Nigerian pastor Temitope Balogun Joshua was considered one of Africa’s most influential evangelists. Born into poverty on 12 June 1963, he suggested he was a “miracle child” after claiming he was in his mother’s womb for 15 months.
As a young man he spoke of heavenly visions from God, having also proclaimed that he was “prophesied” 100 years before.
One of those visions led him to form his own ministry in Lagos in 1987 – the Synagogue, Church of All Nations (SCOAN) – which would become a so-called megachurch in the city. At one point, it welcomed 15,000 worshippers each Sunday with visitors from all over the world travelling to Lagos to see it in action.
His rise to prominence in the late 1990s coincided with the explosion of “miracle” programmes…
