Prophet TB Joshua
from OKORO CHINEDU in Lagos, Nigeria
LAGOS, (CAJ News) – CONTROVERSIAL Nigerian pastor, Temitope Balogun (TB) Joshua, has come under renewed criticism and his authenticity as a prophet in doubt as the coronavirus (COVID-19) spreads around the world.
The deadly virus has raged beyond March 27, the date Joshua had proclaimed would see the pandemic end.
As the world entered a new month with no signs of the crisis abating, Christians, even some that are passionate of his Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) headquartered in Lagos have expressed disappointment.
Some have branded him a false prophet.
“This false prophecy (prediction) makes every Nigerian look very stupid in the eyes of the world. I’m really ashamed to be associated with Nigeria where a majority false prophets dwell,” said Nwora Chukwueze of Ikeja in the commercial city of Lagos.
Obafemi Enyeama in the capital of Abuja said, “Today is 1 April yet there is no sign of this life-threatening coronavurs subsiding.”
He argued if indeed God had spoken to TB Joshua, as the church leader claimed, COVID-19 would have ended.
“We all know for sure Jehovah is there in heaven but if He spoke to anybody about this pandemic,” Enyeama said.
Uche Anichebe in Port Harcourt said the so-called prophecy had brought Christianity into disrepute.
“This fake prophecy has reduced the Christian family into the biggest joke of the century. How could one joke with such a fatal pandemic killing and infecting millions of people worldwide?” Anichebe asked.
Earlier TB Joshua had said in a sermon, “This month, 27th (March), it (COVID-19) will be all over. By the end of this month, whether we like it or not, no matter the medicine, they (scientists) might have produced the cure or whatever, it will go the way it came.”
The controversy around the prophecy coincided with Nigeria Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, confirming two deaths in the country on Wednesday.
This is from 174 cases in Africa’s most populous nation of 200 million people.
“We have intensified contact tracing and our strategy remains to promptly detect cases, isolate the infected and follow up with contacts, isolate and treat in order to reduce the speed of infection”, Ehanire said.
Globally, 42 255 deaths have been confirmed from 862 574 cases as of the end of March.
– CAJ News