BUILDING COLLAPSE: WHY THE PROSECUTION OF TB JOSHUA?

 By Tony okpe, Editor-in-Chief/Ceo, National Crimewatch Magazine/African Custodian Magazine, additional report by Sola Ojewusi, The Publisher of the Lagosian Magazine

The Synagogue Church of All Nations [SCOAN] has become a Centre for Christian pilgrimage of a kind for Christian visitors all over the world, who come in their millions to seek the face of God. It has become a gathering of people seeking the face of God in their various affairs. This gathering of worshippers can be compared to the annual Hajj pilgrimage held in mecca, Saudi Arabia and Jerusalem in Israel.

 On the 12^th of September 2014, some members of the Synagogue Church of All Nations were trapped and killed accidentally by the collapse of the guest house of Synagogue Church of All Nations under construction, resulting in the deaths of at least 116 people. Let’s not be quick to judge, let me take us back memory lane. In the following year in the same month of September 24th, 2015 to be precise.  A crowd collapse caused the deaths of aleast 2,236 pilgrims who were suffocated or crushed during the annually Hajj pilgrimage in mina, mecca, making it the deadliest hajj disaster in history. According to online encyclopedia, Wikipedia, estimates of the number of deaths vary; the associated press reported 2,411 dead, while agence france-press reported 2.236 killed, but it is generally considered that aleast 2,431 people died. The incident happened in mina at the intersection of streets 204 and 223 leading up to Jamaraat Bridge. In a press conference held on the day of the incident, Saudi ministry of interior spokesman Mansour Al-turki attempted to address most issues regarding the incident. He said that an investigation was ongoing and that the exact cause of the overcrowding that led to a deadly crush on mina street 204 is yet to be ascertained. That investigation is still being awaited till date.

That tragedy killed aleast 274 Nigerians, 106 Cameroonians, 52 Chadians, 52 Ivorians and many other Africans, sadly the Nigerian government has not forcefully demanded justice or accountability for Nigerians who went to seek the face of God and met dead. The federal government of Nigeria has not sued Saudi Arabia and the Lagos state government has not gone to court to aleast know what led to the death of many Lagosian in Saudi Arabia. Rather, the government has sought a rapprochement with the oil rich nation and avoided even the type of threat it would have issued against another weak nation.

Let’s compare it to what happened in Lagos. The 2014 synagogue church building collapse that took place on Friday, 12 September, the manner the building collapsed, so suddenly, was shocking and Prophet TB Joshua linked the tragedy to a strange aircraft ‘’hovering’’ above the building before it fell. A video was released on YouTube that allegedly showed the aircraft hovering around the building before it collapse. A retired French general who is knowledgeable about atomic bombs gave a contrary view to the government findings. He said the manner the building collapsed was similar to a ‘’control demolition’’, an insinuation that either dynamites or sophisticated weapons would have brought the six storey building down.

In a latest court development, our National Crimewatch Magazine correspondent who was on ground during the court proceeding reported that the coroner’s verdict which recommended the prosecution of the engineer and contractor that handled the collapsed Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) building has been faulted by Justice K.O. Alogba of the High Court of Lagos State, Ikeja Division.

While delivering his ruling on the application for judicial review filed by the lawyers to Registered Trustees of The Synagogue, Church of All Nations, Justice Alogba clearly stated that the coroner lacked the powers to recommend the prosecution of the contractors.

It would be recalled that in its verdict of July 8, 2015, the coroner had recommended the prosecution of the contractors that handled the construction of the collapsed building in persons of engineer Akinbola Fatiregun of Hardrock Construction and engineer Oladele Ogundeji.

Justice Alogba equally faulted the finding of the coroner which stated that the collapse of the building was due to structural failure. The judge submitted further that only a civil court could make such findings based on the facts presented before it.

Earlier, Justice Alogba had refused the prayer of the Lagos State Government urging the court to strike out the application for judicial review arguing that it was filed out of time.

Responding to the prayer of the Lagos State Government, Justice Alogba submitted that the application was in order as it was filed within the three months period stipulated by the rules of court.

As it stands, the recommendation by the coroner that the contractors should be prosecuted has been quashed by Justice K.O. Alogba of the High Court of Lagos State, Ikeja Division.

TB Joshua has impacted the world, bringing great respect not only to his adopted state of Lagos but to the entire Nigerian Federation.  His amazing acts of compassion and patriotism are immeasurable and I will only remind you of a few of them.

WEALTH CREATION, TOURISM DEVELOPMENT

First let us consider his roles as a wealth creator. Not only has the church transformed the economy of his immediate community. Vendors of sundry items, hoteliers, boutiques etc in the Ikotun, Egbe, Egbeda,  Idimu,  Ejigbo, Isolo and Igando environs have for years enjoyed thriving businesses due to the large influx of worshippers and tourists to the church. It was indeed the overwhelming need for accommodation for visitors and tourists who have always found the Ikotun Egbe hotel facilities fully booked and overstretched that informed the decision to build a befitting lodging facility and guest house in the church premises. Prior to the collapse of the building, visitors from around the world who had enjoyed it's conducive living environment had always commended the church for coming to their rescue from the hardship of inadequate lodging facilities around Ikotun.

Beyond the economic transformation of its environs, what about the immense gains Lagos in particular and Nigeria at large has made from the huge boost the church's activities has given to tourism? The tourism dimension is particularly soul lifting. Hundreds of thousands of spiritual cum religious tourists who have flocked to Nigeria through the Synagogue have always returned home with one pleasant news or the other about the great Nigerian hospitality and friendliness. Only a novice of the economic relevance of tourism would doubt the great impact and boost the church has given to the economy of Lagos State. Arguably, this church, along with such others as Redeemed and Living Faith are today the number one tourist destinations in Nigeria with the Synagogue largely considered the primus inter pares. I am sure the government of Lagos will not dispute this huge contribution. And I still wonder why the egg heads in charge of tourism in Nigeria still dither with taking advantage of the huge treasure that religious tourism has become.

AMAZING ACTS OF COMPASSION AND PHILANTHROPY

Not to mention the charity cum philanthropic dimension. More than any institution, TB Joshua's SCOAN has excelled with many unsurpassed and unprecedented acts of philanthropy and compassion. Long before the establishment of relief efforts by national institutions, TB Joshua's SCOAN and EMMANUEL TV and partners had made life better for internally displaced persons and other victims of the terrorist insurgency. At great risks to their lives, church members scoured the war torn zones in Yobe, Borno, Plateau States and environs to distribute relief items in droves, coming with trailer loads. The mostly Muslim communities have enjoyed this kind gesture over the years, received that someone still cared in the face of institutional neglect. Many people, especially the elderly living in untold squalor have had their lives transformed by Joshua's charity works.

Image launderers per excellence

Apart from football, I don't know any other factor that has surpassed the SCOAN when it comes to boosting the image of Nigeria worldwide. Those of us who have travelled the world would understand this. In so many ways have Nigerians abroad been favored by their hosts simply because they were Joshua's kinsmen. I was in Dubai recently and I met an Indian visitor who drew me into a pleasant chat because I came from "TB Joshua's country"! Recently, the mighty Azteca Stadium in Mexico was filled to the rafters and the playing areas by Mexicans enthralled by Joshua's unique gifts. The Mexico City spectacle and wondrous acts has remained the talk of the town in that North American country. I am still amazed each time I watch the video of Joshua's arrival at the airport in Mexico City with thousands lining the streets as if welcoming a President! Just imagine the impact of this on Nigerians living abroad! And what about Columbia? The whole National Police of that South American nation recently honoured Joshua with an award for his magnificent contribution to law enforcement and public peace! The image of hundreds of thousands of Columbian jampacking a stadium to see Joshua remains engraved on the memory. 

From the Ukraine to Haiti and back home in Nigeria - especially in Yobe, Jos,  Adamawa, Borno, victims of war, natural disasters, insurgency and persecution based on religious belief have been given a new lease of life. Joshua has also through his good deeds proved to be a friend of the less privileged. People living in extreme poverty like the Oko Oba beggars, lepers, hopeless urchins, the Almajiris etc have one pleasant story or another to tell about TB Joshua's humanity and unprecedented act of compassion.

Hundreds of indigent kids are in universities at home and abroad today under the auspices of the TB Joshua scholarship largess. Dysfunctional families braking up in the face of financial and other hardships had been reunited and rehabilitated through Joshua's immense financial support. Disabled citizens have received succor from TB Joshua's SCOAN CHARITIES and through many other interventionist initiatives by this man of God.

Having done so much for our nation and the world, it is sad that rather than celebrate this man, Some Nigerians tend to regard him with suspicion. I think this is an unfair reaction to a man who has done so much to the glory of God and the good of the people.  Left to Joshua alone, he would not roll out the drums in celebration of his birthday.  Why? He is still a man in pains. But for the grace of God and His compassion and love for his servant, perhaps the tragedy that occurred in September 2014 was meant to rubbish Joshua's impressive legacy of love and philanthropy. It was the classic case of the devil descending heavily on the children of his arch Foe just like he did to Job, Jesus Christ, King David and many other noted favorites of God in Biblical history. The loss of lives and the fact that a very good intention culminated in tragedy will shake even the strongest of angels. And so Joshua must have been so shaken by this unmitigated tragedy.

But considering the fact that even that tragedy, despite the huge pain of loss, refused to diminish TB Joshua's humanity and love for his fellow humans, it is important to celebrate this phenomenal man. I personally believe that it is unfair to define such a good man by one singular act of misfortune. On balance, what Joshua has done for our nation and the world far outweighs this tragedy. It has always been obvious in history that no man is immune to tragedy, not even the best of saints. Even Jesus Christ,  the very son of God and the symbol of Joshua's faith had his own share of human tragedy. A NOT only was he tempted so massively massively by Satan, he had to suffer the excruciating indignity of being nailed to the cross. So why should we crucify Joshua when he experienced his own share of human misfortune? To me, the experience is a blessing in disguise. The tragedy to me was a wake up call to Joshua, that despite his apparent closeness to God, he is not immune to temptation. It is a reminder that if even his Lord and Master Jesus Christ could be tempted, who is he, in spite of the huge favour he clearly enjoys from his Maker!

The last time I visited, he appeared to have started getting over the loss of people he considered his children. Apparently the pain still lingers, the scar still itches but I saw in him a man of courage whose apparent resolve to defy the devil and his shenanigans has given him a rare veneer of courage,  a disposition some might have misinterpreted as arrogance on Joshua's part. Having been close to this man for almost two decades, I can boldly state that Joshua and arrogance are antipodes and parallel lines.  Challenge me please but I've never met a man of God so humble,  so down ro earth one on one and so eager to listen. Perhaps, Papa Adeboye, my darling GO, is the only exception. Over the past two years, I have come to see a man even made more humble by the tragic experience. I have also seen that the fact that the church remains strengthened after such monumental act of the devil is a testimony to the fact that God really loves TB Joshua. 

In recent times,  Christiandom has been struck by sundry tragedies.  Does it mean God is against the church? Does it mean his servants, the pastors are no longer his children? Definitely not. Sometimes bad things happen to good people as a test of their faith and resilience in the face of adversity. If God could test Job with such grave tragedies, who is immune? If God could allow his only begotten son to go all the way to the cross at Calvary. To me, we should look at the bereaved with sympathy rather than insinuation, with compassion rather than undue recriminations.

It is sad that even the worst recriminations are coming from those who should know better, the body of Christ.  When a stampede occurred in Saudi Arabia during the last Hajj, killing nearly five thousand souls, most Muslims did not call for the head of the Saudi authorities. Compassion, understanding and love prevailed in the face of a daunting tragedy. Most accepted it as an act of God and that's the ultimate verdict.  In our own situation, we tend to rub salt on the pains of the bereaved.  Do we even know that those who died were like children to TB Joshua? Did we ever imagine the kind of pain and horror and sorrow beneath the veneer of courage and fortitude, the heartbreak of a father having to mass bury his beloved children? That to me was Joshua 's cross in the wake of the tragedy.

Another question is: Have we really explored the sabotage dimension, especially considering the fact that the collapse came in the wake of repentant terrorist coming to the church to confess and expose the way of terror? The dead and their family deserve closure but not in a way that it brings double jeopardy to the bereaved, the loving father who in the process of providing succor and shelter to his children suffered the huge blow of the collapse of that shelter.  Have we stooped to see this as the dialectics of tragedy emanating from an act of good intention? It is like a situation where those being rescued by an army are unfortunately cut down by Friendly fire!

What happened at the Synagogue is not unique to it. Events around the world has shown that not even holy places are immune to the mischief of Satan. On 21 Nov 2014, at least 11 people were killed and dozens injured in a stampede at a stadium in Zimbabwe, as thousands of people at a church service tried to leave through the same exitsz. More recently  a mass shooting took place at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in downtown Charleston, South Carolina, United States, on the evening of June 17, 2015 leading to leading to the murder during a prayer service, of nine people by a gunman. The slain included the senior pastor, state senator Clementa C. Pinckney. What I am saying is that anybody, even children of God can be hit by tragedy. TB Joshua's SCOAN should not be seen as an exemption.

All in all, I am sure that, with God standing by him, and so long as he continued to impact on the world, no tragic setback will have any impact on his legacy of love, compassion and conscientious Christianity. I am of the candid opinion that the nation should rather celebrate this man than malign him or try to diminish his contributions to national development.