How My Father, TB Joshua Abused Me – Ajoke, Daughter Had Outside Wedlock
A BBC documentary has revealed the shocking story of Ajoke, the daughter of the late Nigerian megachurch pastor Temitope Balogun Joshua, also known as TB Joshua, who was born out of wedlock and suffered years of abuse and humiliation at the hands of her father and his disciples.
The documentary, titled “TB Joshua: The Dark Side of the Prophet”, features interviews with more than 25 former members of the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), the church founded by TB Joshua in the 1990s. They describe how Ajoke was treated as an outcast and a threat to her father’s reputation, and how she was forced to become a disciple and endure physical, emotional and spiritual torture.
Ajoke, who spoke to the BBC for the first time, said she never felt any love from her father, who preached about love and mercy every Sunday. She said she felt like she did not deserve to be alive, and that the disciples were brainwashed and enablers of her father’s abuse.
The documentary also exposes the cult-like practices and allegations of sexual abuse, fraud and exploitation within SCOAN, which has branches in several countries and attracts millions of followers, including celebrities and politicians.
TB Joshua, who died in June 2021 at the age of 57, was one of the most influential and controversial pastors in Africa. He claimed to perform miracles, heal diseases and prophesy future events. He was praised by many as a man of God, but also faced criticism and lawsuits for his unorthodox methods and false claims.
The BBC said it contacted the current leadership of SCOAN with the allegations in the documentary, but they did not respond to the details. They only said that making unfounded allegations against TB Joshua was not a new occurrence, and that none of the allegations was ever substantiated.
