What is the matter with … TB Joshua
T.B. Joshua proffers a version of American tele-evangelism's empty promises to African masses, as nationalism and liberation politics lose their shine.
On 12 September 2014, a building that was part of the complex that is the Synagogue Church of All Nations (‘pastor’: T.B. Joshua) in Lagos, Nigeria, collapsed. When the story was first reported, the death toll stood at 3 people. Then on September 16, the South African President Jacob Zuma announced that “at least 67 South Africans were killed.” Nigerian rescue workers, according to the BBC, have now upped the total number of bodies pulled from the rubble to 70 people. At the time of the collapse, South African media reported that 5 South African church groups were visiting Joshua’s church.
Some may wonder why it took so long (five days) for that information about the total number of death in the church collapse to emerge. The short answer is that TB Joshua’s church has a reputation for acting outside the law. His church and its properties are usually off limits to Nigerian security forces and local authorities have struggled to get access to the site since the building collapse. Also, local government in Lagos is either negligent or corrupt. The church most likely flouted building regulations.
As for T.B. Joshua, he is very good at deflecting. Apart from some tepid press statements, his and his church’s bizarre explanations for the building collapse were to blame, among others (1) the devil, (2) a plane that sprayed a mysterious substance over the building and (3) Boko Haram. There is no evidence of any of these happening.
Who is T.B. Joshua and what does he represent?
T.B. Joshua represents a wider trend on the continent of the emergence of “pastors” and “faith healers” who proffer a version of American tele-evangelism (though the influence of charismatic German evangelist Heinrich Bohmke should not be underestimated, however) to African masses, as nationalism and liberation politics lose their shine.
There’s been some good coverage and comments about Nigerian preachers on Nigerian Twitter (see Elnathan John) and on sites with a Nigerian focus, like Sahara Reporters (like this or here).
As for us, back in December 2011, editor and founder Sean Jacobs wrote a post about Joshua and his appeal. We’ve reproduced that post below:
