…After telling Church members: What and pray
* Kinsmen, Obas mourn
Notable preacher and founder of the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), Prophet Temitope Balogun Joshua, has reportedly died. He was 57 years old.
Reports say he was conducting a church service when he suddenly felt uncomfortable.
The report further said he passed away around 2am, hours after walking to his apartment midway into the service, presumably to get some rest.
Born on June 12, 1963, the prophet died six days to his 58th birthday. He hailed from Arigidi, Akoko Northwest Local Government Area of Ondo State.
It was gathered that Joshua had walked out of the church to his apartment when he felt uncomfortable during the service that commenced around 6pm on Saturday.
Although it was not clear at what point he left the hall, he reportedly officiated the service for some hours before he stepped out.
His aides and members, it was gathered, thought he was going for a quick break but became anxious when he failed to return after a long time.
Following the said development, his aides went to check on him but found him in an uncomfortable/unusual position.
The cause of his death was not known at the time of this report.
However, the prophet had reportedly asked most of his aides to work from home, in apparent observance of the COVID-19 pandemic protocols.
An unnamed source was quoted as saying: “Those who were left with him were mostly foreigners, a few personal aides, who live in the premises.
“I got a call around 2am that Senior Prophet was dead. I had to quickly get in touch with his family and it was confirmed.
“We do not really have details now but I can tell you he was ministering when he suddenly took ill and left the church to rest,” he said.
The Church later confirmed his death through official online post.
Also, the Lagos State Police Commissioner (CP), Hakeem Odumosu, said Joshua was officially pronounced dead by a hospital around 3am.
Odomuso said: “It is true he is dead. I do not know the cause of his death yet. But the information we have is that he was conducting service, along the line, he felt uncomfortable, walked to his apartment himself and never came back.
“His people thought he probably wanted to rest or refresh but when they didn’t see him after a long while, they went in search of him and found him in an unusual position.
“The service started in the evening. But it was around 3am that he was pronounced dead by a hospital.”
The church said Joshua’s last words to his members were “watch and pray.”
He was said to have also reminded them there was time for everything before he left the church hall.
The traditional ruler of Arigidi, HRH Yisa Olaniekun, reportedly said the entire community was still in disbelief over the news.
Olaniekun said people have been coming to his palace to confirm the news as well as make arrangements of travelling to Lagos State where he died.
He said several Obas across Akokoland have been calling him because of the goodwill late T.B Joshua extended to many sons and daughters of Akokoland.
“We are going to Lagos to know what really happened. It was a shocking news. I have not slept since 1am when I was informed about his death.
“We are very sad here in Arigidi and the entire Akokoland. Joshua was a good man to everybody. He has been helping everybody.”
On whether deceased sons of Arigidi are usually brought home for burial, Olanieku said T.B Joshua must be buried in Arigidi.
“We will bring him (body) for burial. They must bring him here,” he said.
Chief Imam of Arigidi Akoko, Alhaji Salisu Musa, who is an uncle to late T.B Joshua, said the news of his demise was received on Saturday night.
Alhaji Musa said the preacher died without any prior sickness.
TB Joshua was known for prophesying and performing miracles for which politicians, celebrities and sportsmen thronged his church situated at Ikotun in Lagos in search of miracles.
In 2009, Joshua started a football club, My People FC. Two members of the team, Sani Emmanuel and Ogenyi Onazi played for Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets in the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup. Emmanuel was Nigeria’s top-scorer and the tournament’s MVP. Emmanuel and Onazi signed professional contracts with SS Lazio while Onazi went on to become a key player for the Nigerian Senior Team, the Super Eagles
Joshua, following the 2010 Haiti earthquake, sent a team of medical personnel and humanitarian workers to the affected area, establishing a field hospital called ‘Clinique Emmanuel’.
The prophet sent support to nations such as Philippines, India and Ghana in the wake of varying natural disasters.
Joshua funded the building and running of a school in Lahore, Pakistan named Emmanuel School’. He also rebuilt a school in a rural area destroyed by the 2016 Ecuador earthquake, travelling to Ecuador for the opening of the school in June 2017.
He received the National Honour in 2008 as well as receiving a letter of appreciation from the United Nations.
·He was ‘blacklisted’ by the government of Cameroon in 2010 and termed a ‘son of the devil’.