T. B. Joshua facts for kids

Temitope Balogun Joshua (12 June 1963 – 5 June 2021), known as T. B. Joshua, was a Nigerian pastor and philanthropist. He founded and led the Synagogue, Church of All Nations (SCOAN). This Christian megachurch also runs the Emmanuel TV television station from Lagos.

Joshua was very well-known in Africa and Latin America. He had many followers on social media, including over 6 million fans on Facebook. His YouTube channel, Emmanuel TV, had over 1 million subscribers. It was a very popular Christian ministry channel. However, YouTube suspended it in 2021 due to concerns about some of his teachings. Media outlets called him "YouTube's most popular pastor."

Joshua received several awards. The Nigerian government gave him the Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR) in 2008. A Pan-Yoruba media group voted him the Yoruba man of the decade. Magazines like The Africa Report and New African Magazine named him one of Africa's 50 most influential people.

Early Life and Education

T. B. Joshua was born on June 12, 1963, in Ondo State, Nigeria. He once said he spent 15 months in his mother's womb. He also shared that he nearly died as a baby when rocks from an explosion hit his house. Some of his followers believe an old prophecy about a man of God from Arigidi Akoko was about him.

As a child, Joshua was known as Balogun Francis. He went to St. Stephen's Anglican Primary School from 1971 to 1977. He was called "small pastor" because he loved the Bible. After school, he worked odd jobs, like carrying chicken waste. He also led Bible studies for children and attended evening school. He tried to join the Nigerian military but a train problem stopped him. He passed away on June 5, 2021, at his home in Lagos. The cause of his death was not shared.

Synagogue, Church of All Nations (SCOAN)

Joshua wrote that he had a special vision from God. In this vision, he felt called to start his ministry. After this, he founded the Synagogue, Church of All Nations (SCOAN). The organization says that over 15,000 people attend its Sunday services each week. Many visitors come from outside Nigeria. The church has special buildings for them to stay in.

The Guardian newspaper reported that SCOAN attracts more visitors than Buckingham Palace and the Tower of London combined. The church's popularity has also helped local businesses and hotels. SCOAN has only one main church location, which is in Ghana. Joshua believed it was not yet time to have branches all over the world.

Religious Tourism and SCOAN's Impact

SCOAN has been called "Nigeria’s biggest tourist attraction." It is also known as "the most visited destination by religious tourists in West Africa." Thousands of people from other countries visit the church every week. The Nigeria Immigration Service reported that six out of ten foreign travelers to Nigeria were going to SCOAN. This fact was even discussed in the Zimbabwean parliament.

This Day newspaper stated that about two million local and foreign tourists visit SCOAN every year. The church's popularity led to more flights to Lagos from several African countries in 2013. Joshua once mentioned moving his ministry to Israel. Many important Nigerians asked him to stay in the country. They worried about the economic impact if he left.

Healing and Deliverance Claims

Many people have claimed to be healed by "anointing water." This water was prayed over by Joshua and given to those who could not come to the church. Others said they were safe from dangerous events because they had the water with them.

SCOAN is also known for what they call "deliverance." During services, people who believe they are troubled by evil spirits are prayed for.

International Visits and Crusades

Joshua traveled to many countries for special events he called "crusades." These included Korea, Singapore, Indonesia, Australia, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, and Paraguay. He also visited Israel to receive an award and see biblical places.

In July 2014, about 100,000 people attended his "Miracle Crusade" in Cali, Colombia. In May 2015, about 200,000 people visited him over two days at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico. In September 2016, nearly 100,000 people came to his two-day visit in Lima, Peru. In August 2017, Joshua held a crusade in Paraguay. The Paraguayan parliament even approved giving him the National Order of Merit. This is the country's highest honor.

In June 2019, Joshua held a two-day event in Nazareth, Israel. This is the historic hometown of Jesus Christ. About 15,000 people from over 50 nations came to the event. This greatly helped local tourism.

Helping Others: Humanitarian Work

A Forbes writer estimated that Joshua spent $20 million on good causes. These included education, healthcare, and programs for former militants.

Joshua gave money to communities in need. He provided two electrical transformers to a community after theirs broke. He also donated over N26 million to restore electricity in four areas of Ondo State. This ended a power outage that had lasted over two years. He also gave large donations to police forces in Nigeria, Ghana, and Colombia.

SCOAN has a scholarship program. It helps thousands of students from primary school to university. In 2012, Joshua sponsored a Nigerian student studying for a PhD at Oxford University. She reportedly received £100,000 from the church. He also gave a scholarship to a young person from Botswana to study at Harvard Law School.

After the 2010 Haiti earthquake, Joshua sent doctors and aid workers. They set up a hospital called 'Clinique Emmanuel'. He also sent help to the Philippines, India, and Ghana after natural disasters. The 'Emmanuel TV Team' helped victims of the earthquake in Ecuador in April 2016. They provided over $500,000 in aid.

Joshua paid for the building and running of 'Emmanuel School' in Lahore, Pakistan. He also rebuilt a school in Ecuador that was destroyed by the 2016 Ecuador earthquake. He visited Ecuador for the school's opening in June 2017.

Many Nigerians trying to travel illegally to Europe through Libya were deported. SCOAN supported these people when they returned with nothing. Joshua's help to them was reported in newspapers.

In 2009, Joshua started a football club called My People FC. This was to help young people. Two players from the team played for Nigeria's Golden Eaglets in the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup. Sani Emmanuel and Ogenyi Onazi later signed professional contracts with SS Lazio.

King Davidson Emenogu, a boxing champion, said Joshua supported him financially. He also claimed Joshua predicted he would be a world champion.

Joshua helped bring together the family of former Liberian president Samuel Doe and former warlord Prince Yormie Johnson. Johnson was responsible for Doe's death. The family publicly forgave Johnson, who said Joshua's prayers led him to Christianity.

Joshua also helped families that were broken apart by false accusations.

Awards for Helping Others

In 2008, the Nigerian government gave him a National Honour for his humanitarian work. He also received a letter of thanks from the United Nations. He was named an Ambassador of Peace by the Arewa Youth Forum. This is a group mostly made up of Muslims. He also received an 'award of excellence' from ZAKA, Israel's main rescue service.

Claimed Prophecies

SCOAN claims that Joshua successfully predicted events in people's lives. They also say he predicted world events. These include a claimed prophecy about Michael Jackson's death. He also reportedly predicted the winners of two African Cup of Nations (AFCON) final matches. He has been voted among the most famous prophets by the public.

His prophecy about an African president's death was widely reported. Joshua's followers believe it was about former Malawi president Bingu wa Mutharika, who died in 2012.

Sometimes, false rumors using Joshua's name caused panic. They affected sports events and concerts. Critics say Joshua's predictions were often too general.

When Hamza Al-Mustapha, a former Nigerian official, was released from prison, he visited Joshua's church. He did this because of a prophecy Joshua reportedly gave him years earlier.

Emmanuel TV Channel

Emmanuel TV is SCOAN's television station. Joshua started it on March 8, 2006. Its Sunday services are shown live. Joshua's programs also air weekly on other TV stations in Africa. It became available on DStv and GOtv in November 2015. It also launched on StarTimes in February 2016. The BBC called him "Nigeria's best known televangelist."

Emmanuel TV's motto is 'Changing lives, changing nations, changing the world.' The station is also known for its phrase, ‘Distance Is Not A Barrier’. It encourages viewers to 'pray along' with T.B. Joshua by 'touching the screen'. Many people claim to have received miraculous 'healing' through these prayers.

Joshua was known for not focusing on the 'Prosperity Gospel'. Emmanuel TV is one of the few Christian channels that does not ask for money on air.

YouTube Channel Suspension

In April 2021, YouTube suspended Emmanuel TV's channel. This was due to concerns about some of Joshua's views expressed in videos. At that time, the channel had over 1.8 million subscribers. It also had 400 million views. It was the most-watched Christian ministry on YouTube.

Google once ranked one of Emmanuel TV's YouTube videos as the fourth-most viewed clip ever in Nigeria.

Personal Life

Joshua was married to Evelyn Joshua. They had three daughters. He passed away on June 5, 2021, in Lagos, Nigeria. This was just one week before his 58th birthday.

Books by T. B. Joshua

• The Mirror ISBN: 0-620-37453-5
• The Step Between You And The Cure ISBN: 0-620-33247-6
• Daily Time With God ISBN: 0-620-37575-2
• What The Future Holds ISBN: 978-0-620-42843-9

See also

In Spanish: T. B. Joshua para niños