BY ROSEMARY NWAEBUNI
The presiding Bishop of Freedom Ministries International, Bishop Nuel Ikeakanam, has expressed shock over the demise of the Senior Pastor, Synagogue Church of All Nations, Prophet Temitope Balogun Joshua popularly referred as Prophet T. B Joshua.
Ikeakanam in an interview with The Pointer said TB Joshua’s death came as a rude shock to many Nigerian and his followers in many parts of the world noting that the shock was more due to his reputation as a healer and miracle worker.
He explained that naturally, whenever a man who was reputed to have the gifts of healing and miracles dies, people tend to question the authenticity of his miracles. He said some even go into the typical “physician heal thyself” mode and disparage the man and his ministry. “To me, this is very unfair”, he added.
Continuing, he said, “Although I am not a follower of T B Joshua on any platform, I do not think he has ever claimed to be God. His bitterest critics will admit this. “He was human and prone to sicknesses, diseases and death like every human being. The Bible makes it clear that it is appointed to all men to die.
“As far as I am concerned death is more universal than living. What I mean is that not everyone has the opportunity and the wherewithal to live well on earth but everyone including the rich and the poor will one day answer the call of death”.
The cleric slammed persons speaking ill of Pastor TB Joshua saying it was unfair to speak ill of the dead because they would not have the opportunity to explain or respond to controversies about their lives and works.
“TB Joshua has been criticized even in death for prophecies that didn’t come to pass. This too is unfair. Every sincere man of God knows that God exercises sovereignty over the affairs of life.
“He decides who is healed and who is not healed. He decides who lives and who dies. He decides the prophecies that come to pass or not. In all I have heard of him, I have not heard that he ever claimed to be God.
“Prophet TB Joshua was reputed as very philanthropic. Many of us saw his displays on the television. We cannot question his motives but many of the things I have heard gave him credit for helping the needy.
“It is wicked, unfair, even juvenile for anybody to use the occasion of his death to bring out perceived short comings or judge him as a false prophet. No man has the prerogative; only God can do that.
“I personally felt his death because of our common humanity, the suddenness and the impact it would have on his family and large followership in Nigeria and other parts of the world”, he lamented.
The Bishop said that Jesus was never against man noting that, even if Prophet T. B. Joshua had made mistakes in life and in ministry, he was a voice that never used his popularity to criticize and fight other denominations. “My heart-felt condolences go to his family and church through this medium”, he added.
