People in the modern world are overloaded with problems. They
seek miracles in order to solve them and address the ministries of
Moses, Elijah, Elisha, and of course, Jesus and the apostles.
The renowned T.B.Joshua’s Ministry does not need much introduction. The famous Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) is located at Ikotun-Egbe in Lagos State. The main hall has a capacity for about 20,000 members of congregation, with approximately 25% of them are from foreign countries, all seeking to experience the miracles.
The tragedy which struck on September 12, 2014, at one of the premises belonging to the church claimed at least 115 lives. Out of them, 84 were South African citizens. The development sparked lots of controversies from the very beginning.
The war between the media and the official position of the Church has escalated even more after one of the most influential newspaper / online media Vanguard, questioned the reality of T.B Joshua’s miracles.
The reporters got an immediate and clear reply from the SCOAN. We would like to invite you to have a deeper look at the issue for better understanding.
In the beginning of the much-discussed article Vanguard noted that the crowd at the SCOAN may not just be ordinary spectators. It also pointed out that Prophet TB Joshua has effectively convinced the people that their load of problems would be solved no matter how hard they are.
Saturday Vanguard found both past and present members of the church, including some foreign worshipers, and asked them to share their opinions on the issue of reality:
Michael French. Cameroon.
This man is 45 years of age and he suffers from acute Diabetes. One day he embarked on over 13-hour-long bus ride from Cameroon to Lagos to seek help at the SCOAN. His trip was a nightmare, because due to his condition he was stooling and urinating very often. This made the passengers extremely annoyed and angry at him. Mr French arrived Lagos in the night and had to sleep at the park, because there were not options of how to get to the church.
In the morning he was among the first to enter the church. The adrenaline boost and excitement made him feel great, and much healthier than before. He knew it was his day to be healed. After all the songs and Sunday School, the Prophet climbed on the podium. The man of God prayed for sick people.
“I prayed so hard to be the first to reveive the healing. I wanted to tell the world what God has done for me through the prophet. But l didn’t get to give my testimony that day. l didn’t receive any sign of healing. So many people came out to give testimonies of their healing and I envied them, but I prayed and hoped that my own healing would come, perhaps on the second day.
“As usual, l was there early alongside my sister the following day. We had carried everything we had saved for this trip. We believed so much that God would settle us that second day. We went there the second day and it was the same thing, a few others received their healing, but l still didn’t get any. By the third day, I became worried because I was running out of money.
“I called Cameroon for money to be sent, but l didn’t received any alert. We were still spending money on accommodation, feeding and by then, our faith which was aflame when we entered into Nigeria began to die fast just as our pockets were draining fast.
“It got to a point when all we had was our transport fare back to Cameroon; we approached the church, but they couldn’t help to sustain our stay. We were so sad and left Lagos utterly disappointed. I prayed to God for help to survive the long journey back to Cameroon so that I can manage my health just like l was advised by the doctor in the first place. I came to Nigeria because l was told l would be healed; l would say that l spent the worst one week of my life in Nigeria and l didn’t receive what l came for.”
Awele. Lagos.
A 37-year-old mother based in Lagos has also recounted her ordeal. It was even more horrifying as compared to the above mentioned case. Awele was a breast cancer patient. The doctors told warned her that she had to options: surgical removal, or painful death in less than 8 months.
The woman did not want to die and to make her only daughter an orphan at 18. She decided to seek miracle at the church and turned to healing by faith and was directed to see one of the four wise-men.
“After discussing my case with the Wise men, I observed there were three other similar cases involving two men and one other woman. We were all kept in a room. Few days after, we were not attended to and I insisted on seeing the prophet himself.
“But after three days, instead of the prophet, it was one of the wise-men that visited us and nothing was done.”
On the fourth day group’s stay in the church, one of the two ailing men felt extremely bad. His lifeless body was taken away by the members, who even had not said a single word of prayer in the process. The man never returned to the room. However, his luggage remained there.
“Two days later, they visited the room again to check on us as they usually did that period. We asked after the man’s whereabouts and we were told that he had been healed and had left.
“I sensed a lie because the man’s luggage was still with us and the man was taken away lifeless. So, if he was healed, he would have returned to pick his luggage and would have given testimony of the miracle. But we never saw him again. All this while, we were feeding ourselves while waiting to be touched by the servants of the Lord.”
A couple of days later, another man felt very bad in the night. Awele is sure that he passed away because his body was very cold. The church members were called in. Just like in the previous situation, they took the body away, but did not tell shocked women what had happened to the person. The breast cancer patient waited for the next visit of church members to learn more about the man.
“They said that the man had gone home because he had been healed. So, l asked the impossible question. ‘Why didn’t they come back for their belongings when they got healed?’”
The church members were not really ready to answer such a question, so they came up with an awkward explanation: “the church had made provision for them to go home with new clothes, so, they did not need their old luggage.”
It was a turning point for Awele to leave the Synagogue a.s.a.p. The hope has been lost.
The woman agreed for the surgery at a hospital. However, her time has been gone. She reportedly passed away at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital shortly after the surgery.
“How my brother was deceived by the church”
A lady, identified as Mrs Ruth, in her interview with Vanguard narrated how the deceit in the SCOAN was discovered by her brother who lives in Norway. The lady revealed that one of the major criteria for seeing the man of God, especially if you are a foreigner, is that you keep sending e-mails until you get a reply.
“My brother who is a Redeemed Pastor, based in Norway with his family, has his two children, his son and daughter, deaf and dumb right from birth. The man being ignorant of the procedures for seeing the man of God, flew into the country with his family with the hope of seeing the man of God for a miracle, but he was told he could not see the man of God since he did not get any reply to his mails. So, they were asked to go back and keep sending mails until they get a reply. The man went back and kept sending mails to see the man of God. When they eventually got the nod to come, they did not go with the kids.
“The wife was scheduled to go to the (Synagogue) mountain as well, but after going through all these processes of mountain and anointed water, the children still remained the same, nothing changed in any of them,” she explained.
More believers speak
While part of people are sure the miracles are stage-managed, many worshipers are convinced that presence or absence of miracles at T.B.Joshua’s place is a matter of individual faith.
“Just like in every other church, it is your faith that heals you. I am not a regular worshiper here, I come here once in a while for prayers and healing, I believe that it is your faith that heals you. No amount of prayer from a man of God can set you free, if you do not have faith,” a female worshiper, who preferred anonymity, said.
“I got initiated in the dream by drinking green water”
Another anonymous man narrated to Vanguard that he came to Lagos in search of financial success. He was advised to start with the SCOAN, as the Synagogue Church and the man of God are famous for empowering the people financially. It took him one month to reach the prophet. The man was offered to drink strange green water and to return home.
“When I got home, I started experiencing some strange things at home. I didn’t know what they were until I slept off. I saw the man in my dream and in a way, I was initiated and I started seeing strange things. I couldn’t explain everything I saw but I knew I was initiated. Then, I left everything, family and came to the church.
“I lived in the church for more than one year but there was nothing like empowerment. I was working as a cleaner.
“One year after, I was told to leave the church environment, that my services were no longer needed. I did not know what was wrong. I left and went back to my family. It was when I got home that my father told me how they had been into intercessory prayers for my restoration, that I was initiated and lost my mind.”
It would be noted that holy water, otherwise called anointing water, is sold to pilgrims between N5000 and N10,000 per bottle.
Even thousands of anointing water bottles are exported to some West African countries. Worshipers from foreign nations are encouraged to stay until after seven days. They are always screened and registered by the church authorities. Those with financial problems believe that use of the anointing oil restore their finances.
Foreigners and Prophet T.B Joshua
Prophet T.B. Joshua has good relations with highly-placed foreigners including presidents both serving and former leaders of some countries in Africa and beyond. They come in droves from all corners of the planet for spiritual healing and solutions to different ailments or problems.
The influx of foreigners is indeed endless. Vanguard spoke with an unnamed woman for a remote Asian country of Singapore. The woman, who travelled huge distance to attend a church service in Ikotun, Lagos, narrated:
“Why will I not believe him when I witnessed many miracles taking place before my very eyes. I witnessed those “wheel-chair bounds’ getting up on their feet and instantaneously walking after his touch and prayers.
“I witnessed the cancer-stricken patients getting healed. I witnessed people possessed by the spirit of lizard, possessed by the spirit of snake, possessed by the spirit of monkey receiving deliverance and being delivered from the evil spirit living in them for many years. You are not going to believe this, but you have to. I even witnessed a HIV infected woman getting cured.”
The reporters discovered a European man in his 50s. The person, who came to Nigeria three years ago, had the following to say: “When T.B Joshua comes to the pulpit to preach, his sermons are great. Another thing that fascinates me about this special man of God, instead of posing himself as another miracle worker and asking people to donate large sum of money, this man of God preaches with strong conviction and clear message of holiness.
“Prophet T. B Joshua will always say “Healing without putting the Word of God as our standard will not stand the test of time” and I adore him for that. This humble man of God attributes Jesus as the healer and he preaches about putting the Word of God as the central principle guiding our lives, one on which through the Word, healing, peace, and others are built upon. So, tell me what more I need to believe? He is a true messenger of God,” he queried.
The race for more visitors caused the tragedy
An eye witness confirmed to Vanguard that the collapsed building was initially meant for just restaurant. The ground floor was used as canteen. However, due to the influx of people and the demand for accommodation especially, foreigners, the authorities of the church have allegedly decided to add extra floors.
The source noted that the rates at the guest house for foreigners are N50,000-N60,000 per night, including food. There is one more guest house in the area, which is for ministers and top government officials. Accommodation rates there start from N100,000+.
People at the hotel are not allowed to have visitors. “Everything you want, all kinds of food will be made available to you in the hotel, so there is no reason to have visitors,” the source said.
He mentioned another interesting detail: only members of the church are allowed to work in the hotel. “None members are not allowed in the hotel either as visitor or worker. If you do not worship in the church, forget about working there. From the contractor to the least person, they all worship in the church. The church is doing that as a way of empowering their members,” he revealed.
SCOAN replies
T.B. Joshua Ministries described the investigative story published by Vanguard as the article full of fabrications.
They emphasised that the authors gave of people who even do not exist. The church noted that the authors had only cruel intentions in their mind and they need to be investigated.
The statement, dated September 27, 2014, added that the real purpose of such an article is to divert people’s attention from the big tragedy (SCOAN guest house collapse due to suspected attack on the church and on TB Joshua himself).
“It is our belief that these stories were intended to divert people’s attention from the evil that has been done. Those involved in these stories need to be investigated concerning the building collapse. If they are not directly involved, they will help the investigation. If they are not the ones who did it, they know those who did. Perhaps, they were involved in the building collapse because they claim what is happening in The SCOAN is fake. They are suspect.”
The SCOAN reminded that their services are public and being broadcasted live on Emmanuel TV, urged the followers not to be misled and diverted from the truth.
“No matter how long a lie is sustained, the truth will someday prevail. Jesus is the Truth,” the statement concluded.
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