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Pendulum: Prophet T B Joshua and the Journey to Nazareth

Published

7 years ago

June 29, 2019

Eric

By Dele Momodu

Fellow Nigerians, let me say how delighted I feel right now that I made the trip to Israel this past week. Israel is not new to me just like I’m not new to Israel. In addition, I have good friends from that small, but extremely powerful nation. I will return to that shortly, as this trip was full of drama.

Let’s begin with Act 1, Scene 1. I had no intention of heading to Israel at this time, my studies in Oxford and a couple of projects in Nigeria and Ghana meant that travelling to that side of the world was not in my consciousness at all. However, God must have planned the journey without my knowledge. The trip dropped itself on my laps without warning.

I had received a call from one of the most prayerful and extremely benevolent women of God, Reverend Mother Abimbola Esther Ajayi, popularly known by her moniker, Iya Adura, who incidentally had invited and taken me to Jerusalem, between 2017 and 2018. On the trip I got introduced to a very efficient tour operator, Shadia, who took good care of all of us.

The call from Iya Adura, with whom I talk almost daily on several issues, this time was at the instance of Shadia who wanted an introduction and recommendation to the incredibly popular Prophet, Temitope Balogun Joshua (T.B. Joshua), who has been a long-time friend and Brother of mine. Iya Adura apparently told Shadia she has no contact for or association with T. B Joshua but mentioned my name as one person that can definitely reach Prophet T. B Joshua who happens to be one of the most sought-after human beings in Africa, and beyond. So, Mama called, and I swung into action immediately.

I started by calling all the numbers I had for Prophet T. B Joshua but couldn’t reach him directly. I left messages but got no instant response. However, two days later he sent a text that he’d also been trying my numbers in Nigeria, Ghana and the United Kingdom since the day before upon seeing my calls and messages. I obviously did not recognize the number he was calling from and I did not get to reply immediately. I quickly called him, and we spoke with our usual conviviality. I told him the reason I wanted to speak to him, and he requested for Shadia’s number with automatic alacrity and promised to reach out to her instantly. I felt greatly honoured that such an incredibly busy man could accord me such respect. To my utter amazement, I confirmed from Shadia minutes later that he reached out to her as promised.

I thought that was all. My introduction and task were over, I withdrew into my shell, but it was not to be for long. Days later, I got a call from Prophet T. B Joshua asking me to join him on his trip to Nazareth for a powerful crusade. There was no way I could have said no to him. I immediately accepted his invitation. I promised to travel from London to Israel as I had to return to the University of Oxford where I have been on Fellowship. He promised to call back and we spoke a few more times before the journey.

Act 1, Scene 2. All was set and I seriously looked forward to visiting the birthplace of our Lord Jesus Christ. On the day of travel, I arrived London Heathrow Airport Terminal 5 early, as I always do. I hate to arrive late to the airport like some people do and start rushing and panting. The best part of the journey for me is exhaustively making use of the lounges of airlines like Emirates, Virgin Atlantic and British Airways. You can do with a bit of pampering before you fly. Well, at least I can! On this occasion, I was flying with British Airways and once through the departure formalities I promptly went into the Concorde Lounge and buried myself into the sheer luxury that the it has to offer.

After leaving the lounge on this special day, I boarded my flight early and settled down comfortably in my seat. Then a message flew in from my cousin that there were reports of possible trouble for Prophet T. B Joshua in Nazareth. I opened the link and there were tales of different groups including Christians, Rabbis and Muslims, objecting seriously to the planned crusade by T. B Joshua. I foresaw an apocalypse ahead but knowing myself well enough, I was actually energized and more determined to witness whatever would happen on the day. Journalists are like soldiers; we love and revel in action and the big news.

I landed in Tel Aviv late evening of June 21, 2019, but due to the long walk to Immigration desks and the queues, I only managed to pick my bags past midnight and arrived the Ramada Hotel, in Nazareth, at a time most normal people were fast asleep and probably snoring away. Throughout my taxi drive to Nazareth, I was on the lookout for any sign of trouble but saw none at all. The events were billed to start on June 23 and end on June 24. I went to bed dog-tired and barely struggled to wake up for breakfast at about 10a.m.

Not much happened until D-Day, June 23. There was palpable tension because of the negative news that had gone viral. Will the crusade go on or not was the million-dollar question on every lip? But the organizers were unperturbed. They went about their duty with every sense of purpose and responsibility. Nothing was left to chance. Security was top of the agenda. They were determined not to let anyone come to constitute a nuisance. On a regular day, Israel never jokes with Security not to talk of an unusual day such as this.

You must give it to T. B Joshua, he meticulously executed this project. His team was just superb. The attendees came from different parts of the world. Wow, we seem to underrate T. B Joshua back home. Without sounding profane, he is regarded and treated like a supernatural being in Israel. He is adored and worshipped with great fervour indeed. When I landed at Tel Aviv airport, several people asked me with admiration and enthusiasm if I had come for T. B Joshua’s program. I was so proud that a fellow Nigerian has succeeded in capturing the imagination of this part of the world in this manner.

Act 1, Scene 3. The event started slowly at about 4pm with some soul-lifting and stirring music by the choir assembled as a potpourri of Arabs and Africans. It came to a crescendo when T. B Joshua came in humbly, but powerfully, in his usual garb of shirt and trousers. He looked so majestic and mercurial even in his simplicity. He climbed the stage and grabbed the microphone and the audience roared as he began to teach like a true follower of Christ and the Holy Bible that he is. His theme for this first session was about love and he quoted copiously about love from the holy book to the excitement and adulation of the throngs of people massed and gathered to watch, listen and worship with him. He told them to love those who hate and despise them, no matter how difficult that seems.

His opening words were dramatic and foreshadowed the intense passion that was to follow. “My name is T. B Joshua. Some people call me Prophet. Some call me Pastor… They have given me different titles, but all I know is that my name is T. B Joshua. That is enough for me…” The crowd went wild in ecstatic jubilation at the simplicity of his introduction of his person. After a few minutes, the prophet came down and came out to be closer and interact with his followers. Miracle seekers had jammed the place in droves. They came from far and near, with all manner of challenges and disabilities. The Prophet who obviously was used to this was unruffled. He told them to have faith in the power of Jesus Christ to deliver them from all evil. He told them all diseases are the handiwork of the devil, but that the Lord, being a merciful, loving and benevolent God would come down to heal them, provided they believed in God as their Lord and Saviour.

Then they were lined up in rows and the Prophet started laying hands on them. Even before touching some of them, they were already reacting with spasms and seemed to be under the control and influence of some supernatural being. He started touching them, and some fell down, some screamed, some rolled on the floor and some did a combination of these things. Some were thanking God for healing them instantly. Some begged him to have mercy on them. T. B Joshua has totally matured into his evangelical work. It was wonderful and inspiring watching him at work. Meanwhile, his wife, Lady Evelyn, stood solidly behind him like the Rock of Gibraltar and assisted as required. The event ended at about 9p.m without any hitch. The Prophet of the Lord, T. B. Joshua performed miracles and touched hundreds of devotees during the event. The event was simply epochal, and I felt truly privileged to have been a part of it.

Act 2, Scene 1. The second day came and followed the same pattern. In his preaching, T. B Joshua revealed how he had visited Mount Precipice three years ago and was shocked to find the place overgrown with weeds. He had promised at the time to turn the place around and make it into an Eldorado. He showed the video of how desolate and forlorn the place looked at the time. True to his word, T. B. Joshua has radically changed and altered the place and its environment, turning it into a magnificent and powerful amphitheatre for the worship of God. In doing this, he has not only built a testament to the glory of God, he has created direct and indirect employment for hundreds of people and become a wealth creator and facilitator for this little historical and biblical part of Nazareth, as most of Nazareth is. Indeed, it is no longer a site of rejection as the Bible tells us but a site of regeneration and hope. Pope Benedict who worshipped there with more than 40,000 people would be glad to see that today, T B Joshua has restored this monument to the glory that it should have and more besides.

In the course of our visit, I was invited to his office, he had many rooms and tents all over the mountain and wherever I went to I saw the awesome work and wonder of the Man of God. We discussed the magnitude of his work for a few minutes before I departed to the hotel. I left with a better picture and appreciation of a T. B Joshua to whom we don’t seem to give enough respect at home. With what I saw, heard and learnt, I have come to believe that he has suffered too many unjustified insults and tribulations back home.

My take is that religion is a voluntary act. Joshua has never forced anyone to worship with him against that person’s wish or to attend his Synagogue by compulsion. He has not coerced anyone into seeking to receive the miracles he professes to bring to people on behalf of God. Let me say, emphatically, that as far as I am concerned, he is the single biggest tourism attraction in Lagos. I expect Lagos State Government to tap into this goldmine by collaborating with Joshua and turning the roads leading to his place of worship into well maintained expressways. That is what Joshua himself has done in Mount Precipice, but laws, envy, lack of understanding and comprehension as well as the capriciousness of our leaders have made it impossible for him to replicate this feat in his own backyard. This is what would have happened in other climes.

If what I witnessed in Nazareth is anything to judge by, T. B Joshua has become a religious prodigy and icon. My taxi drivers in Nazareth swore by his name. I became a star myself by dropping his name. The newspapers were agog with the news of our Man of God as he spread the gospel at this unique and spectacular event. T B Joshua made me proud to be a Nigerian. It is not all gloom and doom.

I thank God on his behalf…

Headline

Opposition Parties Reject 2026 Electoral Act, Demand Fresh Amendment

Published

9 hours ago

February 26, 2026

Eric

Opposition political parties have rejected the 2026 Electoral Act recently passed by the National Assembly, which President Bola Tinubu swiftly signed into law.

The parties called on the National Assembly to immediately begin a fresh amendment process to remove what they described as “all obnoxious provisions” in the law.

Their position was made known at a press briefing themed “Urgent Call to Save Nigeria’s Democracy,” held at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja on Thursday.

In a communiqué read by the Chairman of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) Ahmed Ajuji, the opposition leaders stated:

“We demand that the National Assembly immediately commence a fresh amendment to the Electoral Act 2026, to remove all obnoxious provisions and ensure that the Act reflects only the will and aspiration of Nigerians for free, fair, transparent and credible electoral process in our country. Nothing short of this will be acceptable to Nigerians.”

Some of the opposition leaders present in at the event include former Senate President David Mark; former Governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola; former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; former Governor of Rivers State, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi; and former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, all from the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

The National Chairman of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Ahmed Ajuji, and other prominent members of the NNPP, notably Buba Galadima, were also in attendance.

The coalition said the amended law, signed by Bola Tinubu, contains “anti-democratic” clauses, which they argue may weaken electoral transparency and public confidence in the voting system.

At the centre of the opposition’s concerns is the amendment to Section 60(3), which allows presiding officers to rely on manual transmission of election results where there is communication failure.

According to the coalition, the provision weakens the mandatory electronic transmission of results and could create loopholes for manipulation.

They argued that Nigeria’s electoral technology infrastructure is sufficient to support nationwide electronic transmission, citing previous assurances by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The parties also rejected the amendment to Section 84, which restricts political parties to direct primaries and consensus methods for candidate selection.

They described the change as an unconstitutional intrusion into the internal affairs of parties, insisting that indirect primaries remain a legitimate democratic option.

The opposition cited alleged irregularities in the recent Federal Capital Territory local government elections as evidence of what they described as a broader pattern of electoral compromise.

They characterised the polls as a “complete fraud” and said the outcome has deepened their lack of confidence in the ability of the electoral system to deliver credible elections in 2027.

The coalition also condemned reported attacks on leaders of the African Democratic Congress in Edo State, describing the incidents as a serious threat to democratic participation and political tolerance.

They warned that increasing violence against opposition figures could destabilise the political environment if not urgently addressed.

In their joint statement, the opposition parties pledged to pursue “every constitutional means” to challenge the Electoral Act 2026 and safeguard voters’ rights.

“We will not be intimidated,” the leaders said, urging civil society organisations and citizens to support efforts aimed at protecting Nigeria’s democratic system.

On February 18, 2026, President Bola Tinubu signed the Electoral Act (Amendment) 2026 into law following its passage by the National Assembly. The Act introduced several reforms, including statutory recognition of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System and revised election timelines.

However, opposition figures such as Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi have also called for further amendments, particularly over the manual transmission fallback clause, which critics say leaves room for manipulation.

The president said the law will strengthen democracy and prevent voter disenfranchisement.

Tinubu defended manual collation of results, questioned Nigeria’s readiness for full real-time electronic transmission, and warned against technical glitches and hacking.

The Electoral Act sparked intense debate in the National Assembly over how election results should be transmitted ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Civil society groups under the “Occupy NASS” campaign demanded real-time transmission to curb manipulation.

In the Senate, lawmakers clashed during consideration of Clause 60, which allows manual transmission of results if electronic transmission fails.

Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (ADC, Abia South) demanded a formal vote to remove the proviso permitting manual transmission, arguing against weakening real-time electronic reporting.

The move led to a heated exchange on the floor, with Senate President Godswill Akpabio initially suggesting the demand had been withdrawn.

After procedural disputes and a brief confrontation among senators, a division was conducted. Fifteen opposition senators voted against retaining the manual transmission proviso, while 55 supported it, allowing the clause to stand.

Earlier proceedings had briefly stalled during clause-by-clause review, prompting consultations and a closed-door session.

In the House of Representatives, a similar disagreement came up over a motion to rescind an earlier decision that mandated compulsory real-time electronic transmission of results to IReV.

Although the “nays” were louder during a voice vote, Speaker Tajudeen Abbas ruled in favour of rescinding the decision, triggering protests and an executive session.

Headline

AFP: How Tinubu’s Govt Paid Boko Haram ‘Huge’ Ransom, Released Two Terrorists for Kidnapped Saint Mary’s Pupils

Published

3 days ago

February 24, 2026

Eric

The Nigerian government paid Boko Haram militants a “huge” ransom of millions of dollars to free up to 230 children and staff the jihadists abducted from a Catholic school in November, an AFP investigation revealed Monday.

Two Boko Haram commanders were also freed as part of the deal, which goes against the country’s own law banning payments to kidnappers. The money was delivered by helicopter to Boko Haram’s Gwoza stronghold in northeastern Borno state on the border with Cameroon, intelligence sources told AFP.

The decision to pay the militants is likely to irritate US President Donald Trump, who ordered air strikes on jihadists in northern Nigeria on Christmas Day and has been sent military trainers to help support Nigerian forces.

Nigerian government officials deny any ransom was paid to the armed gang that snatched close to 300 schoolchildren and staff from St. Mary’s boarding school in Papiri in central Niger state on November 21. At least 50 later managed to escape their captors.

Boko Haram has not been previously linked to the kidnapping, but sources told AFP one of its most feared commanders was behind the mass abduction: the notorious jihadist known as Sadiku.

He infamously held up a train from the capital in 2022 and netted hefty ransoms for the release of government officials and other well-off passengers.

Boko Haram, which has waged a bloody insurgency since 2009, is strongest in northeast Nigeria.

But a cell in central Niger state operates under Sadiku’s leadership. The St. Mary’s pupils and staff were freed after two weeks of negotiations led by Nuhu Ribadu, Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, with the government insisting no ransom was paid. Nigeria’s State Security Service flatly denied paying any money, saying “government agents don’t pay ransoms”.

However, four intelligence sources familiar with the talks told AFP the government paid a “huge” ransom to get the pupils back. One source put it at 40 million naira per head – around $7 million in total.

Another put the figure lower at two billion naira overall. The money was delivered by chopper to Ali Ngulde, a Boko Haram commander in the northeast, three sources told AFP.

Due to the lack of communications cover in the remote area, Ngulde had to cross into Cameroon to confirm delivery of the ransom before the first group of 100 children were released.

Nigeria has long been plagued by mass abductions, with criminals and jihadist groups sometimes working together to extort millions from hostages’ families, and authorities seemingly powerless to stop them.

Source: Africanews

Headline

Unlawful Invasion: El-Rufai Drags ICPC, IGP, Others to Court, Demands N1bn Damages

Published

4 days ago

February 23, 2026

Eric

Former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has slammed a ₦1 billion fundamental rights enforcement suit against the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for what he claimed was an unlawful invasion of his Abuja residence.

El-Rufai, in a suit filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, also listed the Chief Magistrate, Magistrate’s Court of the FCT, Abuja Magisterial District; Inspector-General of Police, and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) as 2nd to 4th respondents respectively.

According to the suit filed through his lawyers, led by Oluwole Iyamu, El-Rufai prayed the court to declare that the search warrant issued on February 4 by the Chief Magistrate, Magistrate’s Court of the FCT (2nd respondent), authorising the search and seizure at his residence as invalid, null and void.

Security operatives had stormed and searched the former Governor’s residence in the ongoing investigations against him.

However, he argued in the case marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/345/2026, that the search was in violation of Section 37 of the Constitution, and urged the court to declare that the search warrant was “null and void for lack of particularity, material drafting errors, ambiguity in execution parameters, overbreadth, and absence of probable cause thereby constituting an unlawful and unreasonable search.”

In the suit dated and filed February 20 by Iyamu, ex-governor, who is currently under detention, sought seven reliefs.

He prayed the court to declare that the invasion and search of his residence at House 12, Mambilla Street, Aso Drive, Abuja, on Feb. 19 at about 2pm and executed by agents of ICPC and I-G, “under the aforesaid invalid warrant, amounts to a gross violation of the applicant’s fundamental rights to dignity of the human person, personal liberty, fair hearing, and privacy under Sections 34, 35, 36, and 37 of the Constitution.”

He urged the court to declare that “any evidence obtained pursuant to the aforesaid invalid warrant and unlawful search is inadmissible in any proceedings against the applicant, as it was procured in breach of constitutional safeguards.”

El-Rufai, therefore, sought an order of injunction restraining the respondents and their agents from further relying on, using, or tendering any evidence or items seized during the unlawful search in any investigation, prosecution, or proceedings involving him.

“An order directing the Ist and 3rd respondents (ICPC and I-G) to forthwith return all items seized from the applicant’s premises during the unlawful search, together with a detailed inventory thereof.

“An order awarding the sum of N1,000,000,000.00 (One Billion Naira) as general, exemplary, and aggravated damages against the respondents jointly and severally for the violations of the applicant’s fundamental rights, including trespass, unlawful seizure, and the resultant psychological trauma, humiliation, distress, infringement of privacy, and reputational harm.”

The breakdown of the ₦1 billion in damages includes “a N300 million as compensatory damages for psychological trauma, emotional distress, and loss of personal security;

“A ₦400 million as exemplary damages to deter future misconduct by law enforcement agencies and vindicate the applicant’s rights.

“A ₦300 million as aggravated damages for the malicious, high-handed and oppressive nature of the respondents’ actions, including the use of a patently defective warrant procured through misleading representations.”

He equally sought ₦100 million as the cost of filing the suit, including legal fees and associated expenses.

Iyamu argued that the search warrant was fundamentally defective, lacking specificity in the description of items to be seized, containing material typographical errors, ambiguous execution terms, overbroad directives, and no verifiable probable cause.

He added that the warrant violated Sections 143-148 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015; Section 36 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences (ICPC) Act, 2000, and constitutional protections against arbitrary intrusions and several other constitutional provisions.

“Section 146 stipulates that the warrant must be in the prescribed form, free from defects that could mislead, but the document is riddled with errors in the address, date, and district designation;

“Section 147 allows direction to specified persons, but the warrant’s indiscriminate addressing to “all officers is overbroad and unaccountable.

“Section 148 permits execution at reasonable times, but the contradictory language creates ambiguity, undermining procedural clarity,” he submitted.

Iyamu stated that the execution of the invalid warrant on Feb. 19 resulted in an unlawful invasion of his client’s premises, constituting violations of the rights to dignity (Section 34), personal liberty (Section 35), fair hearing (Section 36), and privacy (Section 37) of the Constitution.

He further argued that the search was conducted without legal justification and in a manner that inflicted humiliation and distress.

“Evidence obtained without a valid warrant is unlawful and inadmissible, as established in judicial precedents such as C.O.P. v. Omoh (1969) NCLR 137, where the court ruled that evidence procured through improper means contravenes fundamental rights and must be excluded,” he said.

In the affidavit in support of the application, Mohammed Shaba, a Principal Secretary to the former governor, averred that on Feb. 19 at about 2p.m., officers from the ICPC and Nigeria Police Force invaded the residence under a purported search warrant issued on or about Feb. 4.

According to him, the said warrant is invalid due to its lack of specificity, errors, and other defects as outlined in the grounds of this application.

He said the “search warrant did not specify the properties or items being searched for.”

Shaba stated that the officers failed to submit themselves for search as provided by the law before proceeding with the search.

“That the Magistrate did not specify the magisterial district wherein he sits.

“That during the invasion, the officers searched the applicant’s premises without lawful authority, seized personal items including documents and electronic devices, and caused the applicant undue humiliation, psychological trauma, and distress.

“Now shown to me and marked as ‘EXHIBIT B’ Is the list of the items carted away.

“That no items seized have been returned, and the respondents continue to rely on the unlawful evidence.

“That the applicant suffered violations of his constitutional rights as a result, and this application is brought in good faith to enforce same,” Shaba said.

Source: Naijanews.com