DISCIPLES : THE CULT OF TB JOSHUA

This documentary “Disciples: The Cult of TB Joshua”, comes as a result of a two-year investigation from BBC World Service’s Investigation Unit, Africa Eye, on the life and hidden activities of Apostle TB Joshua, and what was discovered or revealed in this first documentary is so horrible. This is a three-part documentary by BBC Africa Eye and were released on Monday 08^th January 2024. These sequels brought in a lot of doubts, confusions and questions in the minds of people who followed the sermons of the Apostle TB Joshua.

The episodes are all about allegations regarding abuse in a secretive Nigerian compound span for almost 30 years. More than 25 former members spoke to the BBC – from the UK, Nigeria, US, South Africa, Ghana, Namibia and Germany – giving powerful corroborating testimony about their experiences within the church, spanning three decades up to 2019. The British victims were all between 15 and 21 years old when they joined the church. Multiple BBC interviewees compared their experiences to like being in a cult.

The first episode was titled “Miracle Maker”, the second episode was titled “Unmasking Our Father” and the third episode was titled “The Collapse”.

The first episode shows how TB Joshua began his church and it proceeds with his disciples who began by saying that was the first time that they were revealing such secrets on the man TB Joshua. A white lady who was his disciple took the lead by talking about the first time she went to see the man of God because she realised, she was becoming gay and she did not want that so she had to find a way to get rid of such spirit making her discover the Apostle. She revealed that all the people who came there who were loving and kind people were turned into monsters. A video was shown on how TB Joshua’s building was before it collapsed for no reason.  This first episode, was more on the different witnesses and disciples how they received their healings and miracles from the man of God. They all revealed how they were healed and how they got a new life from the man of God. They also revealed somethings he did to them that was not humane and how he tried controlling their minds. It was also revealed on how all TB Joshua’s disciples behaved like they were controlled and someone told them they behave like a cult but they took it lightly but as well, when they look at the TV and look at themselves, they never recognised themselves. He used them as puppets. He used his Disciples to build his church. One of his African Disciples revealed that TB Joshua confided in him that he will deal with the Whites as they dealt with his forefathers, he will deal with them and he actually did it. Majority of his disciples were whites.

As the second episode of the documentary begins, one sees the different disciples that served TB Joshua when he was alive and the atrocious revelations on what TB Joshua hid from the real world. They began by talking on how they got to know the man of God in the first episode before they began exposing his evil deeds. Beginning with the first lady from Namibia, while asked on her fear on speaking out against TB Joshua, she explained how hard it was and before she could finish, she began crying in pain. Another female disciple was shown and she explained on how the Apostle always accused ladies on the spirit of lust, and that he always brought different types of cases for the ladies be it a problem with men or being a harlot. One of the Disciples revealed that she was a virgin but did not understand how TB Joshua will accuse her or the spirit of lust.

A Disciple narrates how everyone wanted to know how the man of God got his power but she explains that whenever he tells the story, it is never clear, it just comes out like vapour and nobody understands clearly how he got his power from God. As the disciples narrated, flashbacks of TB Joshua delivering people will pop up after every confession. Surprisingly, even his daughter spoke up explaining how her dad was always scared that someone amongst the people he abused will one day speak up, and he won’t be able to answer to the things he had done to them. One of his disciples called Agomoh Paul said, TB Joshua confided in him that, every 2000 years, God sends a Saviour and that Christ’s tenure and that he is the next person in line now. Another disciple revealed that TB Joshua usually mocked American Gospel tv shows, but all he just wanted was to be like them, and he realised that this Tele-evangelism will work out for him and be a way to reach out the world. A flashback was shown on how his disciples worked hard for the tv channel Emmanuel Tv to work out well and his church Synagogue Church of All Nations. They worked 24 hours a day that is no rest just to satisfy him. A disciple’s voice spoke out on how when TB Joshua enters a building, the demons will start manifesting and she also spoke that TB Joshua was stronger than Satan himself. One of his disciples also spoke on how when the Emmanuel TV was broadcasted in 2006, it was huge and also spoke on how it was tuned in all over the world. She also gave statistics on the amount of people that could attend only the live service which could be around 50,000 people from round the world. Another disciple said on how some people stopped going to their own church and rather stay home and watch Emmanuel TV, everyone wanted an opportunity to meet the big TB Joshua. One of the female disciples narrates on when she came to the Synagogue Church of All Nations. She revealed that she was 17 years old and that Emmanuel TV took her in, and for her when that happened, it was like she has finally found her purpose in life.

A disciple while revealing things, spoke on how TB Joshua never stayed in the same house with his family he was always distant from them. He was in a different floor from his family. Nigerian boys were always on his floor helping him to do chores like helping him do his hair, wash his pants and much more.

One of the young boys who served TB Joshua on his floor confessed on how they helped TB Joshua on everything even till his nudity. Another boy narrated on how when TB Joshua needs to use the toilet, he will remove his pants to his knee level and there must be at least two boys in the toilet with him, as he removes his pants to his knee level , they help him pull the pants down because they don’t want him to bend down. They worshipped him like he was a god. One of the boys went ahead to narrate how TB Joshua always had white under wears and that strange things always happen behind close doors and he will pour a particular honey into his panties before wearing it but they never understood why such an act and they never asked him. As this was revealed, a flashback was broadcasted on how the man of God prophesied to one of his victims that the person will go to a native doctor and they will give the person honey to pour in their pants and private part. According to one of the disciples, many people always came to the Synagogue Church of All Nations mostly for deliverance from witchcraft and when they are delivered, they spend time at the prayer mountain and lodge there. Not only were disciples allowed to reveal all that they suffered and endured with TB Joshua, witnesses as well gave shocking revelations. One of the witnesses explained on what the Prayer Mountain of TB Joshua was all about and she explained. One of the disciples narrated how one day during a fast on the Prayer Mountain, TB Joshua caught a big fish, he cut his facial beards, pubic hair and fed the fish with it and threw the fish back into the river and the fish reproduced several little fishes. He found it weird but could not speak to the Man of God. This man said people think this Prayer Mountain is only for prayers but there is more to that. As the documentary goes on, others people narrate the horrors this man did to them. One narrated how TB Joshua will invite her to his room, turn off the lights and tell her to remove her under wears and she won’t deny she will accept like a programmed robot, then he will lick her two ears, then masturbate on her till he cum and tells her to go. She always found that nasty but she could not speak up. Others confessed on how they were less than 18 years old when he abused them sexually but they could not talk. Another Witness confessed how TB Joshua asked her to find virgins for him and when she does, they will enter his room and he will dis-virgin them and collect all the used bedsheets while dis-virgining the young ladies and take them to the Prayer Mountain. This witness called him a ritualist and a sexual predator.

Lots of rumours passed round of the Apostle threatening ladies, raping them, making them do abortions and much more and it got to the ears of the man of God’s daughter and she could not take it again and she confronted him but he denied and instead caused a scene which made his disciples to take the daughter away to a room and she was beaten up with chains and whips just to make her shut up but the disciples said they saw TB Joshua’s daughter as a hero to stand up against her father. TB Joshua’s daughter said she saw a scared man behind her father’s mask and a man who did not want to be exposed. This second episode of the documentary showed different other confessions and it really traumatised the victims really badly.

In the third part of the documentary, it was more of the collapsing of his guest house and his disciples spoke on how TB Joshua did not show any remorse for the victims who died, and to the families of the victims. They narrated on how even Presidents worshipped this man. He will have a convoy from the airport till where he is to go. He will boast on his channel how important he is, his achievements, he also boasted on how he is more valuable than presidents due to the fact that they worshipped him. They spoke on how he loved money, and how he used the guest house as a source of money since he had foreign visitors. Several families of the victims that lost their lives also spoke up and expressed their pain. They revealed on how as years passed, his attitude of raping, abusing young ladies grew rampant and he was not remorseful. One of the disciples revealed how she left the Synagogue Church of All Nations and told the man of God to his face of his bad deeds and she said how he was tensed because he was scared and panicked she will reveal all he has done to her.

After all these revelations, a video of his death was broadcasted as well and the disciples spoke on how people took him as a god but they did not know he will die neither did he. A disciple said she cried because she won’t get an apology she was to have. They spoke on how TB Joshua knew nothing could bring him down but finally he died. Many of these disciples were finally released and went back to their families. They revealed on how what got them quiet was fear but now they were encouraged to speak the truth and empty their heart. They all thanked God for setting them free from TB Joshua’s hands.

Delia Nyadi