Popular Nigerian televangelist, TB Joshua has been laid to rest in Lagos after a week of funeral rites.
Mr. Joshua’s weeklong funeral ceremony began on July 5 with a candlelight procession at the church’s prayer mountain in Lagos.
Other activities that were lined up for the ceremony included a tribute service which was held on July 6 and 7. This was followed by lying-in-state on July 8, then finally laying to rest and internment today, July 9. Nonetheless, there will be a thanksgiving service on July 11.
Thousands of mourners attended the burial service at his Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) in Lagos.
Meanwhile, other popular Nigerian mega-pastors were missing from the week of memorials, emphasizing the cold relationship he had with them.
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) previously described him as an “impostor” who belonged to a group of “occults” that had infiltrated Christianity.
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Highlights of TB Joshua’s funeral
Outside the church, flags of various countries fluttered at half-mast. Several people speculated that the flag poles which stretched for more than a;kilometer represented the countries the prophet visited in his lifetime.
More so, the make-up of the thousands of mourners present reflected the global;appeal of TB Joshua as people came from the Bahamas, Dominican Republic, and South Africa, where he was hugely popular. Also,. Meanwhile,. More so,. Nonetheless,. Also,.
People of Ikotun-Egbe, the suburb in Lagos where the church is located, came;out in large numbers on Thursday to watch his hearse go past and many more lined the streets today.
According to the church, most of “these people are not members of his church but were affected by his philanthropy. Many more benefited indirectly from the industry created by TB Joshua”.
Nonetheless, Rotimi Akeredolu, the governor of TB Joshua’s home state of Ondo, also attended the funeral.
However, a shocking appearance at the funeral was the Christian Association;of Nigeria (CAN), which had disputes with TB Joshua in the past over his style of preaching. The association sent a delegation to the burial service, an indication that hostilities are over. Also,. Meanwhile,.
It is one of the things TB Joshua wanted most while he was alive, to be accepted by Nigeria’s larger Christian faith.
His wife, Evelyn Joshua, who has now been appointed the general overseer of the church, said her late husband grew the church from an eight-member assembly to what it is today.
“For gold to become gold it must pass through fire. I just want to thank you for being a good father to our children”.
His children, Sarah Joshua, Promise Joshua, and Heart Joshua, described their father as “a man with a formidable dedication”.
Temitope Balogun Joshua who was revered by people from around the world had tens of thousands of people attending his weekly services.
The charismatic preacher’s rise to prominence in the late 1990s coincided with the explosion of “miracle” programs performed on Nigerian TV by various pastors.
His ministry professed to heal all manner of illnesses, including HIV/Aids, and attracted people from around the world.
The 57-year-old died on 5 June after a brief illness, according to the church.
Read also: Biography of TB Joshua, controversies, and famous quotes
