Mixed reactions trail BBC report on TB Joshua

Mixed reactions have trailed a report detailing how the late founder of the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), Pastor Temitope Balogun Joshua, popularly known as TB Joshua, reportedly raped, tortured, and subjected some church members to solitary confinement.

The investigative report by the British Broadcasting Corporation’s (BBC) Africa Eye, spanning over two years, detailed the accounts of victims. They claimed they were raped and also underwent forced abortions in a secretive Lagos compound for almost 20 years.

The BBC reports that a Briton, Rae, “was 21 years old when she abandoned her degree at Brighton University in 2002 and was recruited into the church. She spent the next 12 years as one of Joshua’s so-called ‘disciples’ inside his maze-like concrete compound in Lagos.”

The over-150-minute-long video, split into three parts and published on YouTube, is titled “Disciples: The Cult of TB Joshua”. It also took into account the stories of former disciples and church workers.

The report delved deeper into the collapse of a guest house for church pilgrims in 2014, killing at least 116 people.

Joshua was also accused of faking his “miracle healings”, which were broadcast to millions of people around the world.

Reactions

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.”

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