Janet Ogundepo was at the first anniversary and thanksgiving service of the reopening of the Synagogue Church of All Nations in the Ikotun area of Lagos. She writes about the highlight of the event
The atmosphere at the headquarters of the Synagogue Church of All Nations, Ikotun-Egbe, Lagos State, on Sunday, December 4, was thick with joy and anticipation. It was the thanksgiving service to celebrate the first anniversary of the church’s reopening after a 20-month closure.
At the main entrance, a few steps away from the thatched shed that housed several security officials, a drone hovered to capture the mood of the entrants. It was controlled by a man dressed in white native attire, perhaps, from the church’s media team.
A giant Christmas tree also sat proudly at the entrance, a reminder of the upcoming Yuletide season.
A throng of worshippers wore colourful dresses and beautiful smiles to match, as they filed into the sanctum of the stately-adorned auditorium.
To the right side of the tarred street, flags of several countries, hoisted atop poles, swayed to the cool breeze as if joining their countrymen in the auditorium in the praise mood. The walkway had large banner pictures of several stages of the life, family and ministry of the late founder and General Overseer of SCOAN, Prophet Temitope Balogun Joshua.
Colourful, seven-hour-long thanksgiving
Though the church address reads, 1, Segun Irefin Street, Ikotun-Egbe Road, Lagos State, it sits on several plots of land with several buildings and tent overflows to offer protection from the element as well as comfort to the worshippers.
Our correspondent could not gain entrance into the main auditorium as the first, second and third gates had been closed, while the fourth gate required a security pass before entry.
Efforts to get this pass proved abortive as directions by the ushers to obtain it at one of the overflows only revealed a crowd of seated worshippers under large canopies. There was no trace of security operatives or ushers handing out tags.
Four large tents, hoisted by steel cylindrical rods, held the large white tarpaulins of the overflow tents within, while a wide green conveyor belt tied to iron rods driven into the ground, held the structure outside.
Two of the overflows served as the dining room for members who constantly flocked the place throughout the service.
Our correspondent approached “Overflow 2” which could be nicknamed, Dining Area 1, as buying and selling food was the only activity going on there. Some of those who bought a plate of rice and fish for N500 hurriedly looked for where to get a bottle of water but the unfriendly usher, by the tag on her chest, told them she was not in charge of selling the multiple packs of bottled water some young men shouldered into the tent.
After going around noting the activities around the tents for a while, our correspondent found a space at Overflow Three.
White, armless plastic chairs, arranged in rows of six and 12 columns lined the remaining two tents with large speakers and High Display Televisions mounted strategically to transmit the events from the main auditorium.
The service, scheduled to start at 9am, began at about 9:20am with an opening address by one of the evangelists. The address was interpreted in Espanol and French by a female and male interpreter, respectively.
At the mention of TB Joshua’s name, rousing applause and shouts rent the atmosphere. This confirmed that the late cleric was still referred to as the General Overseer of the church a year after his demise. Undoubtedly, such a response to the name would cause a newbie to the activities or name of the church to think the late prophet was still alive and would eagerly wait for him to appear.
His wife, who had stated last year that TB Joshua remained the founder and General Overseer of the church, was referred to as the leader and pastor of the church.
Evelyn had said, “I am not your General Overseer. My dear husband and our dear father, the prophet for generations, senior Prophet TB Joshua, remains the Founder and General Overseer of the SCOAN.”
The man, TB Joshua
T.B Joshua, as he was popularly known, was a televangelist known for his deliverance, healing and philanthropy ministries.
According to its history, the church started with a few members under a thatched roof before it moved to a makeshift wooden shed and then the Synagogue, built on several plots of land in Ikotun.
It gained international prominence through televangelism and miracles and attracted seekers from countries around the world. Top politicians, such as the Liberian President, George Weah, who was then a presidential candidate, visited Synagogue in 2017 to seek the prophet’s support in the country’s runoff election. Other African politicians, including a former Ghanaian president, Attah Wills, and Zimbabwean politician, Morgan Tsvangirai, came to the Synagogue for prayers in 2009 and 2013, respectively.
Joshua, a native of Arigidi in Ondo State, was born on June 12, 1963, and died on June 5, 2021, at the age of 57, reportedly, in a position of prayer.
His last sermon was during the Saturday service of June 5 (2021), where he told the “congregation that there would be no more church service for now” and that prayers would be made for the members from a distance.
He was buried on July 9, 2021, within the church premises in the presence of his widow, Evelyn, his children and loved ones.
Governors of Lagos and Ondo states and other eminent personalities were at the interment service. Local and international artists performed as well.
The church had been closed during the COVID-19 restrictions and lockdown in 2020 and had yet to be reopened before the demise of Joshua.
Sources from the church quoted the late founder to have said that the church would not be reopened until he heard from God. Sadly, that never came to be. However, the church was reopened a few months after Joshua’s demise.
After his death, several controversies surrounded the new leadership of the church. A statement from the church last year stated that the church “has been in limbo since the passing of the man of God, Senior Prophet TB Joshua, over the leadership succession of the church.”
Last year October, The PUNCH reported a rift between Joshua’s family and one of his disciples over the leadership of the church.
A member of the board of trustees, Joseph David, alleged threats to his life and that of other leaders in the ministry.
David stated that “the prophet’s wife was never active in the administration of the church” adding that the disciples, among who were five prophets, handled the operation, administration and spiritual affairs of the church.
He further stated that TB Joshua, during an interview, had said that “the church was not a family thing” and Evelyn, without her knowledge, had been removed from being a trustee of the church.
David added that before the founder’s demise, trustees of the church were: TB Joshua, his daughter, Promise, and himself. He claimed that the succession crisis started at a meeting to replace the late founder. He added that the rift saw the displacement of the Nigerian evangelists who had stayed with the prophet for more than a decade.
David said that on September 9, Evelyn was declared the chairman of the board of trustees and General Overseer after obtaining a court order.
The head of the church’s legal department, Mr James Akhigbe, in a statement, said that Joshua’s widow was appointed chairman of the board of trustees “with ratification by not less than 2,000 congregations of the church at a meeting on Thursday, September 9, 2021.”
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission also stated that it was investigating charges of stealing, money laundering and the misappropriation of burial funds for TB Joshua.
Sunday PUNCH also reported how the 20-month close down of the church affected the business of traders in the area who enjoyed patronage from visitors and members of the church. It also reported that despite the closure of the church, some members of the church were still allowed into the church’s premises to pray.
SCOAN, since reopening last year
The reopening service took place on December 5, 2021, and it was greeted with excitement as members returned to the Synagogue with pomp and circumstance.
However, seven months ago, there was a report of a fire outbreak within the church premises that affected the church’s store.
Also, on June 5, the church celebrated the remembrance of the late cleric with the unveiling of the TB Joshua Foundation, scholarship scheme and Holy Land.
At last Sunday’s anniversary, early comers to the service got a copy of a 17-page pamphlet of TB Joshua’s “You’re Created to Praise God” written in English, Espanol and French.
Several choir renditions and praise medleys intermittently filled the atmosphere as worshippers were called to sing and dance to the glory of God.
Among them was 10-year-old Esther, who sang a sonorous opera, ‘To God Be the Glory’, with classical instruments accompanying her solos. Another diva, identified as Uche, sang to the rousing applause of the members.
Popular artist, Mike Abdul, Salt of the Earth, as well as other local and international artistes also performed during the programme to the delight of the worshippers.
It was a beautiful sight to see as nationals of different countries held their flags and or mufflers with prints and colours of their countries as they danced to the music of the performers. Countries such as Ghana, Malawi, the United States of America, Zambia and Botswana were seen trying to mark their presence at the event.
The crowd was a mixed group of children, youth, middle-aged and senior citizens who were led gently or relied on their walking aid for movement.
During the service, there was no healing or deliverance session. Our correspondent later learnt that because of thanksgiving, it was held the previous day, Saturday, December 4.
Some long-time members, who spoke to our correspondent, stated that the mode of service was still the same as when TB Joshua was alive. The only difference, one of them noted, was while Joshua was alive, the service had no specific closing time. Depending on the “Holy Spirit’s leading,” the service could go on for as long as midnight. However, with the founder’s wife now in charge, the service typically ends around 3-3.30pm.
Efforts to make the members draw more comparison between the SCOAN of then and now were unwelcomed by the members approached. They declined to speak on how the differences or uniqueness between the late TB Joshua and the Evelyn Joshua-led SCOAN.
Event will be celebrated yearly
Speaking at the event, the leader of the church said that the reopening of the church would be an annual celebration.
The cleric, continuing in the mannerisms of her late husband, told the congregation that the feat achieved in the past year was just the beginning. She declared that more deeds in line with her husband’s legacy would continue.
She added, “Between 2021 and today, our story has been one of success and progress in all dimensions. We have kept moving from one level to the other and in our spiritual journey, having the Holy Spirit as our chief driver, He has provided the needed confidence and the strength of spirit for the leadership of the ministry always.
“One of the initial steps we took as a church was to honour our elderly ones, who have stood firmly as the pillars, upon which SCOAN rests. We have supported our old testament members with cash as well as clothes and umbrellas. We equally extended charity to the needy, orphans, widows and widowers outside the church, by distributing food items as a tradition which began with our General Overseer prophet TB Joshua through the giving ministry.
“Within this year 2022, we had house services with us, sharing testimonies from our members and partners and view all over the world confirming the ever presence of the Holy Spirit.”
She thanked the partners and leaders of the church who had supported the ministry without wavering.
She also announced the deliverance and healing that took place during the ministry’s recent outreach to South Africa and other countries of the world.
“I wish to announce to the ministry and all of us that are here that that is just the beginning. The Sunday School Group in our church is also receiving good attention because they are our future. We have published three textbooks and exercise books.
“We also have able reasons to praise the name of God almighty for his provision and for making it possible for us as a ministry to organise charity for Ukraine. The Emmanuel School in Pakistan is not left out. We have rebuilt the school, which was partly destroyed due to devastating floods,” she continued.
The pastor announced the completion and opening of SCOAN in Akure, Ondo State.
After her speech, video clips of over an hour about the early ministry of the church and what had been done so far during the Pastor Evelyn-led administration was shown.
In one of the clips, Evelyn was seen clad in a black sequined gown, administering the ‘anointed’ water on the sick.
In another, she placed her late husbands’ bible on the altar and asked the congregation to touch it, stating that it was a point of contact with TB Joshua.
Meanwhile, as the programme went on, the traffic to the cafeteria did not ease as both the old and young went to get something to eat or drink.
After several sessions of praise worship sections, at about 2:50pm, the moderator announced that the “real thanksgiving” had just begun.
This, he said, was the time members of each group in the church would dance to the altar to drop their packaged offerings “to give to the Lord and to show appreciation to Him.”
The church’s leader, clad in a cream and gold patterned gown and cap, danced to the altar with one of her daughters, flanked by some of the evangelists as they led the congregation in dropping their offerings. This lasted for more than an hour.
Two Caucasian men, Wade Cantwell and Ronald Paulfields, took the Bible reading and delivered the vote of thanks, respectively.
The programme lasted more than seven hours with thousands of viewers online and in the church. But before the service ended, this correspondent left the premises before the “rush hour” began.
