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Mixed Reactions Trail BBC Report On TB Joshua

Published

2 years ago

January 8, 2024

Social media has gone agog, following a three-part expose on the alleged secret lives of the late televangelist, Prophet Temitope Balogun Joshua (TB Joshua) by the British Broadcasting Corporation’s Africa Eye.

The over-150-minute long video, divided into three episodes and published on YouTube, titled, “Disciples: The Cult of TB Joshua”, showed video testimonies of several witnesses levelling multiple damning allegations against the late prophet.

The testimonies, from former disciples and church workers, alleged that the prophet allegedly manipulated and physically abused them into staying with him for many years.

Most of them, mostly from the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Namibia, and South Africa stated that they spent between 10 and 14 years in the Synagogue based off of that manipulation.

The investigation also delved into deeper details into the September 12, 2014 building collapse, where the Synagogue Church of All Nations’ guest house, owned by Joshua, collapsed, killing at least 116 persons who were mostly foreigners.

Reacting, several netizens expressed shock at the testimonies, calling for a deeper probe into the allegations.

A YouTube User, King James, noted, “This is a call for us to be more discerning as believers. There are wolves in sheep’s clothing.”

Another commenter on YouTube, The Mindrest, said, “May the souls of those who lost their lives in that building collapse rest in perfect peace. Amen.

“These disciples must be traumatised. My heart goes out to them. I’m so sorry you guys had to go through this. “

Another user, EmekaNwif, stated, “As a Nigerian, we are tired of fake preachers. They financially extort, are abusive, and corrupt, create discords and manipulate innocent people to their graces all for selfish purposes. Thank you, disciples (especially Sister Bisola) and Ajoke, other victims and BBC for the expose.”

On the other hand, a YouTube user, Cedric YALITA, said, “The more you prosecute us, the more we thrive. For our God is with us. None will be against us. Victory in Jesus’ Name.

“Romans 8:31: ‘What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?’ Isaiah 54:17: ‘No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from me.’

“2 Corinthians 4:8-9: ‘We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.’”

Shelacy9wd, another YouTube user, wrote, “Question: If he was a ritualist as alleged are the evangelists under his wife including her as well ritualists? I’m
asking because the same miracles (prophecy excluded) are still happening even after his departure.

“The first video of the deliverance of a woman in black and him in the white suit; I watched it many times on Emmanuel TV and the woman was never slapped. No physical contact at all. As for the alleged daughter, is there a DNA test? I am just trying to figure out things.”

Bernies5673, wrote, “Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matthew 5:12”

Another user, Richiekitche, wrote, “Why didn’t you guys take him to court? Even the lady who said he threatened the family, if you focus on what you have lost, you will lose everything. He meant that you should pull yourself together because thinking won’t solve anything. Is that a threat?

“All of you who said you are there in all the events, are you the only disciples working with him? You were there with him when they were constructing the building. All I see is revenge by a family who lost their loved ones and some disciples who felt they had been used.”

Meanwhile, the BBC said it reached out to the present leadership of the church for a response, but was given a terse statement, “Making unfounded allegations against Prophet TB Joshua is not a new occurrence. None of the allegations was ever substantiated.”

However, the church did not respond to the specifics of the allegations contained in the documentary.

Headline

Russia Insists Ukraine Must Cede Land Or Face Continued Military Push

Published

22 hours ago

November 27, 2025

Editor

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that he would end his Ukraine offensive if Kyiv withdrew from territory Moscow claims at its own — otherwise his army would take it by force.

The Russian army has been slowly but steadily grinding through eastern Ukraine in costly battles against outnumbered and outgunned Ukrainian forces.

Washington has meanwhile renewed its push to end the nearly four-year war, putting forward a surprise plan that it hopes to finalise through upcoming talks with Moscow and Kyiv.

“If Ukrainian forces leave the territories they hold, then we will stop combat operations,” Putin said during a visit to Kyrgyzstan. “If they don’t, then we will achieve it by military means.”

Russia controls around one-fifth of Ukraine’s territory. The issue of occupied land, which Kyiv has said it will never cede, is among the biggest stumbling blocks in the peace process.

Another important issue in the talks are Western security guarantees for Ukraine, which Kyiv says are needed to prevent Moscow from invading again in the future.

Washington’s original plan — drafted without input from Ukraine’s European allies — would have seen Kyiv withdraw from its eastern Donetsk region and the United States de facto recognise the Donetsk, Crimea and Lugansk regions as Russian.

The US pared back the original plan over the weekend following criticism from Kyiv and Europe, but has not yet released the new version.

Putin, who has seen the new plan, said it could be a negotiation starter.

“Overall, we agree that it could form the basis for future agreements,” he said of the latest draft, which the US is thought to have shortened to about 20 points.

US negotiator Steve Witkoff was expected in Moscow next week to discuss the revised document, Putin said.

US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll is meanwhile due to visit Kyiv later this week, Ukraine’s top presidential aide Andriy Yermak said.

– ‘Little can be done’ –

In his remarks Thursday, Putin repeated the claim that Russia had encircled the Ukrainian army in Pokrovsk and Myrnograd in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region — the most fiercely embattled area and a key target for Moscow’s forces.

“Krasnoarmeysk and Dimitrov are completely surrounded,” he said, using the Russian names for the cities.

Moscow was also advancing in Vovchansk and Siversk, as well as approaching the important logistic hub of Guliaipole, he added.

The Russian offensive “is practically impossible to hold back, so there is little that can be done about it”, Putin said.

Ukraine has denied Pokrovsk and Myrnograd are encircled, insisting its forces continue to hold the enemy along the front line.

Putin also questioned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s legitimacy and said signing any agreement with him would be legally “almost impossible” at the moment, a suggestion that has drawn groans from Kyiv and its allies.

According to data analysed by AFP from the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Russian forces have conquered an average of 467 square kilometres (180 square miles) each month in 2025 — a step up from 2024.

Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, triggering the worst armed conflict in Europe since World War II.

The war has killed hundreds of thousands of people and forced millions to flee their homes.

Headline

Morocco Jails French Rapper Maes For Kidnapping Bid

Published

2 days ago

November 26, 2025

Editor

A Moroccan court has sentenced French rapper Maes to seven years in prison on charges including the formation of a criminal gang and attempted kidnapping, local reports said Wednesday.

Maes, who has roots in Morocco and whose real name is Walid Georgey, was arrested upon landing in Morocco in January after fleeing the United Arab Emirates, where he feared he could be extradited to France, the reports said.

French authorities had issued an international arrest warrant for him over a separate criminal case.

He appeared in court late Tuesday and was found guilty of “forming a criminal organisation, attempted abduction and unlawful confinement” of a rival in Morocco, news website TelQuel reported.

The rapper with over a billion views on his YouTube channel was accused of tasking a gang and hitmen with killing the rival, but the plot was foiled, TelQuel added.

Maes has denied all charges, with his lawyers calling the case “empty” and “arguing that no evidence linked him to the other defendants”, TelQuel added.

Ten other people were sentenced as part of the case, with terms ranging from one to 10 years, according to news website Media24.

AFP was unable to independently verify the reports as prosecutors were not immediately reachable for comment.

In 2020, when Maes was one of France’s most-streamed rappers, he fell victim to extortion attempts in his native Sevran, a suburb north of Paris, according to reports.

He retaliated by opening fire with weapons he had at home, leading to a shootout. He then fled to Dubai with his family, according to an interview with French YouTube channel LEGEND.

Following the killing of his manager in 2022, he was suspected of ordering reprisals against those he believed were behind the murder, according to reports.

AFP

Headline

UK Court Clears Comedy Writer Of Harassing Transgender Woman

Published

2 days ago

November 26, 2025

Editor

A London court on Tuesday cleared Emmy award-winning comedy writer Graham Linehan of harassing a transgender activist online but found him guilty of criminal damage to their mobile phone.

Linehan, who co-created the popular 1990s sitcom “Father Ted” but has more recently become well-known for his gender critical views, had been accused of sending Sophia Brooks “abusive and vindictive” messages on social media.

He was also charged with criminal damage after deliberately knocking a phone out of Brooks’s hand as they filmed him on the sidelines of a London conference.

Ruling on the case, District Judge Briony Clarke said she was not convinced Linehan’s conduct “was oppressive and unacceptable beyond merely unattractive, annoying or irritating”.

Clarke also concluded Brooks was not “as alarmed and distressed as they portrayed themself to be”.

But convicting Linehan of criminal damage, the judge ruled he was “angry and fed up” and did not use “reasonable force” when the phone was taken from Brooks.

Clarke fined him £500 ($655) and ordered him to pay costs of £650 and a statutory surcharge of £200.

The Irish writer, who also co-created the popular sitcoms “Black Books” and “The IT Crowd”, became embroiled in a free speech row in Britain earlier this year over his anti-transgender stance.

It followed his arrest at London’s Heathrow Airport by armed police over accusations of inciting violence with his X posts insulting transgender people.

The arrest sparked a backlash and claims of state overreach, including from US tech billionaire Elon Musk. But in October, UK prosecutors said they would take “no further action” in that case.

AFP