Mixed Reactions as BBC Exposes Widespread Abuse and Torture by Late TB Joshua

The BBC has uncovered evidence of widespread abuse and torture perpetrated by the late TB Joshua, the founder of Synagogue Church of All Nations, one of the world’s largest Christian evangelical churches. Dozens of former members, including five British citizens, have come forward with allegations of atrocities spanning almost 20 years, including rape and forced abortions, within the secretive Lagos compound.

TB Joshua, a charismatic and influential preacher and televangelist with a massive global following, died in 2021. The BBC’s two-year investigation has revealed eyewitness accounts of physical violence, torture, and child abuse allegedly carried out by Joshua. Numerous women have reported being sexually assaulted, with some claiming to have endured years of repeated rape within the compound. Multiple allegations of forced abortions following the alleged rapes have also emerged, including one woman who said she underwent five terminations.

The investigation further exposes the manipulation behind Joshua’s “miracle healings,” which were broadcast to millions worldwide. One victim, a British woman referred to as Rae, shared her harrowing experience of being sexually assaulted by Joshua and subjected to solitary confinement for two years. The abuse was so severe that she attempted suicide multiple times within the compound.

The Synagogue Church of All Nations, which operates the Christian TV channel Emmanuel TV and has millions of viewers on social media, has not responded to the specific allegations but has claimed that previous claims against Joshua were unfounded.

Over 25 former disciples from various countries, including the UK, Nigeria, the US, South Africa, Ghana, Namibia, and Germany, have corroborated the testimonies, with some reporting experiences as recent as 2019. Many victims were teenagers when they joined the church, and some described their experiences as being part of a cult.

The BBC’s investigation, conducted in collaboration with openDemocracy, marks the first time multiple insiders have come forward publicly to share their accounts. They claim to have faced significant obstacles in raising the alarm, with some alleging physical attacks and threats after speaking out. The BBC crew itself was fired at and detained while trying to film the church’s Lagos compound from a public street.

Four of the British citizens who spoke to the BBC stated that they reported the abuse to UK authorities after escaping the church but claim that no further action was taken. Similar claims were made by a British couple who sent eyewitness accounts and video evidence to the British High Commission in Nigeria in 2010 but received no response.

TB Joshua’s widow, Evelyn, now leads Synagogue Church of All Nations, which continues to operate. Survivors and former members are calling for a thorough investigation into the actions of TB Joshua and the church during his tenure. They believe that there are likely many more victims who have yet to come forward and hope that steps will be taken to uncover the truth about the prolonged abuses within the organization.

Following the report, social media users shared their views on the investigation.

An X User, @ur_bwoi_towa wrote: “Few minutes into the TB Joshua documentary and I’ve already noticed some similarities in some campus ministries/cults.”

@snort_randy, said: “Me and my brothers would only tune in to EmmanuelTV whenever we needed a good laugh. We could still see through the gimmicks as young as we were; reason why I find it absurd how adults fell for his theatrics. Used to drive my mom nuts every time we laughed.”

@WondaDell: “Y’all think a single documentary with no valid evidence but just accusations can eradicate whatever God has used TB Joshua to do for the world. It’s not like we’re in a court where judges rule in accordance to whatever is been said by a witness.”

A YouTube user, @DebelAjiboye, wrote: “I just finished watching the whole episode of this newly released BBC Africa Eye Documentary about TB Joshua.

“Knowing some of those disciples personally, the shock I’m experiencing is beyond words. I found myself repeatedly pausing the video, uttering a stunned ‘wow’ at each revelation.”

Another user, @emmanymatthew2539: “I remember when I first watched this man on TV- NTA Ibadan was in 1992/93 on one Saturday. I was less than 8 years then.

“My grandma watched him on TV and within five minutes, she said let’s change the channel to BCOS this man is not from God. I said how, but he’s performing miracles. And her response still resonates in my memory till date — ‘Beware of false Prophets’, Matthew 7:15.”

@theowalker5753 wrote: “Even in grave prophet TB Joshua remains a man sent from heaven. His teachings have inspired me till this day. So all these fake schemes from y’all can’t take that away.

“It’s going to be the same message and doctrines I will pass on to my generations to come. Thank you and God bless you. God is our judge.”

TB Joshua’s sexual crimes and staged miracles exposed by BBC

Nigerian preacher and televangelist T.B Joshua has been exposed for the hideous life he lived before he died on June 5, 2021. Temitope Balogun Joshua leader of the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) sexually exploited members of his church and staged miracles that lasted for decades.The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is poised to release a three-part investigative documentary outlining the alleged atrocities and sexual crimes committed by the late Pastor.

30 former members were interviewed, and the first segment of the documentary is slated for release on January 8. Survivors of TB Joshua’s sexual exploitation recounted how they were manipulated and silenced, even when aware that the relationship they had with “daddy” was abusive. These women were part of TB Joshua’s discipleship. Multiple women shared their experiences of being molested and raped by him. Some women who initially resisted his assault were threatened into submission, as revealed by one of the women in an interview with the BBC.

According to all the women, TB Joshua justified his sexual assaults by claiming it was for their salvation. These women joined the synagogue as teenagers and endured years of abuse before finally leaving. Abisola, a woman who spent 14 years in the church, disclosed that she was raped throughout her stay. Additionally, when these women became pregnant from the assaults, they were coerced into having abortions at a squalid clinic within the synagogue.

“We went into his room and I stood there. He said ‘off your clothes’ so I removed my clothes he just pointed so I lay down and then he raped me. He broke my virginity. I was screaming and he was whispering in my ears that I should stop acting like a baby. I was 17 years old. I was underage,” one of the women said.

One of the survivors confronted TB Joshua after she managed to escape. She recorded the encounter in videos she shared with the BBC. In the video, a security officer was heard threatening to shoot at the lady. Survivors said they were targeted, beaten, and shot at by thugs suspected of working for the pastor.

The BBC’s documentary revealed how the church staged managed and exaggerated miracles that were televised. People were told to exaggerate their problems so they could be healed, likewise, their healing so it could be “perfected by God”, a source who worked at the miracle department told the BBC.

“You’ve got this man who positioned himself as a father with many children and went on to rape, abuse, and molest all these people who call him daddy. How is somebody like that permitted to walk free,” Rae asked. Rachel joined the church when she was 17 because she hoped to be cured of homosexuality.”

Another part of the investigation delved into how TB Joshua maltreated and ostracised the daughter he had out of wedlock. Ajoke, now 28 years old, told the BBC how she confronted her father, about allegations of sexual abuse and, was subsequently thrown out of the church. She narrated how she was isolated and indoctrinated. Ajoke said she contemplated suicide.

“The disciples dragged me out of the office,” she said, narrating the day she confronted her father. “Put me in a room and isolated me from the rest of the church. I wonder how I lived through that time because they were hitting me with belts, chains… I couldn’t take a shower for days. He was trying so hard to stop people from listening to me. He felt threatened by the fact that I knew what was happening.”

A part of the documentary revealed how SCOAN shielded its congregation from the truth about the collapse of one of the church’s guesthouses in 2014. A video that was shown multiple times to members on Emmanuel TV showed a short clip of the structure with something that seemed like an aircraft flying over it.

“On television, they were showing us the building had been bombed,” one of the sources who lost her daughter in the collapsed building told the BBC.

SCOAN is located at Ikotun-Egbe area of Lagos State. The church grew from a local evangelical into a multimillion-dollar church with worshipers from all around the world.

The aircraft story fed to the members was all a lie, Emmanuel, one of the young men who served TB Joshua told the BBC. Emmanuel claimed the church had a structural defect.

The foundation of the building was inadequate for the floors built on it, Rae, a Brit who attended the church and was a disciple, corroborated. She added that Joshua insisted that the building be raised despite professional opinions.

SCOAN later paid the families of the victims cash as compensation which they interpreted to be “hush money”. A church worker who was part of those who handed the money to victims’ families in South Africa said TB Joshua asked that she instruct the grieving families not to speak to the media. Then, Joshua personally threatened families who refused the money, sources told the BBC.

TB Joshua’s Emmanuel TV Channel will no longer be available on DStv

As of January 17th, two more TV channels will no longer be available on DStv, as MultiChoice has lost access to Germany’s Deutsche Welle and the religious TV channel, Emmanuel TV, faces challenges following the death of its founder.

Deutsche Welle (DStv 446) ceased its linear TV channel broadcasting on December 30th, 2023. This development reflects the growing threats and pressures faced by linear TV channels and traditional pay-TV bundles, as distributors and operators shift away from this business model. Consequently, the number of available linear TV channels for pay TV has started to decline globally.

In March 2023, Deutsche Welle announced the closure of its linear broadcasting service in order to redirect resources and funding towards its digital services and participate in the digital transformation of its German international service. Peter Limbourg, the director-general of Deutsche Welle, emphasized the need for precautionary decisions to avoid more challenging circumstances in 2024. He also acknowledged the significant challenge posed by the dynamic digital transformation, particularly among younger, digitally-savvy audiences who primarily consume content through digital platforms, especially in Africa and Asia.

MultiChoice responded to media inquiries by expressing regret over Deutsche Welle’s decision to terminate the channel on all platforms, including DStv, worldwide, effective December 30th, 2023.

Additionally, the controversial Emmanuel TV (DStv 390), a religious TV channel, announced its departure from MultiChoice’s DStv and GO, as well as other pay-TV services, effective January 17th, 2024.

MultiChoice confirmed that Emmanuel TV would no longer be available on DStv and GOtv packages starting from January 17th, 2024.

Emmanuel TV, founded by the late televangelist TB Joshua in Nigeria in 2006, gained popularity and expanded its reach through its YouTube channel, which became one of the most subscribed Christian ministry YouTube channels globally.

However, in April 2021, YouTube shut down the channel due to “gay curing” claims, as it violated policies against alleging mental illness, disease, or inferiority based on membership in a protected group, including sexual orientation. Consequently, Emmanuel TV had to start over on YouTube, and some of its posts were also removed by Facebook for the same reasons.

Following TB Joshua’s passing in June 2021, Emmanuel TV has relied heavily on rebroadcasting old content and repeats of the late televangelist’s programs, producing less new content compared to the prolific scale during Joshua’s lifetime.

TB Joshua church building collapse: Victim families want R10 million

The families of those who lost relatives during a 2014 building collapse at TB Joshua’s church still want answers and justice.

Seven years later and the families of those who lost relatives during a building collapse at TB Joshua’s church still want answers and justice.

The Nigerian televangelist died on Saturday at the age of 57. He founded the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), which made headlines in 2014 after a massive structural collapse in Lagos killed over 100 congregants, including more than 80 South Africans. Many of these families said they still haven’t been able to find the much-needed closure..

A woman based in Gqebera, who wished to remain anonymous, lost her husband in the tragedy. They had been together for 31 years, she said. As a result, she and some of her children were still on anti-anxiety and antidepressant medication. Now, news of TB Joshua’s death on Saturday has come as another shock.

“I wanted him to answer. I needed a status quo. I needed the closure. I thought that they would do a trust fund for us, and all the promises that our kids would be taken to school… those things never happened,” she said.

She and other affected families have turned to the courts to file a civil claim.

The matter has faced several delays over the past three years and they wanted finality.

“Looking at what my husband was doing, if you calculate seven years now, I’m not expecting anything less than R10 million,” said the widow.

A Benoni woman, who doesn’t want her name disclosed, said she lost her 23-year-old daughter in the collapse.

“She was my princess. If he had told us the real story, we would’ve had closure. I know all the families want closure.”

She said it was painful seeing so many reports praising Joshua because, in her view, he never took accountability for the tragedy or even disclosed what really happened that day.

She and other families filed a civil suit in 2019, which is still before the courts. She said when Joshua received word of this, he offered the claimants R50,000.

“I refused and he said ‘I will give you double the money,’ I still refused. You know, he was so furious to the extent that he started threatening me that he will deal with me and that I will lose all my family members.”

With Joshua gone, she’s now pinning her hopes for closure and justice on Nigerian authorities.

He vomited a snake with two heads – Latest on TB Joshua’s death

Tributes continue to flow for Nigerian televangelist Prophet Temitope Balogun, famously known as TB Joshua (57).

He died shortly after concluding a programme at his church in Lagos on Saturday, 5 June.

But details about his death have not been shared.

One of his followers (42) said she would miss the prophet.

She said she was able to get a job, while her mother’s health improved after receiving prayers from Joshua.

“My husband paid for me to travel to Nigeria in 2012 with my mother.

“He laid his hands on us and I felt very light. I knew things were going to change.

“In less than two months, I got a job. He was truly a gifted man of God and we will miss him,” she said.

Another follower (58) said she was very hurt when Joshua’s church building collapsed in 2014 and killed congregants.

“My sister travelled to Nigeria because she believed she’d receive deliverance. We supported her as we trusted in the prophet’s preaching. He was our spiritual leader.

“She came back very traumatised. She was lucky to have survived. The collapse of the building shocked us. We are sad for those who died, but we still believe he was a true man of God,” she said.

Pastor Joseph Cidraas of Bethesda Healing Ministries International in Eldorado Park, south of Joburg, described Joshua who would have turned 58 on Saturday, as his spiritual father. Cidraas said he was in his early 20s when he travelled to Lagos in Nigeria to receive prayers from Joshua.

He said God anointed him using Joshua and his life has never been the same.

“I was a very sick child growing up. I had something in my body since the age of nine, which felt like an object and kept moving throughout my body. I went everywhere looking for help and not even doctors were able to help.”

He said the first time he heard Joshua preach, he knew he would give him healing.

“The prophet laid his hands on me and began to pray. While my eyes were closed I saw flashing lights and something told me not to open them because I will lose something. It was beautiful. During the prayer, I vomited horrible things including a snake with two heads,” he said.

Prophet Shepherd Bushiri said: “I’m your rest, general, I celebrate your mission. You came, you preached, you touched souls and you demonstrated to the world that God is still speaking today. Rest, great general for I will, forever, live our mission.”

Joshua gained popularity for his predictions of world events, including that Covid-19 will disappear. He was the founder of Synagogue, Church of All Nations. The church said they were grateful of the messages of support. “God has taken his servant Prophet TB Joshua and it should be by divine will. His last moment on earth was spent in the service of God. This is what he lived for and died for,” said the church

In 2014, more than 80 South Africans were killed after the church’s six-storey building collapsed in Lagos, Nigeria. It was later established that the collapse was as a result of negligence. Former Nigeria aviation minister and Joshua’s friend, Femi Fani-Kayode said: “The passing of my dearest brother Prophet TB Joshua saddens me deeply. At 3.00am this morning I was told by one of his daughters that this was fake news and I tweeted as much. Sadly I was misled. Five minutes ago the same person confirmed the story. @GazetteNGR was right and I am in shock and pain.”