By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Popular Nigerian Christian preacher Temitope Balogun Joshua has died, his church said in a statement on Sunday morning.
TB Joshua died on Saturday, June 5, a few days to his 58th birthday. He was born on June 12, 1963.
“God has taken His servant Prophet TB Joshua home – as it should be by divine will,” Synagogue Church of All Nations said. “His last moments on earth were spent in the service of God. This is what he was born for, lived for and died for.
“The Synagogue, Church Of All Nations and Emmanuel TV Family appreciate your love, prayers and concern at this time and request a time of privacy for the family.”
There was no indication that the preacher was ill before his death.
He said on June 3 that it may be “easy” for him to celebrate his next birthday owing to the situation all over the world.
“As things stand, you may have realised it will not be easy for me to celebrate my birthday under the present circumstances,” Joshua said in a Twitter post. “Some of the people who want to come are troubled by the situation all over the world. We see their fear and worry. I feel their pain; I feel their worry.”
T.B. Joshua was the founder of The Synagogue, Church Of All Nations (SCOAN). He was a well-known Nigeria pastor who had a large following. As per his website, he was raised in poverty and managed to turn his life with his hard work and putting his faith in God.
Over the years, T.B. Joshua worked in different sectors. He dropped out of secondary school in his first year and decided to work on a poultry farm. Later, he decided to get back to his studies and attended evening classes. During this time, he also taught young children.
He ultimately decided to start a ministry with a mere eight members. With time, it grew and more people joined in. To date, T.B. Joshua is known for him humble behavior and his ability to view and treat everyone equally.
He has made several appearances on television and often used his social media to keep his followers updated about what he was doing. As of now, no official statement regarding his death has been released by his family.