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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

Top 5 Richest African Immigrants In US

Published

1 hour ago

July 15, 2025

Editor

The US is a country built on ambition and enterprise. Despite this, a handful of African immigrants have not only found their footing, but they’ve thrived.

Navigating the fast-paced, often unforgiving terrain of American capitalism, these individuals turned bold dreams into billion-dollar realities. From humble beginnings in places like Pretoria, Lagos and Alexandria, they stepped into industries like tech, medicine, entertainment and finance, fields that demand not just talent, but grit, resilience and a deep belief in one’s vision. Their stories are more than just financial success; they’re powerful testaments to what’s possible when opportunity meets determination.

These five remarkable men are among the richest African immigrants in the US today and their journeys continue to inspire across continents.

1. Elon Musk – $393.1 billion (South Africa)

Elon Musk stands at the pinnacle of global wealth as the richest African immigrant in the United States and the world. Born in Pretoria, South Africa, Musk moved to the US via Canada and went on to revolutionise transportation, energy and space exploration.

As CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, his ventures have redefined electric vehicles and private spaceflight. With a net worth of $393.1 billion, Musk’s vision extends from Earth to Mars, placing him leagues ahead in both ambition and fortune.

2. Patrick Soon-Shiong – $5.6 billion (South Africa)

South African-born Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong made his billions in medicine and biotechnology. A former surgeon, he developed the breakthrough cancer drug Abraxane and built two major pharmaceutical companies. Now based in Los Angeles, he runs NantWorks, a healthcare innovation hub, and owns The Los Angeles Times. With a net worth of $5.6 billion, Soon-Shiong is not only a medical pioneer but also a key player in media and technology in the US. He is now the 34th richest man in the world.

3. Rodney Sacks & Family – $3.6 billion (South Africa)

Rodney Sacks, originally a lawyer in South Africa, moved to the US and built Monster Beverage into a global giant in the energy drink market. That brought him up the list of world billionaires (54th). Co-founding the company in the 1990s, he helped turn Monster into a pop culture phenomenon through sponsorships in extreme sports, music, and gaming. Today, with a net worth of $3.6 billion, Sacks is among the top African-born business magnates shaping consumer tastes in America.

4. Haim Saban – $3.1 billion (Egypt)

Egyptian-born Haim Saban became a media powerhouse after moving to the US and creating the Power Rangers franchise. A veteran of the television and entertainment industry, Saban is also a savvy investor and philanthropist. He stands tall at 61st in the world billionaire ranking. His influence spans children’s programming, political advocacy and major media investments—including a past controlling interest in Univision. With $3.1 billion to his name, Saban remains one of the most successful African-born figures in Hollywood and beyond.

5. Adebayo “Bayo” Ogunlesi – $2.4 billion (Nigeria)

Nigerian-born Adebayo Ogunlesi is a towering figure in global finance. As the chairman and managing partner of Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), he oversees investments in some of the world’s busiest airports and critical infrastructure. A Harvard-trained lawyer and banker, Ogunlesi has led high-stakes deals across continents. With a net worth of $2.4 billion, he stands as a symbol of African excellence in Wall Street’s upper echelons. He ranks 77th among the world’s billionaires.

Headline

‘This Is Why I Hate London’, Ivan Toney Fumes After His Car Is Broken Into

Published

2 hours ago

July 15, 2025

Editor

England international Ivan Toney has voiced his frustration after returning to find his car had been broken into during a trip to London.

Toney, who currently plays for Saudi Arabian club Al-Ahli, is spending his summer break in the UK.

However, his visit to the capital took a sour turn when he discovered his black car with its front and rear windows shattered.

The striker posted a photo of the damage on Instagram with the caption: “This is why I hate London.”

The incident occurred while Ivan Toney was back in the city, where he had been spotted attending Wireless Festival in Finsbury Park alongside fellow footballers Noni Madueke and Jadon Sancho.

It remains unclear whether anything was stolen from the vehicle or where exactly in London the break-in took place. However, crime continues to be a concern across many boroughs, with over 950,000 crimes reported in the capital last year. Former Metropolitan Police officers have criticized the state of law enforcement, suggesting criminals act with impunity.

Toney’s frustration comes at a time when phone thefts and gang-related youth crimes are also rising in the city. Public transport has not been spared either, with over 31,000 offences recorded across London’s network between January and August last year.

The 28-year-old forward moved to Al-Ahli from Brentford last year in a £40 million deal. He made an instant impact, scoring 30 goals in his debut season.

Despite the recent car trouble, it’s still uncertain whether Toney will be called up again for England’s upcoming fixtures. He was part of the squad for the June matches against Andorra and Senegal but saw limited action — remaining on the bench during the 1-0 win over Andorra and playing only briefly in the 3-1 loss to Senegal.

England are set to face Andorra again at Wembley in September, followed by matches against Serbia, Wales, and Latvia in the following months. Whether Toney features remains to be seen.

Headline

Anxiety As Trump Gives Russia 50 Days To Make Ukraine Deal

Published

9 hours ago

July 15, 2025

Editor

US President Donald Trump told Russia on Monday to end its war in Ukraine within 50 days or face massive new economic sanctions, as he laid out plans for infusions of weaponry for Kyiv via NATO.

Trump said he was “very, very unhappy” with Vladimir Putin, underlining his insistence that his patience had finally snapped with the Russian leader’s refusal to end the deadly conflict.

“We’re going to be doing very severe tariffs if we don’t have a deal in 50 days, tariffs at about 100 percent,” Trump said during an Oval Office meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

The Republican added that they would be “secondary tariffs” that target Russia’s remaining trade partners — seeking to impede Moscow’s ability to survive already sweeping Western sanctions.

Russia’s top trading partner last year was China, accounting for about 34 percent, followed distantly by India, Turkey and Belarus, according to the Russian Federal Customs Service.

Trump and Rutte also unveiled a deal under which the NATO military alliance would buy billions of dollars of arms from the United States — including Patriot anti-missile batteries — and send them to Ukraine.

“This is really big,” said Rutte, as he touted a deal aimed at easing Trump’s long-held complaints that the United States is paying more than European and NATO allies to aid Ukraine.

Germany, Canada, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Britain were among the buyers helping Ukraine, added the NATO chief.

“If I was Vladimir Putin today and heard you speaking… I would reconsider that I should take negotiations about Ukraine more seriously,” said Rutte.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said he had spoken with Trump and was “grateful” for the arms deal.

In a BBC interview published Tuesday, Trump expressed disappointment with Putin.

“I’m disappointed in him, but I’m not done with him,” the US president said.

When asked if he trusted the Russian leader, Trump replied: “I trust almost no one.”

– Growing frustration –

Trump attempted a rapprochement with Putin shortly after starting his second term, having campaigned on a pledge to end the Ukraine war within 24 hours.

His pivot towards Putin sparked fears in Kyiv that he was about to sell out Ukraine, especially after he and his team berated Zelensky in the Oval Office in February.

But in recent weeks, Trump has shown increasing frustration with Putin, as Russian has stepped up attacks rather than halting them.

Trump said his wife Melania had helped change his thinking about Putin.

“I go home, I tell the First Lady, ‘you know, I spoke to Vladimir today, we had a wonderful conversation,’” Trump said. “And she said, ‘Oh really? Another city was just hit.’”

He added of Putin: “I don’t want to say he’s an assassin, but he’s a tough guy.”

Washington has also U-turned on pausing some arms deliveries to Kyiv.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Berlin would play a “decisive role” in the new weapons plan.

But EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Trump’s sanctions deadline was too far into the future. “Fifty days is a very long time if we see that they are killing innocent civilians every day,” she said.

Beijing opposed what it called attempts at “coercion”, including “all illegal unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction.”

“Coercion and pressure will not solve problems,” foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said on Tuesday.

– ‘Better late than never’ –
US Republican Senator Lindsey Graham and Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal, who are pushing a bipartisan bill on Russia secondary sanctions, praised Trump’s “powerful” ultimatum to Russia.

Trump’s special envoy Keith Kellogg arrived in Kyiv on Monday for what Zelensky called a “productive meeting.”

One Ukrainian soldier deployed in the war-scarred east of the country, who identified himself by his call sign Grizzly, welcomed Trump’s promise of fresh air defense systems.

“Better late than never,” the 29-year-old told AFP.

Russian forces meanwhile said on Monday they had captured new territory in eastern Ukraine with the seizure of one village in the Donetsk region and another in the Zaporizhzhia region.

Its forces also killed at least three civilians in the eastern Kharkiv and Sumy regions on Monday, Ukrainian officials said.

In Kyiv, Zelensky also proposed a major political shake-up, recommending economy minister Yulia Svyrydenko take over as prime minister, and appointing incumbent Prime Minister Denys Shmygal as defense minister.

AFP