Makandiwa wades into TB Joshua saga
UNITED Family International Church founder Emmanuel Makandiwa says a documentary by the BBC that claimed that the late Nigerian televangelist Temitope Balogun (TB) Joshua faked his miracles and sexually abused women lacks credibility.
TB Joshua, who founded his Synagogue Church of All Nations (Scoan) in Lagos, Nigeria more than three decades ago, died in June 2021 aged 57.
The late evangelist was popularly known for his theatrical miracles where he healed the sick through his alleged self-professed divine powers.
However, his miracles that were broadcast live on Emmanuel TV attracted controversy as critics accused him of using magic and rituals to mask his works.
The recent BBC documentary also exposed how the evangelist faked some of the miracles.
Makandiwa made a presentation on his YouTube channel last night titled: Lessons from TB Joshua and the BBC documentary claimed that there “is no proof whatsoever” that the televangelist abused his alleged victims.
“There is nothing investigative about the documentary,” he said. “There is no proof whatsoever.
“To me crying is not enough,” Makandiwa said in reference to the women that broke down during interviews with the BBC as they narrated their ordeals.
He also said those who claimed to have witnessed TB Joshua doing rituals were not convincing.
“You have a man that they say was a ritualist, he is into witchcraft, he is into dark arts, he is a wizard...they have said all sorts of things about the man including in this documentary that has recently come out,” Makandiwa said.
“You then question yourself and say ‘where is the truth in this?
“If the man is into rituals, then when you want to destroy him, when you want to attack, discredit him,, bring him down, there are things about the man that you should not deny, that you should not ignore.
“You cannot say all the miracles were fake, doctored and all prophecies physically and manually given to him by his disciples.”
Makandiwa said TB Joshua would have been alive today if claims that he was a ritualist and drank people’s blood for long life were true.
“If you are saying he did some of the things that he did, it was for what reason?,” he asked.
“You have to admit that the power was there,
“So the rituals were for what? Maybe they were for a long life.
“If he was drinking people’s blood, then you must say he is still alive to justify the reason
“When you try to discredit him, you need to apply logic.”
TB Joshua was known for attracting other prophets as well as politicians and popular figures to his Nigerian church.
Makandiwa said TB Joshua once invited him to visit Nigeria, but did not take up the offer.
“I have never met him. I have never been close to him yet I have spoken to him over the phone,” he said.
“At the early stages of our ministry, we had some discussions over the phone and he had things that he wanted to share with me.
“We spoke not more than six times, and part of the conversation was that he needed me to visit to come to Nigeria, and I said I cannot promise that I am coming.
“I have to think about it. I did not then visit.”
Maakndiwa did not state why he did not visit TB Joshua’s church.
“Having told him that I will have to talk about it, there are things that I was not comfortable about how things will turn out,” he said.
“I remember there were statements by one American president JF Kennedy who said that success has many fathers, but fail