By Turaki Hassan
“I am here to do what I am called for, I am living for and I am going to die for.” – These were the words of Senior Prophet Temitope Balogun Joshua of blessed memory when he arrived in Botswana in 2005, to hold his first ever international crusade.
Today, July 9, 2021, the body of Senior Prophet Temitope Balogun Joshua who was called to glory on June 5, 2021 is being laid to rest in the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), Lagos, Nigeria.
He was born in Arigidi-Akoko Ondo State, South Western Nigeria, on June 1963 and rose from that humble background to become an international Preacher of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the greatest prophet from the African continent, thereby confirming the word of God in the Holy Bible in the book of 1 Corinthians 1:27:
“But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.”
Undoubtedly, Senior Prophet T. B. Joshua was the greatest Nigerian in his life time whose legacies transcended national and continental borders, races, tribes and religions.
He was a world renowned Preacher of the gospel, Televangelist, teacher and apostle of love and peace as exemplified by his numerous humanitarian and philanthropic activities from Internally Displaced Persons in North East Nigeria, the destitute, blind, lame, beggars, the less privileged in Nigeria and all over the world including donations to school children in South America, Asia and elsewhere.
Like Apostle Paul, he preached the gospel of Jesus Christ both in words and deeds. The prophetic grace of God upon him was unparalleled as witnessed in the miracles, signs, wonders and healings which were core of his ministry and was evident recently in the online healing of patients in Covid-19 Isolation Centres in India where after just a word of prayer – IN JESUS NAME- patients on life support removed oxygen masks by themselves and walked out of the hospital almost instantly.
This could only be the Divine Hand of God at work. His helped ministry popularised the Prophetic dimension of the gospel.
As a faithful and loyal servant of the Lord, He followed the steps of Our Saviour Jesus Christ and did great good to humanity. As recently as December 2020, he donated trailer loads of food items and millions of Naira to less privileged people in my state of Yobe, most of whom were Muslims.
For as the apostles said of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Holy Bible, in the book of Acts 10:38: “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.”
No wonder, there have been outpouring of tributes from all nations of the world. I never had the privilege of meeting him, but I have followed his teachings and I have friends who were some of his closest friends and they all testified that he was an epitome of love and humility. One of them, a Muslim, even said the Senior Prophet would travel with him to hold crusades in foreign countries.
Despite all the criticisms and rejections by fellow men of God in Nigeria, the late Prophet moved on with dignity and honour and God’s grace upon him continuously increased even to the very end of his earthly ministry. For our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ said in the Holy Bible in the book of Mark 9:38-41: “Teacher,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.”
“Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us. ”
Senior Prophet TB Joshua preached in Jesus Name, performed miracles, signs and wonders in Jesus name. What more can we say?
It is our utmost prayer that God Almighty will raise hundreds and thousands of Prophets across the world like TB Joshua for the remarkable work of the gospel and salvation of mankind.
I am elated by the fact that Prophet Joshua raised worthy successors who will continue the good work at the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN).
Continue to rest eternally in the bossom of the LORD, Servant of the Most High God.
Hassan, a journalist, wrote from Abuja.