figure. Does any one of these sound farmiliar in this generation? Beloved, if you are under these pattern of “christianity” you are already in a cult, not the Church of Jesus Christ. Get out before it is too late!!! All I have highlighted above is exactly what made Jesus Himself to ask: “When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith in the Earth?” (Luke 18.8) AMEN!!!
