Members of the funeral committee of the founder of The Synagogue Church of All Nations, Pastor Temitope Balogun Joshua whose death was announced over the weekend have been advised to honour the late Pastor whose wish was to spend the later days of his life to transform Akoko land where he had planned to retire as a Guru while he would still be touching the lives of millions around the world; but if this advice is turned down and he is made to rest in a foreign land, he would turn in his grave.
These and many other revelations were communicated to Vanguard by renowned lawyer and a fellow Akoko-born legal practitioner, Dr. Katode Ajulo from London where he received the news of the sudden death of the Pastor.
Temitope Balogun Joshua (born June 12, 1963), commonly referred to as T. B. Joshua, is a Nigerian charismatic pastor, televangelist and philanthropist. He is the leader and founder of The Synagogue, Church of All Nations (SCOAN), a Christian mega church that runs the Emmanuel TV television station from Lagos.
Joshua is known for his popularity across Africa and Latin America and his social media presence with 3,500,000 fans on Facebook. His YouTube channel, Emmanuel
In a chat with this reporter, Ajulo said his advice to the burial committee was coming from a first hand knowledge he had of the love that Pastor T.B. Joshua always had for the poor everywhere in the world, but unlike most philanthropists whose charity started from abroad, T/B/ Joshua was a man whose charity began from home.
In the words of Chief Ajulo who holds many chieftaincy titles across Yorubaland, after doing good to people around the world, Joshua deserved a peaceful rest at home in Akoko land and in Arigidi Akoko of Ondo State to be precise because, ” He loved Akokoland wholeheartedly, he always wanted the best for them.
“We had many reasons and fora where we met and held discussions about poverty alleviation and I can reveal to you today that virtually all our discussion were about the Akoko land particularly, then we sometimes mentioned how life could be better for the people living in Ondo State, especially when we were to review the happenings in the country generally.
“I still keep wondering why we have been opportune to discuss over many years and not a time have we ever discussed the issue of religion. I want to urge his immediate family and especially those saddled with the responsibility of planning his funeral programme to consider his passion for his roots and make sure that his body be returned to Akoko land, and Arigidi Akoko to be precise, or else TB Joshua will be turning in his grave in Lagos or any other place he is laid to rest until he is taken back home.
” He desired to spend the rest of his life in Akokoland, precisely Arigidi, he shared his dream of a big internationally acclaimed University where he’ll reside as a guru,” Ajulo revealed to Vanguard.
Continuing to buttress his reason he said, “Let me tell you a story, during one of our several meetings, I think in the presence of Gani Mohammed from Ajowa Akoko, who’s one of Ondo State Governor’s SA, I urged him to reconsider his moving to Israel as a result of what he termed as backlash and criticism from some quarters,
” I reminded him that Israel has no land and even offered to give him for free a large parcel of land about 14 kilometers square that’s between my hometown, Ifira-Akoko to Idoani.
” In his response while rejecting my offer, he said in his vision the land is for a dining hall of about 10 kilometers while the remaining 4 kilometers will be used for a massive car park.
” It was then that he shared his dream for Akoko saying with his University, people would come from all over the world to see him, Therefore, he would build an airstrip and helipad for ease of transportation.
