Nigerian evangelical clergyman remain silent over the death of Prophet TB Joshua

NIGERIAN religious watchers have expressed concern that the country's major evangelical clergymen have not commented on the recent death of one of their own the founder of the Synagogue Church Of All Nations (Scoan) Prophet Temitope Balogun Joshua.

Popularly known as TB Joshua, the Scoan founder whose prowess in performing miracles brought tourists from all over the world to Nigeria, died suddenly over the weekend. His death sparked an outpouring of grief from the members of his church who trooped to its Lagos premises on their thousands.

Prophet Joshua is one of a new breed of millionaire Nigerian evangelical clergymen but many of his colleagues have remained silent following his death. Among these are Pastor Enoch Adeboye of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor William Kumuyi of Deeper Life Bible Church, Bishop David Oyedepo of Winners Chapel, Pastor Paul Enenche, Pastor Chris Oyakilome and Pastor Chris Okotie.

Politicians, friends and well-wishers as well as those who did not seem to like his ministry, have used different means to condole and sympathise with the deceased family and his church, making the silence of the clergymen more weird. To make matters worse, when Dare, one of the sons of Pastor Adeboye died, Prophet Joshua was one of the first clergymen to send his condolences and went on to observe a minute silence for the 43-year-old.

In his condolence message, Prophet Joshua had said that the sad event would not had happened if God did not permit. He added that it is not how long we live that matters but how well we live.

Although the reason these pentecostal pastors have been quiet over Prophet Joshua’s death is not yet clear but it may be to do with the fact that Prophet Joshua was not a member of any of the religious bodies in Nigeria. Up until his death, he was not a member of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria and neither was he a member of the Christian Association of Nigeria.

Apostle Suleman Johnson of the Omega Fire Ministries in Edo State, suggested that there may have been a misunderstanding between Prophet Joshua and some of these top preachers. So far, he has been the only clergyman to talk about the death during his church service.