The controversial Nigerian clergyman, Prophet Temitope Babatunde Joshua, the founder of the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), owns the religious TV channel Emmanuel TV. Joshua passed away in 2024, and Emmanuel TV has declared that it would no longer be available on pay-TV services like DStv and GOtv. CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
According to Sahara Reporters, MultiChoice, the parent company of DStv and GOtv, confirmed the news and said that Emmanuel TV would no longer be available on its packages. Emmanuel TV, which was one of the most viewed channels on DStv 390, will also leave StarSat and other pay-TV services.
This decision comes in the wake of a shocking three-part documentary by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) that revealed the alleged atrocities and sexual crimes committed by TB Joshua on his disciples. The documentary, which is based on interviews with at least 30 former members and workers of SCOAN, is scheduled to be released on January 8th, 2024.
It exposes the secret and sinister lifestyle of the late founder of SCOAN, who died on June 5th, 2021. It recounts stories of abuse, harassment, rape, manipulation and staged miracles that spanned over two decades. The documentary also shows how SCOAN deceived its congregation about the truth of the collapse of one of its guesthouses in 2014, by repeatedly airing a video on Emmanuel TV that showed a short clip of the building with something that looked like an aircraft flying over it.
Emmanuel TV, which was founded by the late televangelist TB Joshua in Nigeria in 2006, gained popularity and expanded its reach through its YouTube channel, which became one of the most subscribed Christian ministry YouTube channels globally. However, in April 2021, YouTube shut down the channel due to its “gay curing” claims, as it violated policies against alleging mental illness, disease or inferiority based on membership in a protected group, including sexual orientation. As a result, Emmanuel TV had to start over on YouTube, and some of its posts were also removed by Facebook for the same reasons. Following TB Joshua’s death in June 2021, Emmanuel TV has relied heavily on rebroadcasting old content and repeats of the late televangelist’s programmes, producing less new content compared to the prolific scale during Joshua’s lifetime.
The new management at SCOAN, led by the wife of the late founder, Pastor Evelyn Joshua, is facing numerous challenges following the inability to fully fill the shoes of the late TB Joshua. Though the new management seems to be trying its best to revive the church after the demise of the prophet through various programmes to win back their lost members and attract new ones, that has not been achieved yet. CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
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