Popular but controversial Nigerian pastor TB Joshua dies

SOURCE: AFP — A popular but controversial Nigerian evangelical preacher, TB Joshua, has died from an undisclosed cause, his church said Sunday on Facebook.

The 57-year-old founder of The Synagogue Church of All Nations, a Christian megachurch in Lagos, was one of Africa’s most influential preachers with millions of television and social media followers but YouTube and Facebook took him to task for spreading hatred against LGBT people.

“God has taken His servant Prophet TB Joshua home… His last moments on earth were spent in the service of God,” the church wrote on its Facebook page, without giving further details.

One of the pastor’s lawyers Olalekan Ojo also confirmed his death.

“I confirm that the man of God, pastor TB Joshua passed away on Saturday after his evening programme,” Ojo told AFP.

TB Joshua, often called “the man of God” or “the Prophet” known for his “miracles” and “resurrections”, has an estimated fortune of several million dollars, according to Forbes.

The pastor’s YouTube channel, which has more than 1.8 million subscribers and 600 million views, was shut down in April over allegations of hate speech against LGBT people.

In one of his videos, watched more than 1.5 million times, a woman is seen being hit violently to “cure” her of her sexuality.

Homosexuality is widely condemned in Africa’s most populous country, where “homosexual acts” can carry a 14-year prison sentence.

Facebook had also removed several videos on Joshua’s page, which has more than 5.7 million followers, for his anti-LGBT remarks.