Today at 55, how Prophet TB Joshua positively impacted the world in 365 days
Leading Nigerian preacher and founder Synagogue Church of All nations (SCOAN), Prophet Temitope Balogun Joshua, commonly referred to as T B Joshua will clock 55 years today having been born on Wednesday, June 12, 1963, in Arigidi, Ondo State.
*Right Half of the Picture: One of the deportees giving testimony on their ordeals, and survival in Libya during Sunday Live Service monitored in Lagos (Nov. 19,2017). Photo: Business Hilights
His church, SCOAN through which he has been touching lives all over the world has remained Nigeria’s most visited worship centre by non-Nigerians on a weekly basis in the one decade, thus becoming the most religious tourist attraction in the country of more than 1,000 Christian organizations.
SCOAN located at Egbe in Ikotu area of Alimosho Local Government of Lagos State, runs the Emmanuel TV television station from Lagos.
Currently, Emmanuel TV has strong online presence with 2,000,000 fans on Facebook it was honoured by YouTube few months ago for pulling the mark of 1,000,000 subscribers.
Described as the “Oprah of evangelism” and “YouTube’s most popular Pastor”, Emmanuel TV is Africa’s largest Christian television network.
Prophet TB Joshua was in 2008, awarded by the federal government of Nigeria with the prestigious national honours of the Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR) and also voted the Yoruba man of the decade by Pan-Yoruba media outlet Irohin-Odua.
He has been called one of Africa’s 50 most influential people by Pan-African magazines, The Africa Report and New African Magazine.
Findings by our correspondents showed that his style of evangelism laced with reconciliations of warring factions in families and countries plus unprecedented philanthropies and momentary international prophesies stood him out from the crowd of other men of God in Africa and Nigeria in particular.
Talking about reconciliation efforts, Business Hilights recalls that Prophet TB Joshua was involved in the meeting of the family of the late president of Liberia, Samuel Doe, with the former warlord Prince Yormie Johnson who was responsible for Doe’s death. During this meeting the family publicly forgave Johnson who said it was through Joshua’s prayers that he stopped drinking alcohol and turned to Christianity.
He is also known for playing similar roles in reconciling broken homes and restoring families torn apart by false accusations.
Within the last one year, he has been further honoured as an Ambassador of Peace by the Arewa Youth Forum, a predominantly Muslim organisation, as well as being recognised with an ‘award of excellence’ by ZAKA, Israel’s primary rescue and recovery voluntary service.
It would be recalled that on Sunday, October 22, 2017, the then presidential candidate in Liberia and now President and commander-in-chief of the West African nation, George Opong Weah, attended a service at the Synagogue Church Of All Nations (SCOAN) in Lagos.
He was welcomed by the prophet who said, “My brother is here today because he loves his country and wants God’s choice for his country.
“He is not here to impose himself. What does God say about his country, Liberia? What is God’s opinion? That is why he is here,” Joshua averred during the Sunday Live Service.
Within the year under review, he visited a lot of nations, spreading the word of God and performing miracles in the name of Jesus.
He had a brief visit to Zimbabwe shortly after the ouster of their ageless ruler, Robert Mugabe with a courtesy call on Vice-President Kembo Mohadi and Minister of Scholarships Dr Christopher Mushohwe.
Within his last 365 days, he hosted the newly-elected President of Sierra Leone, Gen. Julius Maada Bio, at SCOAN before the March 31 runoff elections.
In the result of the election, the two main contenders, Bio, candidate of the opposition Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) and former military head of state who had handed over to a civilian administration and Samura Kamara, former foreign minister and member of the ruling, All People’s Congress (APC) could not muster the required 55 percent of total votes, leading to the March 31, run off.
It was gathered that after the spiritual session with Prophet Joshua, Bio departed for Sierra Leone while Prophet Joshua also after left for a pilgrimage to Jerusalem to mark the Easter holiday in the holy land.
In the runoff election result, Bio emerged victorious with 51.8 percent of the total of over 2.5 million votes cast defeating Kamara who garnered 48.1 percent.
Apart from Israel where he was nearly tuned to relocate his blossoming Nigerian ministry to, Prophet Joshua had visited other countries including Ecuador, where he commissioned a school built by him in support of the earthquake ravaged South American nation.
He also visited another South American nation, Paraguay, where he was not only received by the military, but was honoured with national award after his two nationwide crusade at capital city of Asuncion by President of Paraguay’s Congress, Hon. Roberto Acevedo.
Still within the last 365 days of his life, he held another international crusade in Dominican Republic where he was welcomed by national leaders beginning from the airport.
Another strategic humanitarian activity he powered strongly in the last 365 days was the warm reception and empowerment of over 1,000 Libyan returnees.
Besides, he has been giving a lot of relief materials to the insurgency ravaged Nigerian North-East with food items, household materials and in many cases, cash donations.
Within his last 365 day, he has been empowering several disabled in Nigeria who visit the church and mainly the elderly who were given special treatment at the church.
The number of both local and foreign scholarship so far given out by Prophet TB Joshua in the last one year is unprecedented and he has not shown any sign of relenting or stopping.
There are strong indications that he is working on building a world class medical University in Nigeria to compliment government’s efforts in addressing health challenges.
Aside other philanthropies and reconciliatory exploits amongst families and nations, SCOAN attracts an average of over 200 international worshipers on a weekly basis meaning that a total average of 10,400 foreigners (200 x 52 weeks) visit Nigeria on religious tourism powered by the church.
Economic analysts say apart from millions of dollars raked in by the government on Visa fees and taxes, a lot of jobs are created for locals in terms of airport taxi services, hotel services and other forms of image boosting advantages for Nigeria as a country in the last 365 days.
No wonder the federal government, through the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed was among the earliest callers on the man of God to consider national interest and withstand the mounting pressure on him to relocate SCOAN to Israel within the year under review.
It would be recalled that Business Hilights had broken the news of his move to Israel last year before other media groups followed.
A trip to the SCOAN last year on his invitation, provided Business Hilights team, a rare opportunity to a guided tour of the emerging most spectacular tourist site in Nigeria, known as Praying Mountain being developed by the church, about two kilometers from the church headquarters.
Facilities and engineering structures at the Mountain are better seen than imagined even at construction stage now.
Business Hilights Family wishes you, Prophet TB Joshua happy birthday, good health and more energy from God to continue your good work for the betterment of mankind all over the world!
