ReveNation Mag

T. B. Joshua

	T. B. Joshua

Temitope Balogun Joshua (born June 12, 1963 in Arigidi, Nigeria), commonly referred to as T. B. Joshua, is a Christian minister, televangelist and faith healer. He is leader and founder of the ministry organisation The Synagogue, Church of All Nations (SCOAN), which runs a Christian television station called Emmanuel TV, available on satellite and on the Internet via the Streaming Faith broadcast portal.
He is also a notable humanitarian, providing aid to minorities and the underprivileged on national and international scales via Another Ministry. He has been awarded various accolades, notably receiving the National Honour of OFR by the Nigerian government in 2008.^[1] He is recognised as one of Africa's 50 most influential people.^[2][3]
Joshua is known for his popularity across Africa and his online presence, with over 650,000 fans on Facebook^[4] and hundreds of YouTube videos which have proved controversial and amassed thousands of views.

Biography

According to Joshua’s official biography, unusual circumstances surrounded his birth. It is claimed he spent 15 months in his mother’s womb ^[5] and narrowly avoided death after a quarry explosion near his house sent rocks through its roof just seven days after his birth.
Joshua attended St. Stephen's Anglican Primary School in Arigidi-Akoko, Nigeria between 1971 and 1977,^[6] but failed to complete one year of secondary school education.^[6] In school, he was known as "small pastor" because of his love for the Bible. He worked in various casual jobs after his schooling had ended, including carrying chicken waste at a poultry farm.^[7] He organised Bible studies for local children and attended evening school during this period.^[5] Joshua attempted to join the Nigerian military but was thwarted due to a train breakdown that left him stranded en route to the military academy.^[8]

The Synagogue, Church of All Nations (SCOAN)

In 1989, T. B. Joshua allegedly fasted and prayed for 40 days and 40 nights.^[9] He wrote that in a heavenly vision, he had received divine anointing and a covenant from God to start his ministry.^[10] Following this, Joshua founded the ministry organisation The Synagogue, Church of All Nations (SCOAN) with only a handful of members.^{[11][self-published source]} According to the organisation, more than 15,000 members now attend its weekly Sunday service; visitors from outside Nigeria are accommodated in the accommodation blocks constructed at the church.^[12][13][14]
The SCOAN has been hailed for its impact on Nigerian tourism,^[15] recent statistics from the Nigerian Immigration Service revealing that out of every ten foreign travellers coming into Nigeria, six of them are bound for The SCOAN.^[16]

Healing and other miracles

SCOAN remains controversial both in Nigeria and abroad, claiming regular occurrences of divine miracles. Several hundred Nigerians and international visitors come to the SCOAN each week to register for the prayer lines where the visitors are prayed over by T. B. Joshua and the "Wise Men". SCOAN has published numerous videos claiming to document the healing of incurable disabilities and illnesses such as spinal cord injuries, HIV/AIDS^[17][18][19] and cancer.^[20] Medical reports are a prerequisite for prayer for any health-related ailment in an attempt to authenticate the miracles said to be occurring.
Notable sportspersons who claim to have been healed of sporting injuries at the SCOAN include South African rugby players Jaco van der Westhuizen^[21] and Jaco du Preeze, and Nigerian footballer Joseph Yobo.^[22] Ruben Kruger, a South African rugby player, visited T.B Joshua and was convinced that he was cured from brain cancer and constantly spoke of his divine healing powers. He died on 27 January 2010 from brain cancer.^[23] Wium Basson, another South African rugby player, flew to Nigeria to see T.B Joshua but had to return home after T.B Joshua failed to see him. He died on 21 April 2001 from terminal cancer.^[24]
Spiritual healing at The SCOAN has been mentioned by Time magazine.^[25] Since June 2010, five "Wise Men" have joined in ministering to people at The SCOAN, purportedly able to prophesy, heal and deliver in the same vein as T. B. Joshua.^[26] The church has branches in Ghana,^[27][28][29] the United Kingdom,^[30] South Africa,^{[31][self-published source]} and Greece.^[32]
Many have also claimed to be healed through ‘Anointing Water’ that has been prayed over by Joshua and given to those who are unable to physically attend his church in Lagos.^[33][34][35]

Deliverance of demon-possessed

SCOAN is also controversial for the 'deliverance' of those allegedly possessed by evil spirits during its services.^[36][37] The wife of Ghanaian goal keeper Richard Kingson was allegedly delivered of an evil spirit which was behind her husband's inability to procure a contract with a team since 2011.^[38]
Notable Ghanaian human rights lawyer Kwabla Senanu testified at The SCOAN that he was 'delivered' from a spiritual problem that had caused him embarrassing bouts of sleep in the courtroom.^[39] Similarly, Ghanaian musician Denise Williams said she was 'delivered' from a demon that had pushed her to become a drug addict and suicidal.^[40] Veteran Nigerian Nollywood Actress Camilla Mberekpe was also said to be 'delivered' at The SCOAN.^[41]