A former employee has sheds light on his experiences with Pastor Temitope Joshua of the Synagogue Church of All Nations, following a recent controversial BBC documentary. In a write-up for ChurchTimes Nigeria, Debo Akinyemi, a pastor in the Redeemed Christian Church of God, shares insights into the late pastor’s actions during his time working closely with him.
Expressing personal uncertainty about TB Joshua’s authenticity as a man of God, Akinyemi describes the difficulty in understanding the pastor’s character due to a seemingly perfect outward image and suspicious conduct.
Akinyemi recounts encountering TB Joshua in the late ’90s when he was an itinerant prophet, later discovering his significant influence over The Exclusive, a newspaper where Akinyemi worked as the deputy editor. Despite TB Joshua’s nocturnal meeting habits and disruptive schedule, the team was generously compensated with envelopes filled with money.
The former worker reveals the inner workings of TB Joshua’s church, including a flock of disciples leading highly regulated lives. These disciples, predominantly young women, were forbidden from secular jobs, savings, or even carrying money. Akinyemi notes a sense of fear among the disciples, who lived under strict rules and secrecy.
Among the disturbing practices highlighted, TB Joshua allegedly facilitated the swapping of partners among married couples as a ritual to help childless couples conceive. This unconventional approach resulted in former spouses witnessing their ex-partners entering the church with new spouses.
Akinyemi concludes by expressing skepticism, emphasizing the need to put spiritual leaders to the test, citing unsettling observations during his brief time associated with TB Joshua’s church.
Source: ChurchTimes
