Prophet Temitope Balogun Joshua, aka T.B Joshua, the founder of The Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), passed away one week before his 58th birthday, his church said in a statement Sunday.
"On Saturday 5th June 2021, Prophet TB Joshua spoke during the Emmanuel TV Partners Meeting: "Time for everything -- time to come here for prayer and time to return home after the service,"
T.B. Joshua Ministries wrote in a Facebook post.
"God has taken His servant Prophet TB Joshua home -- as it should be by divine will. His last moments on earth were spent in the service of God. This is what he was born for, lived for and died for."
Joshua's cause of death was not stated.
Since his rise to prominence in the late 1990s, the popular preacher was renowned for his philanthropy, prosperity teachings, and purported healings and miracles. Joshua was not without controversy. In recent weeks, his YouTube channel was deactivated after he posted videos claiming to 'cure' gay members of his congregation of their sexuality.
In 2011, Joshua was listed by Forbes as the third-richest pastor in Nigeria with an estimated net worth of between $10 - $15 million. SCOAN, however, denied the claims.
In 2014, a building on SCOAN's premises collapsed, killing more than 100 people -- most of whom were foreigners from South Africa.
The popular televangelist would have clocked the age of 58 on June 12, but death came knocking a few days to his birthday.
On June 3, the man of God shared a message on Facebook, telling his followers that he would not be able to celebrate his 58th birthday.
Joshua said:
“As things stand, you may have realised it will not be easy for me to celebrate my birthday under the present circumstances”.
His "strange" birth.
It is widely known that babies are born in nine months time except on very rare occasions.
Well, Joshua's was one of such rare occasions.
At a gathering marking his 55th birthday in 2018, the man of God recounted the mysterious events that surrounded his birth.
Life in school.
He attended six colleges in less than one year.
The cleric however failed to complete secondary school education because of poverty.
In school, teachers and colleagues called him ‘small pastor.
His family.
The televangelist is married to Evelyn Joshua and they have three children together.
His eldest daughter Serah Joshua is a graduate of the London School of Economics.
Rush for anointing water.
People from around the world throng the SCOAN headquarters in the Ikotun district in Lagos seeking healing.
The man of God has special water which is in small bottles and is said to position users "for mercy, favour, healing, deliverance, blessing, prosperity and fruitfulness".
It is said that if you can obtain this "healing water" your miracle is on its way even without being physically present at the church.
Other hot-selling church products.
Asides from the healing water, the church also has car stickers, books and special oils which are hot-selling items.
Failed attempt to join the army.
He reportedly attempted to join the Nigerian Army but couldn't because the train he was travelling in broke down, leaving him stranded enroute to the military academy.
A philanthropist.
Joshua is a well-known philanthropist and has been known to give out cash gifts and foodstuff including other material gifts, to the poor and downtrodden who visit his church.
His net worth Joshua is one of the richest pastors in the world. In 2011, Forbes reported that he was the third richest pastor in Nigeria with an estimated net worth of $10 million - $15 million.
TB Joshua comes bearing gifts.
On Wednesday, December 30, the cleric was seen visiting a woman believed to be 142 years of age. Joshua gifted her some cash for the festive period.
Specifically, he gave her N300, 000 to celebrate the new year.
In the video posted on his Twitter page, the synagogue church founder urged the woman to seek God's mercy because her journey in this world is coming to an end. He told her to settle any rift she might have had with anybody at any time in her lifetime.
He urged her to send her children to settle the rift.
May God rest his soul and comfort his family, church members and loved ones- AMEN.
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