Understanding the man in the Synagogue

While many have ascribed relevance to themselves for one good deed or the other, the humility and generosity of the founder and overseer of the Synagogue Church of All Nations, Prophet T.B. Joshua is globally celebrated. The man of God, irrespective of the level of criticism and condemnation he is receiving from those who should know better and celebrate him, is not bothered. Today, across the globe, he has continued to enjoy a cult followership. There is a growing desire by many communities and countries across the world for Prophet Joshua to come be a blessing to them. Many have called him all sorts of names, including prominent clerics who are supposed to champion unity within Christendom. However, a critical analysis of the activities of the Arigidi-Akoko born cleric shows that he has been misunderstood all this while.

Each time he travels out of Nigeria, the reception and glowing tributes that accompany him are wonderful to say the least. His international crusades have always been magnificent successes, owing to the number of people who throng the venues. One expects that by now doubting thomases would have realised that the man of God is only exercising his God-given powers and nothing more. But because we live in a world where there is competition even in religion, it would be very difficult for his competitors to come to terms with his souring popularity. The truth is that Prophet T.B. Joshua is being used by God and some clerics are not happy about it because they had condemned him from the very beginning of his ministry. And seeing that, time has vindicated him, they have become more frustrated. The criticisms are unnecessary and have been proven wrong through the years.

For many centuries, Christian mission was brought into Africa by foreigners but today T.B. Joshua is arguably the only black man of God who has attracted more foreigners to his country. This is known reverse mission. In those days, especially shortly after the abolition of the slave trade, white missionaries brought the gospel to Africans but today, the whites are the ones trooping to Africa in search of spiritual succour at The Synagogue Church of All Nations. If Prophet T.B. Joshua has nothing to offer, they would not be coming week in week out. There is surely something they are benefitting spiritually that is making them come to Nigeria.

Aside his healing and deliverance ministries, Prophet T.B. Joshua is an internationally-acclaimed philanthropist whose acts of charity has caught the attention of the United Nations. According to a Forbes report, the man of God has spent over 20 million dollars in humanitarian aid in different parts of the world. Together with his Emmanuel TV Partners, succour and financial aid has gone to many people, nations and institutions around the world. The man of God had built a school in Pakistan, a predominantly Moslem country and had also contributed immensely towards the rehabilitation of victims of the Haiti earthquake some years ago.

Since the issue of Nigerian migrants to Libya became a humanitarian crisis, Prophet T.B. Joshua has been in the forefront of providing help. According to unconfirmed media estimations, he has spent close to three hundred million naira in the rehabilitation of Nigerian deportees from Libya most of who are usually abandoned at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport. The man of God has never closed his doors to the needy. He has continually told members of his church to make giving a habit, adding that true love is always out looking for the needy to help them. the history of Nigeria would indeed be incomplete without the mention of the name of the enigma who once washed people’s feet for a living in the muddy streets of Lagos.

At his present age, then man of God can look back and thank God for using him to touch lives in many ways. Unknown to many Nigerians, Prophet T.B. Joshua was one of the brains behind the amnesty programme created by the late President Umaru Musa Yar’adua to bring an end to the agitations in the Niger-Delta. The success of that programme cannot be overemphasised. And with the precarious economic situation the nation has found itself in since the inception of the present administration, it would not be out of place for Nigeria as a nation to consult the Prophet and maybe allow him lead a national revival that would put an end to the many problems confronting the country.

Prophet T.B. Joshua’s track record speaks for him. We should wake up and face reality and humble ourselves as a nation. God has blessed us with a great Prophet. All we need is to consult him so that the blessings other countries are tapping from his anointing can also come to us. We need it now more than ever!

Oyetimi writes from Ibadan.