A Prophet most Vilified?

A Prophet most Vilified?
By Sam Onimisi
Elders, speaking from experience, often say that in every adverse situation, God has always left a room for hope and thanksgiving. The world of Nigeria has been so despondent and hopeless that very few optimists still has any faith in the survival, growth or development of the country. Humanly speaking, it is impossible to redeem Nigeria from self-destruct. In every index of development, the country has always been first - coming from the rear; to the extent that outside the shores of the country, it is a shame to be found to be a Nigerian. We are racing inexorably to the abyss of a failed nation-state even while we deny it vehemently – without doing anything worth while to reverse it.
Do you know that I have discovered an area of reprieve for Nigeria, and a Nigerian in whom God has invested His powerful virtues of miracle and wonders? I am not talking of wizards, witch-doctors or magicians. These are in legions and could be located in weird places and many buildings self-styled as shrines, house of God or worship centres. It is not about stage-managed magic of a few hours lifespan. It has nothing to do with intellectuals with chains of degrees and whose brain is abuzz with a staccato of theories, formulas and philosophies. Be assured that we are not looking at elegant grammarians shooting jaw-braking adjectives from both sides of the mouth at the same time. Or is it about show boys, stylists and entertainers of impressive eloquence and rhetoric. None of the above, please.
Some three years ago, an acquaintance who is also a journalist told me a story of a man of God who owned a newspaper in which he was employed. He said he left the job when he could not dissuade the publisher from interference in the editorial liberty of the paper as he was tired sore of the man’s intrusiveness. Although, I didn’t believe him because he never impressed me as a person of integrity or uprightness, I nevertheless became cautious of the man of God in question. Not too long thereafter, stories began to fly about the man of God in journals of questionable credibility. It was always allegations of false prophecy, doubtful miracles and immoral escapades. All these made me wary but curious and inquisitive about the man of God and his church. So, in my quest to establish the truth, I bought a decoder which granted me access to the church television channel. The more I watched their programmes, the more I was convinced that the man was real and the works of his hands are clean. I took another step in my efforts to convince myself – since I have a business of convincing others – that there is no camera trick in what I see. I travelled to Lagos, attended his Sunday Church service and deliverance hour and came out convinced and converted to the truth: that the man of God is a true servant and prophet of the Almighty God. Perhaps you need to know that I myself was ordained as a pastor some 15 years back and still retain some unction and spiritual gifts to discern the truth. Having established my facts, I feel bold to acquaint you with this man of God.
On Sunday 31 October, I tuned the church’s television channel and here is what I saw, among other things. A group of men and women on wheel-chairs entered the church and were allowed to introduce themselves one after the other. Apparently, they are familiar with the man of God and his church. The first to give testimony was a woman by name, Esther Oyema, a physically challenged lady who won a gold medal in the recent Commonwealth games in India. Her wheel chair has been a gift from the church; she displayed her gold medal and said she was feeling some discomfort in her arms – as a weight-lifter, this is expected. But I was astounded when the man of God announced a package of gifts and awards for the gold medalist. A Honda Acura automatic car, the sum of N1 million and a six month vacation at any country of her choice were her rewards from the church!
It was the turn of Mrs. Onyinyechi Chinedu, a Master’s degree student of Abia State University who had been on the Church’s scholarship. The wheel chair she rode was a gift from the church. She recently got married to a handsome able-bodied young man. She was given an automatic Honda car, the sum of N500,000 for her degree programme and N200,000 to fuel the car! Next was Adams Surajudeen, a Youth Corps member who read Computer Science at Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba on the church’s scholarship. He got N150,000 as assistance to establish a computer training centre in the village of his primary assignment. Salami Lukeman, a blind student of University of Lagos on the church’s scholarship got N500,000 for the special equipment he needs to complete his master’s degree programme. There were Vivian Ozurumba of Imo State University, Sunday Adejo of University of Ibadan, Adekunle Saheed of Adekunle Ajasin University and 15 others who got various sums of money ranging from N100,000 to N370,000 for their needs in their studies. In all, over N6,000,000 were disbursed on that day. This was not the first time I have seen this type of philanthropy on air by this prophet and his church but this is the first time I took record of what I saw.
Yet, this man of God is the butt of wicked rumours, cruel jokes and sizzling insinuations by men and women who are either hired, or driven by envy and jealousy or simply misguided in their warped assumptions. Why will anyone speak so despicably against a person whose ministry and ministration depicts the presence of divine power and grace? Take note that this narration started on the physical and material benevolence of the man. When the supernatural and extraordinary healings, deliverance. restoration, reconciliation, rehabilitation of individuals, families, couples and communities and other acts of goodness of the church are examined, you will agree that God is mightily present in the Synagogue Church of All Nations and that Senior Prophet T.B. Joshua is truly, a quintessential man of God.
Indeed, what Jesus said in the gospel of John, chapter 14 and verse 12 is daily being fulfilled in the person of T.B. Joshua through his church as broadcast daily through Emmanuel TV. “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in me, the works that I do he will do also, and greater works than these he will do….” People from all countries are flocking into Nigeria to seek succor and blessings at the Synagogue thereby giving the country a face lift and redeeming her dubious image. If we will not appreciate him for this, we should not disparage him.
If we will not thank God for him, we should not thump him down. Prophet T.B Joshua is busy filling the void created by government’s neglect. He is improving our foreign exchange earning through spiritual tourism. God is doing through the hands of the prophet what our best doctors and medical science could not do. Let us tame the beast of envy and acknowledge the naked truth that great things are being accomplished in the Synagogue for the benefit of mankind. May God continue to strengthen Prophet T.B. Joshua to redeem and deliver Nigeria for God!