₦airaland Forum

How many Nigerian pastors will agree with this message? The prosperity Gospel has taken over the church today! I thank God a few people, like T.B. Joshua, still have the boldness to speak the truth!

Money, riches, material acquisitions, political positions without peace of heart and contentment are pointless... VANITY UPON VANITY!!! Ride on, TBJ.

I ask myself, if millions of Nigerians can go to Mecca and Jerusalem, with keen government interests on the visitors given the great impact on the local economy, why can’t the various governments of Nigeria tap from the Synagogue metaphor and thrill?

Mark my words, when Pastor TBJ starts travelling abroad regularly, perhaps then will Nigeria realise the spiritual oil in their midst that they are deliberately ignoring! Forget the spiritual side, the economic benefits - if correctly harnessed - are immense!

teemanbastos:
hmm....Did He Preach the purpose of Christ coming? Salvation.
Miracles,Multitude,Impressions dnt take any to heaven.

Have you even listened to him preach on Emmanuel TV Of course he preaches salvation!

99% of the people I know who talk rubbish about TBJ have never visited his church or at least taken some time to study him via his television station Emmanuel TV

Pastor T.B Joshua Runs A Nation In A Country
Amazed. Amazed. Pastor Temitope Balogun Joshua amazed me. I was part of a delegation that visited him two days into the New Year, on the platform of the human rights community. Our mission was to find out more about the six-layer building that collapsed with an upsetting death toll. Many of us on the delegation were fuming prior but had a completely different impression at the end of the encounter.

We were seated in a glistening restaurant located downstairs. Several visitors, like the rhythmical movement of a millipede, strolled gently into the restaurant where they had their breakfast and then left. We spent the time watching his Emmanuel TV said to be available in close to 100 countries. I had taken time to walk through the huge estate, soaked in some angelic aura. Thousands of people milled around: whites, Asians and many more whose red colours made it difficult to place their ancestral homesteads. I saw a completely different community far away from the Nigerian rot: electricity supply was 24/7; residents were generally calm, cool and collected, not with the usually hasty and stiff-neck idiosyncrasies of the average Nigerian.

A white man that looked like his personal assistant came to usher us into the living room - a simple, immaculate setting. On the wall were framed pictures of several world leaders that had either visited him or had invited him to their country. At least, I saw him with the step mother of the President of the United States, Barrack Obama. One of Africa’s most powerful Kings, Goodwill Zwelithini, was also there. Years back, I had met the daughter of the Zulu King of South Africa. She told me she had epilepsy. She would be caught by the bug almost every time during colossal, ceremonial events where she was to play a key role. She had visited so many countries in the world and met the best neuro-surgeons without success. She visited the church and according to her, she was healed. There was also the picture of Pascal Lissouba, the former President of Congo, amongst many other world leaders.

We were all waiting, speaking in low tones, perhaps, to meet the defined aura of some spiritual holiness and order. He walks into the living room in a t-shirt and short knickers. He looks young and his eyes are like little comets. He has a piercing look. If he had not been a clergy, maybe, I thought in the realm of my cobweb of hallucinating imaginations, he probably could have been a farmer or a diligent carpenter, if he had remained in his Arigidi homestead in Ondo State.

He has the look of an ordinary man but as he walks into the room, some sort of extraordinary spirit in him is cast in the space like a silhouette. As he opens his lips to reveal a set of what looked like milk teeth, in a charming smile, more like a reflex action, we all stand up to salute him.

In the recent past, I did not envy the so called men of God. I grew up as an Anglican. Later in life I became an atheist, having studied Marxism, which places materialism at the centre of human relations. It was not until after attending the bigger University of life and the tribulations thereof that I sought a route back to the invisible Creator of man, of plants, of animals, of the stars, of the creeping and flying things. So, for a long time, I saw religion as the opium of the masses, a set of people exploiting the gullibility of the poor, malnourished masses. A visit to the Synagogue Church of All Nations has now even rekindled some sort of conundrum.

He chooses his words, carefully. “I do not see myself as special. I’m just a man of God,” he says. He waits to see if you wanted to puncture him. On the collapsed building, Pastor Joshua insists the church was bombed. His logic is premised on the mystery plane that hovered around the building for some minutes before the big bang. What is shocking remains the fact that till date, neither the Federal Government nor the Federal Civil Aviation Authority (FCCA) has come out to unravel the mystery plane. Who owns the plane? What was the mission of the plane? Where did the plane come from? Why should Nigeria allow this underlining dilemma to be swept under the carpet?

We went on an inspection of the collapsed building. The sight is gory. Worst still, the FG has refused to make public the report of its findings. However, apart from the issue of the collapsed building, I was personally touched by the economic stories of the church. I’m not a member of the church. I do not intend to be a member but I’m simply fascinated by the living stories built around the activities of the church. Little wonder it appears the church is the biggest tourist attraction in Nigeria today! Though the purpose of our visit was on the collapsed building, we were enthralled by the humanitarian sector of the church’s multi-faceted fiefdom. I took time to investigate this inspiring enterprise.

One of the most intriguing is the monument of charity he has built in Nigeria and across the world. I watched and I was amazed at the effectiveness of his kingdom: the neon lights, in thousands with none faulty, the orderliness of the people, the street lights and the effectiveness of his in-house economy. Our guide revealed storming stories of affection flowing from the church. Perhaps Pastor Joshua was the only African clergy that contributed immensely to the revival of afflicted souls after the earthquake that hit Haiti, killing many, and submerging hundreds of houses including the Presidential palace. The death toll was 230,000. The world held its breath in awe. Two cargo planes were chartered by Pastor Joshua. The planes flew from the United States to Haiti. They landed on a UN airstrip in Cap Haitien, northern Haiti just ten days after the tragic disaster.

In history, most blacks in Haiti are originally from West Africa, mainly Nigeria. Nothing could have drawn this nostalgia than the news that a man from Nigeria flew in two cargo of planes filled with relief materials, bringing succour to the afflicted and putting an end to anguish, gnashing of teeth and mourning. Apart, he assembled medical doctors, nurses, engineers, pilots and evangelists spanning three continents to assist Haiti. They took a 10-seater plane from Ft Lauderdale to Cap Haitien. He also set up his team with relief clinic in Arcahaie, a fishing and farming town of roughly 150,000 locals.

He had visited Surabaya in Indonesia where he addressed hundreds of poor people. He fed them, doled out hot meals of Kentucky Fried Chicken and money to them. He also gave 10,000 dollars to the Hana Ananda centre where the poor and the vulnerable shelter. He visited the poor in Colorado, US and fed thousands of people. He had discovered the homeless camp at the banks of the Colorado river with the welcoming inscription: “Cold, Hungry and Homeless, Anything helps.” From the account given to me, the charity covers about 50 countries and over 10 million families around the world.

A Muslim PhD student from Asia who was on a research visit to the centre told me her findings indicated that Pastor Joshua provides for the needs of an average of 1 million people daily all over the world. “I’m here as a PhD student. I’m doing a research on modern religion and poverty alleviation. My findings indicate that Mr Joshua runs the biggest and most selfless charity in the world,” she told me. “I saw the physically challenged. I saw the blind. I saw widows. I saw thousands of students, Muslims, Christians and freethinkers alike going home with goodies on their shoulders. I saw armed and defenceless people alike, I saw the have-nots in thousands, during the New Year festivity.”

One of the most interesting aspects is his programme aimed at reviving armed robbers, commercial sex workers and the dregs in the society. “I was a hardened criminal. I used to kill. In fact, I came to this church. I was revived through preaching. I was given money to go and start a new life. I’m now a business man and will never go back to criminal activities again. I have been doing my business now for 10 years”, Andero, from Oyo state told me. Marvis, a former informant to armed robbers, one of whom was her boyfriend, after a period of reformation, was given 200,000 to start a new life.

“I have a list of 300 armed robbers rehabilitated this year alone,’ the Asian student told me, adding that she had verified all of them, including checking out with the police and discovered that it was real. There was a particular armed robber who attended the church with a gun in his pocket. He became one of the people to be rehabilitated in an extensive programme that has psycho-counsellors on board.

The numbers of beneficiaries in the education sector who obtain scholarship is countless, spreading across all the states of the federation and running through all ethnic groups without discrimination. I met many of his caregivers, whose responsibility is to move from one home to the other, attending to the elderly and the sick, giving to them medicine and food. His community development programme is unparalleled. He runs a football club referred to as My People Football Club where hundreds of talents are frequently discovered. This is apart from a tourist haven that has been built at the church’s starting point, located in a swamp which has now been turned into a global magnet, drawing an average of 2 million people to Nigeria yearly. I now recollect. On my visit to Costa Rica, I was at first perturbed by the gale of revolting stories of drug, violence and corruption pinned on Nigeria by many. I had a similar experience during my visit to many countries including Thailand, Paraguay and the United States. My consolation only came from the other side of the story when many who had visited the Synagogue Church began to talk about Nigeria in glowing terms.

Though the church seems to have brought grandeur and honour to Nigeria, the country does not seem to appreciate this. One source told me that during Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s reign, instructions were given to TV stations to block out Pastor Joshua’s programmes prompting him to start the Emmanuel TV that now features in several countries all over the world. Yet, the roads leading to this great enterprise that has drawn global attention remain an eyesore. The government has definitely failed in seeing the golden offer of uplifting a crestfallen nation offered through the demagogue of the Synagogue spirituality and political economy.

For me, from the economic and cultural perspective, let us even leave out spirituality, the Synagogue Church has become a fortune of tourism, perhaps with no equal in Nigeria. It has become one of the few iconic comets that brightens Nigeria’s darkening images. Unfortunately, there seems no institutional backing. I ask myself, if millions of Nigerians can go to Mecca and Jerusalem, with keen government interests on the visitors given the great impact on the local economy, why can’t the various governments of Nigeria tap from the Synagogue metaphor and thrill?

Written by Adewale Adeoye. Mr Adeoye is CNN African Journalist of the Year Award Winner, former West African Regional Secretary of International Alliance on Indigenous and Tribal Peoples of the Tropical Forest, (IAITPTF) based in Thailand and alumni of the United Nations Institute of Training and Research, (UNITAR)

SOURCE: http://irohinodua./2015/01/06/pastor-t-b-joshua-runs-a-nation-in-a-country/

Amazed. Amazed. Pastor Temitope Balogun Joshua amazed me. I was part of a delegation that visited him two days into the New Year, on the platform of the human rights community. Our mission was to find out more about the six-layer building that collapsed with an upsetting death toll. Many of us on the delegation were fuming prior but had a completely different impression at the end of the encounter.

We were seated in a glistening restaurant located downstairs. Several visitors, like the rhythmical movement of a millipede, strolled gently into the restaurant where they had their breakfast and then left. We spent the time watching his Emmanuel TV said to be available in close to 100 countries. I had taken time to walk through the huge estate, soaked in some angelic aura. Thousands of people milled around: whites, Asians and many more whose red colours made it difficult to place their ancestral homesteads. I saw a completely different community far away from the Nigerian rot: electricity supply was 24/7; residents were generally calm, cool and collected, not with the usually hasty and stiff-neck idiosyncrasies of the average Nigerian.

A white man that looked like his personal assistant came to usher us into the living room - a simple, immaculate setting. On the wall were framed pictures of several world leaders that had either visited him or had invited him to their country. At least, I saw him with the step mother of the President of the United States, Barrack Obama. One of Africa’s most powerful Kings, Goodwill Zwelithini, was also there. Years back, I had met the daughter of the Zulu King of South Africa. She told me she had epilepsy. She would be caught by the bug almost every time during colossal, ceremonial events where she was to play a key role. She had visited so many countries in the world and met the best neuro-surgeons without success. She visited the church and according to her, she was healed. There was also the picture of Pascal Lissouba, the former President of Congo, amongst many other world leaders.

We were all waiting, speaking in low tones, perhaps, to meet the defined aura of some spiritual holiness and order. He walks into the living room in a t-shirt and short knickers. He looks young and his eyes are like little comets. He has a piercing look. If he had not been a clergy, maybe, I thought in the realm of my cobweb of hallucinating imaginations, he probably could have been a farmer or a diligent carpenter, if he had remained in his Arigidi homestead in Ondo State.

He has the look of an ordinary man but as he walks into the room, some sort of extraordinary spirit in him is cast in the space like a silhouette. As he opens his lips to reveal a set of what looked like milk teeth, in a charming smile, more like a reflex action, we all stand up to salute him.

In the recent past, I did not envy the so called men of God. I grew up as an Anglican. Later in life I became an atheist, having studied Marxism, which places materialism at the centre of human relations. It was not until after attending the bigger University of life and the tribulations thereof that I sought a route back to the invisible Creator of man, of plants, of animals, of the stars, of the creeping and flying things. So, for a long time, I saw religion as the opium of the masses, a set of people exploiting the gullibility of the poor, malnourished masses. A visit to the Synagogue Church of All Nations has now even rekindled some sort of conundrum.

He chooses his words, carefully. “I do not see myself as special. I’m just a man of God,” he says. He waits to see if you wanted to puncture him. On the collapsed building, Pastor Joshua insists the church was bombed. His logic is premised on the mystery plane that hovered around the building for some minutes before the big bang. What is shocking remains the fact that till date, neither the Federal Government nor the Federal Civil Aviation Authority (FCCA) has come out to unravel the mystery plane. Who owns the plane? What was the mission of the plane? Where did the plane come from? Why should Nigeria allow this underlining dilemma to be swept under the carpet?

We went on an inspection of the collapsed building. The sight is gory. Worst still, the FG has refused to make public the report of its findings. However, apart from the issue of the collapsed building, I was personally touched by the economic stories of the church. I’m not a member of the church. I do not intend to be a member but I’m simply fascinated by the living stories built around the activities of the church. Little wonder it appears the church is the biggest tourist attraction in Nigeria today! Though the purpose of our visit was on the collapsed building, we were enthralled by the humanitarian sector of the church’s multi-faceted fiefdom. I took time to investigate this inspiring enterprise.

One of the most intriguing is the monument of charity he has built in Nigeria and across the world. I watched and I was amazed at the effectiveness of his kingdom: the neon lights, in thousands with none faulty, the orderliness of the people, the street lights and the effectiveness of his in-house economy. Our guide revealed storming stories of affection flowing from the church. Perhaps Pastor Joshua was the only African clergy that contributed immensely to the revival of afflicted souls after the earthquake that hit Haiti, killing many, and submerging hundreds of houses including the Presidential palace. The death toll was 230,000. The world held its breath in awe. Two cargo planes were chartered by Pastor Joshua. The planes flew from the United States to Haiti. They landed on a UN airstrip in Cap Haitien, northern Haiti just ten days after the tragic disaster.

In history, most blacks in Haiti are originally from West Africa, mainly Nigeria. Nothing could have drawn this nostalgia than the news that a man from Nigeria flew in two cargo of planes filled with relief materials, bringing succour to the afflicted and putting an end to anguish, gnashing of teeth and mourning. Apart, he assembled medical doctors, nurses, engineers, pilots and evangelists spanning three continents to assist Haiti. They took a 10-seater plane from Ft Lauderdale to Cap Haitien. He also set up his team with relief clinic in Arcahaie, a fishing and farming town of roughly 150,000 locals.

He had visited Surabaya in Indonesia where he addressed hundreds of poor people. He fed them, doled out hot meals of Kentucky Fried Chicken and money to them. He also gave 10,000 dollars to the Hana Ananda centre where the poor and the vulnerable shelter. He visited the poor in Colorado, US and fed thousands of people. He had discovered the homeless camp at the banks of the Colorado river with the welcoming inscription: “Cold, Hungry and Homeless, Anything helps.” From the account given to me, the charity covers about 50 countries and over 10 million families around the world.

A Muslim PhD student from Asia who was on a research visit to the centre told me her findings indicated that Pastor Joshua provides for the needs of an average of 1 million people daily all over the world. “I’m here as a PhD student. I’m doing a research on modern religion and poverty alleviation. My findings indicate that Mr Joshua runs the biggest and most selfless charity in the world,” she told me. “I saw the physically challenged. I saw the blind. I saw widows. I saw thousands of students, Muslims, Christians and freethinkers alike going home with goodies on their shoulders. I saw armed and defenceless people alike, I saw the have-nots in thousands, during the New Year festivity.”

One of the most interesting aspects is his programme aimed at reviving armed robbers, commercial sex workers and the dregs in the society. “I was a hardened criminal. I used to kill. In fact, I came to this church. I was revived through preaching. I was given money to go and start a new life. I’m now a business man and will never go back to criminal activities again. I have been doing my business now for 10 years”, Andero, from Oyo state told me. Marvis, a former informant to armed robbers, one of whom was her boyfriend, after a period of reformation, was given 200,000 to start a new life.

“I have a list of 300 armed robbers rehabilitated this year alone,’ the Asian student told me, adding that she had verified all of them, including checking out with the police and discovered that it was real. There was a particular armed robber who attended the church with a gun in his pocket. He became one of the people to be rehabilitated in an extensive programme that has psycho-counsellors on board.

The numbers of beneficiaries in the education sector who obtain scholarship is countless, spreading across all the states of the federation and running through all ethnic groups without discrimination. I met many of his caregivers, whose responsibility is to move from one home to the other, attending to the elderly and the sick, giving to them medicine and food. His community development programme is unparalleled. He runs a football club referred to as My People Football Club where hundreds of talents are frequently discovered. This is apart from a tourist haven that has been built at the church’s starting point, located in a swamp which has now been turned into a global magnet, drawing an average of 2 million people to Nigeria yearly. I now recollect. On my visit to Costa Rica, I was at first perturbed by the gale of revolting stories of drug, violence and corruption pinned on Nigeria by many. I had a similar experience during my visit to many countries including Thailand, Paraguay and the United States. My consolation only came from the other side of the story when many who had visited the Synagogue Church began to talk about Nigeria in glowing terms.

Though the church seems to have brought grandeur and honour to Nigeria, the country does not seem to appreciate this. One source told me that during Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s reign, instructions were given to TV stations to block out Pastor Joshua’s programmes prompting him to start the Emmanuel TV that now features in several countries all over the world. Yet, the roads leading to this great enterprise that has drawn global attention remain an eyesore. The government has definitely failed in seeing the golden offer of uplifting a crestfallen nation offered through the demagogue of the Synagogue spirituality and political economy.

For me, from the economic and cultural perspective, let us even leave out spirituality, the Synagogue Church has become a fortune of tourism, perhaps with no equal in Nigeria. It has become one of the few iconic comets that brightens Nigeria’s darkening images. Unfortunately, there seems no institutional backing. I ask myself, if millions of Nigerians can go to Mecca and Jerusalem, with keen government interests on the visitors given the great impact on the local economy, why can’t the various governments of Nigeria tap from the Synagogue metaphor and thrill?

Written by Adewale Adeoye. Mr Adeoye is CNN African Journalist of the Year Award Winner, former West African Regional Secretary of International Alliance on Indigenous and Tribal Peoples of the Tropical Forest, (IAITPTF) based in Thailand and alumni of the United Nations Institute of Training and Research, (UNITAR)

SOURCE: http://irohinodua./2015/01/06/pastor-t-b-joshua-runs-a-nation-in-a-country/

T.B. Joshua has consistently come out of all his numerous persecutions stronger than before.

Reminds me of what Gameliel said in Acts 5:38-39 - "And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it - lest you even be found to fight against God."

According to a story that made the front cover of South African newspaper, Daily News, T.B Joshua took some relatives of the 85 South Africans killed in the collapse of his church building last year, on a shopping spree and showered them with cash.

The pastor invited relatives of about 44 victims to Nigeria and many of them accepted to come. T.B Joshua reportedly put them in nice hotels, took them shopping and gave every family member N50k each. He also took the families to the site of the collapse building where they lost their loved ones.

Schoolteacher, Wonder Ndlovu, 47, whose husband, Mbongeni Ndlovu, 52, died in the collapse spoke to SA Daily News

"He (Joshua) took us to a five-star posh hotel for dinner, fine food and drinks. The hotel is in Victoria Island. After chilling, we came back in his luxurious kombis. There were more surprises while we were preparing to sleep. The mamas who took us shopping knocked and presented us with N50 000 each and they said we must not use all our (own) shopping money. I just sang A huna ya tshwana le yena (there’s no one like him),” she said.

"We met with the man of God (Joshua) and he briefed us about the site visit. Wiseman Harry and other evangelists took us there, it was very emotional for me, but others were strong and comforting. I brought flowers from South Africa and laid them with my son. The prophet is full of surprises. After weeping, he took us to the city to see places. To our surprise we shopped till we dropped and the bill is on him.”

"We were having the time of our lives, forgetting the pain of the past and looking forward to picking up the pieces and moving on. Yesterday has gone by, but tomorrow is forever.”

Ndlovu said of the disaster site: “It is ugly. Looking at the building foundations, we are convinced it was an attack.”

Another group is expected to come to Nigeria this month.

SOURCE: http://lindaikeji..com/2015/01/tb-joshua-takes-relatives-of-building.html

Good morning!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kvtq-H_i6Q

Good Morning Nairaland!

I also joined the service on Emmanuel TV. I even had my candle with me at home with my family to pray along with the man of God. It was a very inspirational service!

2015 is ‘the year of good morning’ – TB Joshua

At a candle light vigil service held to usher in the New Year 2015 at The Synagogue, Church Of All Nations (SCOAN) in Lagos, Nigerian Prophet T.B. Joshua declared 2015 to be ‘the year of good morning’.

In the energetic service broadcast live on Christian television station Emmanuel TV, Joshua admonished congregants on the need to ‘worship God in Spirit’ in a sermon titled, ‘Discovering your real value’.

“Christianity lies in the heart,” he told the multitude of worshippers, adding that merely observing religious ceremonies does not signify genuine Christianity.

The crowds, including a huge array of foreign guests sporadically waving their national flags, thronged every available space within the sprawling church complex, even spilling onto the adjoining roads.

“If you are expecting a New Year, you must be pure in heart,” he stressed, reminding the faithful of Jesus Christ’s words in Matthew 5:8. “If not, the troubled year of 2014 will continue in 2015,” he warned.

Although Joshua uncharacteristically did not give his yearly prediction, his message conveyed that the troubles witnessed worldwide throughout 2014 would persist in 2015 but genuine Christians would grow stronger through them.

“No matter what this coming year brings, if you are more of God, your trials are the soil in which your faith will flourish,” he enjoined the congregation.

He stressed that the freedom the Bible speaks of in John 8:36 is spiritual not physical, insisting that a ‘free spirit,’ was needed for Christians to enjoy peace throughout 2015. “This liberation of your spirit is all you need to have the best year,” he stated.

“You just need a Word from God to change the course of your life,” Joshua continued. “God said I should give you the Word – Good Morning! Instead of saying ‘Happy New Year’, say ‘Good Morning’. 2014 was the afternoon but now we are going to the morning. This Word is anointed.”

The cleric revealed that from henceforth, irrespective of the actual time of the day, Christians should maintain the greeting, ‘Good morning’, insisting that a spiritual blessing was attached to such proclamation.

As Joshua led the congregation in prayers, lights were dimmed and candles lit throughout the auditorium.

“Joy comes in the morning. Open your lips and begin to decree this joy to your life,” Joshua instructed the congregation.

He then led them in a heartfelt declaration, “My heart is Heaven! Good Morning my destiny, health, business, family, marriage – live in the morning throughout 2015!”

Among the nearly 2,000 foreign guests in attendance at the ‘crossover service’ were 44 family members of those who tragically died when a building collapsed within the church compound on September 12th 2014.

Earlier in the day, Joshua had called on his Facebook followers to submit their prayer requests for 2015; almost 100,000 responses were posted in a matter of hours.

SOURCE: http://africanspotlight.com/2015/01/01/2015-year-good-morning-tb-joshua/

At the ongoing coroner’s inquest into the cause of a building collapse at The Synagogue, Church Of All Nations (SCOAN), building plans for the collapsed structure were submitted by the town planner while a NAMA official admitted that a military aircraft flew close to the building several times on the day of its collapse, contrary to what he had said to the court three days earlier that it did not fly near to the building.

While undergoing cross-examination by counsel to the SCOAN, Olalekan Ojo, the Deputy General Manager in charge of Air Traffic Control of the National Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Mr Rafik Arogunjo's attention was drawn to several contradictions in some of the exhibits submitted by the agency.

In his written deposition, Arogunjo claimed that the said aircraft encircled the Ikotun area of Lagos six times in a training exercise whereas in the letter sent to the police and signed by the Managing Director of NAMA, Engineer Ibrahim Abdulsalam, it was clearly written that the aircraft only orbited the area twice.

There was a mild drama when the counsel to The SCOAN, Olalekan Ojo, presented the CCTV footage of the incident. After watching the clips which clearly showed the said aircraft flying atop the collapsed building, the witness was speechless, insisting he could not comment on the footage.

When probed further if he could present the report of the radar which allegedly depicted the actual distance between the aircraft and the ill-fated building, he said he could not, eliciting arguments between both counsels. They later proposed to visit the control tower to watch the video playback, an action the magistrate ruled out.

Questioned as to the identity of the pilots on the day of the incident, Arogunjo said he could not provide such information although he acknowledged a flight plan was submitted to him. "There is no way I would have known the intention of the pilot on the day of the incident,” he told the court. “The aircraft is designed for military operations to the best of my knowledge but I don't know if the intention of the aircraft was to hit any target.”

"I have heard about an aircraft on a sabotage mission release invisible substance on a target lased with explosive devices with the aim of bombing a target but I cannot confirm if the aircraft had such a substance and we did not lose sight on radar of the aircraft on the day of the incident," he further added.

“My Lord, how can we believe the oral statement of a witness who has been hiding information from us such as the name of the pilot, crew members and the gadgets they carried”, Mr Ojo queried in response to his cryptic analysis.

Meanwhile, the town planner, Bisi Adedire, who was once the National Secretary General of the Town Planning Association and equally the Lagos State Chairman, testified that the collapsed building fell in a manner typical of induced or controlled demolition. He added that throughout his professional career, he had never seen or experienced a building collapse in such a strange manner.

Explaining his rationale, Adedire explained that the building came down once symmetrically, the iron rods were cut at the same level as if no cement had ever been used on them and, even more surprisingly, the foundation was intact. Additionally, all structures adjacent to the building were not affected by the collapse.

Narrating his role in the whole saga, he said he was contacted by the church in June 2014 to prepare a technical report on the church buildings. He claimed that after evaluation, he had informed the church authorities that though they had erred by not getting approval before construction, the anomalies could be corrected.

"I informed them that the law made provisions through a system known as regularisation to obtain the necessary documents,” he explained. “However, it comes with a fine. Consequently, I was contracted by them to regularise the building documents. I started the process immediately and I have official proofs to back it up. Sadly, we had not concluded the process before I heard that the building collapsed." According to Adedire, The SCOAN had paid over N20 million to the Lagos State Government to process the approval.

He further informed the coroner that immediately he heard the tragic news, he went straight to inform the appropriate ministry as well as insisting that the church authorities take inventory of the whole proceedings, a task they entrusted into his care.

"When I got into the scene of the incident on Friday, September 12, 2014, I watched the CCTV footage of the collapse and I was taken aback because normal buildings don’t fall in such a way, within seconds. Also, the smoke like dust was suspicious."

When queried by the counsel to the church if having an approval was a determining factor in causing a building to collapse, he laughed and said buildings don’t collapse on papers. "Though having the relevant papers are important, they are not reasons for collapsed building. Even government structures with adequate approvals have collapsed in the past."

He finally presented to the court the original copy of building plans for both the collapsed building and the adjoining ones still standing.

In another development, one of the survivors of the incident, Mr Taiwo Temitayo Taiwo, graphically told the courts what he saw inside the building prior to its collapse. He explained how he witnessed a rapid flash of lights cutting through the wall, followed by a thunderous bang before the building crashed down. He likened the scenario to a carpenter’s saw cutting through wood with precision. His explanation added further credence to the theory that explosives were used as suspected by the police.

Taiwo further clarified the impression that the building might have collapsed as a result of too many inhabitants. He explained, as one of the coordinators of guests to The SCOAN, that the ground floor was a restaurant and dining area for both guests and members. He then divulged that the first floor was for female guests while the second floor was for the male guests, adding that the remaining floors were yet to be used before the unfortunate incident. This revelation surprised both the Lagos State counsel and the magistrate who assumed the entirety of the building was occupied at the time of its collapse.

Chief Magistrate Komolafe adjourned proceedings to Friday, 19th December, 2014.

Nosa Osazuwa was present during court proceedings.

At the Friday November 21, 2014 sitting of the coroner’s inquest into the collapsed Synagogue, Church Of All Nations building, the court was told that the building materials used for the construction of the collapsed building were approved by the Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON).

This submission was made by the Director in charge of Inspectorate and Compliance at SON, Engineer Bede Obayi. According to him, iron rod samples taken for test at different laboratories showed that they were good and met the standard requirement. He raised reservations over the standard of the concrete debris, stating that the sample they took was slightly below the required density. However, he posited that the result could have been influenced by the pressure factor of the collapsed building, which makes it indeterminate in concluding if this contributed to the collapse.

Engineer Obayi also expressed surprise about the speed at which the building collapsed, fuelling speculations that the controlled demolition theory was indeed plausible. "Candidly, I am surprised at the rate and speed the building collapsed. It’s quite unusual and I believe it should be investigated. I also admit that the result of the test conducted on the debris is suspect. Due to the technicality involved, our investigation is inconclusive. I was not involved in the observation neither did I participate in the conduct of the test. I don't even know any of the people saddled with the responsibility of conducting the test. We went for test in three labs and the final reports indicated that most of the materials used in the Synagogue building met our standard requirements. All the sources used were also approved SON sources."

Meanwhile, members of the public and other interested parties attending the hearing have voiced out their reservations about the biased manner in which the magistrate seems to be handling proceedings at the inquest. Some of them who spoke to the media on conditions of anonymity complained of the magistrate’s partial disposition. They observed that he was always visibly harsh on witnesses who gave evidence which seemed to support the controlled demolition theory. Others said his disposition was suggestive of a calculated attempt by the state to persecute a particular party, stressing that the inquest has lost its integrity.

In another development, counsel to The SCOAN, Olalekan Ojo has filed an application challenging the jurisdiction of the magistrate for encroaching on matters beyond the scope of the inquest by inviting Prophet T.B. Joshua, who was not a witness to the incident. He said the primary scope of the inquest was to determine the cause of death and not pry into private matters that bear no consequence on it.

On his part, the magistrate, Oyetade Komolafe grudgingly granted the request of the counsel saying, “I am not against Prophet T.B. Joshua and Lagos State is not against him. I will respect the law and await the report or verdict of the High Court. Therefore, I will hands off the issue of inviting him as a witness for now till the outcome from the High Court."

However, he held up the letter submitted to the High Court challenging his jurisdiction and candidly stated, “I can tell you that this letter will not get to anywhere. I count it dead already; it is not an issue.” The statement added credence to concerns voiced about his prejudicial handling of the inquest.

The hearing was adjourned to December 3, 2014.

ALL MATERIALS USED IN COLLAPSED SYNAGOGUE BUILDING WERE APPROVED - SON

At the Friday November 21, 2014 sitting of the coroner’s inquest into the collapsed Synagogue, Church Of All Nations building, the court was told that the building materials used for the construction of the collapsed building were approved by the Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON).

This submission was made by the Director in charge of Inspectorate and Compliance at SON, Engineer Bede Obayi. According to him, iron rod samples taken for test at different laboratories showed that they were good and met the standard requirement. He raised reservations over the standard of the concrete debris, stating that the sample they took was slightly below the required density. However, he posited that the result could have been influenced by the pressure factor of the collapsed building, which makes it indeterminate in concluding if this contributed to the collapse.

Engineer Obayi also expressed surprise about the speed at which the building collapsed, fuelling speculations that the controlled demolition theory was indeed plausible. "Candidly, I am surprised at the rate and speed the building collapsed. It’s quite unusual and I believe it should be investigated. I also admit that the result of the test conducted on the debris is suspect. Due to the technicality involved, our investigation is inconclusive. I was not involved in the observation neither did I participate in the conduct of the test. I don't even know any of the people saddled with the responsibility of conducting the test. We went for test in three labs and the final reports indicated that most of the materials used in the Synagogue building met our standard requirements. All the sources used were also approved SON sources."

Meanwhile, members of the public and other interested parties attending the hearing have voiced out their reservations about the biased manner in which the magistrate seems to be handling proceedings at the inquest. Some of them who spoke to the media on conditions of anonymity complained of the magistrate’s partial disposition. They observed that he was always visibly harsh on witnesses who gave evidence which seemed to support the controlled demolition theory. Others said his disposition was suggestive of a calculated attempt by the state to persecute a particular party, stressing that the inquest has lost its integrity

In another development, counsel to The SCOAN, Olalekan Ojo has filed an application challenging the jurisdiction of the magistrate for encroaching on matters beyond the scope of the inquest by inviting Prophet T.B. Joshua, who was not a witness to the incident. He said the primary scope of the inquest was to determine the cause of death and not pry into private matters that bear no consequence on it.

On his part, the magistrate, Oyetade Komolafe grudgingly granted the request of the counsel saying, “I am not against Prophet T.B. Joshua and Lagos State is not against him. I will respect the law and await the report or verdict of the High Court. Therefore, I will hands off the issue of inviting him as a witness for now till the outcome from the High Court."

However, he held up the letter submitted to the High Court challenging his jurisdiction and candidly stated, “I can tell you that this letter will not get to anywhere. I count it dead already; it is not an issue.” The statement added credence to concerns voiced about his prejudicial handling of the inquest.

The hearing was adjourned to December 3, 2014.

Nosa Osazuwa, a citizen journalist, was present during the inquest

Synagogue inquest: Before we resort to blasphemy

By Kolawole Ayodele Sunday

Today, 5th November, the man of God at the Synagogue Pastor T.B Joshua takes the witness box. We should not be surprised if lawyers representing different agencies, NGO and individuals start asking questions that boarder on blasphemy.

Jesus Christ stopped storms, why did the man of God fail to suspend the church building in mid-air at least till everyone inside escapes? The man of God saw visions of landslides, plane crashes, sudden deaths and political triumphs all over the world. Why did he fail to see the collapse of his own building? Questions like these should be expected from some lawyers at the inquest who have shown complete disconnect from the purpose of the inquest at the expense of share show off and braggadocio.

Last week for two days, the eminent prof. of Pathology, Prof Obafunwa and representative of the Red Cross were drilled as if both were on trial. Listening to these lawyers one easily comes to the conclusion that the Prof. and the Red Cross caused the death of over one hundred residents of the church hostel. The fact remains that a pathologist shall find out that a man who falls from a thirty-storey building and another who was pushed from the same height will both die of the same cause-traumatic complications.

The Red Cross man who was at the scene with an ambulance and over ninety volunteers was drilled for the inefficiency of the State Emergency Agencies personnel who came to the scene of the building collapse, where hundreds of people are trapped, with camera and microphones only. Habba! And for five days, inexplicably, the state Government did not send a single ambulance to help evacuate the wounded or dead.

Eighty-four South Africans, not taking other Nationals into consideration died. President Goodluck Jonathan himself recognizing the international relations implications visited, Lagos State Governor, Raji Fashola visited in person but his body language and subsequent actions seem more directed at fault rather than fact-finding. His Commissioner for Town Planning himself concurred to the fact that building plan approvals do not necessarily immune buildings to collapse that may be due to structural defects in construction, natural disasters or sabotage.

To worsen matters, the visit of President Goodluck Jonathan has been politicized by the ruling Party in Lagos forgetting that the President and not Lagos State Governor is directly under fire from the nations whose citizens died, or how can we explain the loud silence of supposedly progressive APC in whose domain the tragedy took place. Not a single word of condolence or commiseration has been heard from the party more than forty days after. This is an aberration on the part of Governor Fashola. But for APC, it is inexcusable.

Now to the security aspect of the whole matter, let us refresh our minds that on 11TH September 2001, the twin storey World Trade Center buildings were brought down in America.

On the anniversary of the incidence precisely on 11th September 2011 and here in Nigeria a NAF plane was declared missing. All news about the whereabouts of the lost plane and the pilot came from Boko Haram, our tormentors.

A day after, Sept 11 Anniversary, that is, on 12thSeptember, citizens of Ikotun woke up to the frightful sight of a military plane flying so low, several times above their buildings. Within the hour, there came rumours that synagogue church “ had been bombed ”. The flight stopped, and ambulances took over, hauling dead bodies in their tens to different hospitals.

Only after the inauguration of the inquest, exactly about two weeks ago, did these military maneuvers return, in highly congested area.

Questions arise as to (i) Why didn’t NAF continue with their military exercise after it flew over the synagogue building so perilously for four times in 24 minutes while the building collapsed within an hour of the last flight?

(ii) Why is the flight pilot and NAF not at the inquest if only to state their own side of the story and (iii) Why did it take NAF and NAMA so long to own up to knowledge of the flight? (iv) Why did the NAF exercise not resume before the inquest?

(v) Why is a thickly populated residential area being used for such military exercise against normal practices? What has happened to coastal areas such as Badagry coast, thick forest areas in Ogun State or better still Sambisa forest?

The Federal Government in collaboration with Lagos State government should set up technical fact-finding panel that should include experts in (a) Demolition and explosive (b) structural and building engineering (c) security and air space mgt (d) inter-governmental relations to properly investigate and find out (i) the possibility of a 6-storey building “sinking” within 5 seconds as in the case of the SCOAN building; (ii) the possibility of sabotage and the inherent security threat to the nation; (iii) the possibility of soil structure and general structural incongruence, resulting in the building collapse; (iv) Any other lessons that may be learned to prevent future occurrences.

This, I believe, will serve more useful purpose.

• Kolawole Ayodele Sunday, Founder and Chief Priest of C&S Ikotun wrote in from Lagos.

SOURCE: http://allafrica.com/stories/201411050071.html

THE REASON WHY T.B. JOSHUA WAS MISSING AT CORONER'S INQUEST TODAY:

Contrary to expectations, Prophet T.B. Joshua was conspicuously absent as a witness at the sixth sitting of Coroner’s Inquest into the collapsed building at The Synagogue, Church Of All Nations (SCOAN) in Lagos, Nigeria.

After a two hour delay in proceedings, the General Manager and CEO of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Dr. Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu was the first witness to testify at the inquest. Dr Osanyintolu alleged that his team was impeded from the rescue site by overzealous onlookers, adding that some even turned aggressive. However, some of the submissions he made in his written deposition to the court were contradicted in his oral account during cross-examination by counsel to The SCOAN, Olalekan Ojo. Mr. Oke-Osanyintolu had submitted in his written deposition that members of the church frustrated his agency’s efforts in carrying out an effective rescue operation but later told the coroner in his oral account that he worked harmoniously with members of the church in ensuring a hitch-free operation.

From another angle, the counsel to the church had pointed out the visibly conflicting account of the number of dead bodies reportedly evacuated by LASEMA. The LASEMA boss’ submission that he evacuated a total of 86 dead bodies contradicted the account of the Lagos State pathologist, Professor Obafunwa, who submitted earlier that the death toll reached 116. He also shot himself down when he claimed the collapsed building was six floors but submitted in his written deposition that the structure was five floors.

Mr. Oke-Osanyintolu further submitted that the Red Cross only arrived on the second day of the incident whereas a representative of the latter, Mr. Oladimeji Ige had told the coroner that he and his team arrived on the scene of the incident on the very day it happened. This continuing trend of contradictions drew the outburst of journalists and other interested parties within the court room.

A mild drama ensued in the court when the presiding magistrate admitted that Prophet T.B. Joshua was not duly served by the court to appear before it. The revelation came after the counsel to the church, Olalekan Ojo, divulged that Joshua, being the chief mourner, should not be expected to appear in court. Moreover, he stated that the Prophet was not officially invited by the coroner. He revealed that the Court Sheriff only came and dropped a letter of invitation to an unidentified officer in the church, a statement which was corroborated by the court.

According to the counsel, the rule of the coroner is that the witness be served personally. The magistrate said he expected the man of God to have read the invitation of the pages of newspapers, a submission which the counsel to the church laughed off as an impermissible court action. According to Mr. Ojo, “…the Prophet has nothing to hide because he is on the path of truth. However, things should be done properly. Until that is done we can’t discuss whether he is eligible to come or not.”

Meanwhile, the entire premises of the Ikeja High Court was besieged by various individuals and pressure groups, most of whom had come to register their support for Prophet T.B. Joshua. The South-west Coordinator of The Citizens Club of Nigeria, Mr. Afolabi Olawale spoke to journalists and urged all conspirators against Joshua to desist as the consequences could be grave. He said, “We stand as mediators between the government and the citizens basically because of the gap between government policies and citizenry. From our observation, there is a deliberate plot to intimidate, oppress and frustrate the man of God, Prophet T.B. Joshua. This man has been doing God’s work, catering to the needs of many, especially the hopeless and destitute. Instead of troubling him, the government should follow his footsteps in tackling the problem of poverty that is ravaging the country”.

In the same vein, a serving Nigerian soldier, who preferred anonymity, said he came down all the way from Port Harcourt to show solidarity to the prophet, whom he described as a father figure and a genuine man of God. According to him, “Prophet T.B. Joshua does not deserve hassles from any quarters because he has done too many wonderful things for this country. As I speak to you, I cannot count the multitude of favours I and my family have received from him. He has been so wonderful to us and we thank God for his life”.

Similarly, a pastor from South Africa drew the attention of journalists when he asked Nigerians to recgognise the value of Prophet Joshua. According to him, if Nigerians prefer to continue to condemn their own, South Africa would be willing to offer South African citizenship to Joshua to lure him to their country.

The court proceedings will continue Thursday 6th November 2014.

SOURCE: http://africanspotlight.com/2014/11/05/tb-joshua-absent-coroners-inquest/

Watch the video and see for yourself -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6DwUoqzaeI - this was not a structural issue but an ATTACK. I don't know who from - whether its MEND, Boko Haram or whoever - but the way and manner this building fell was abnormal. Let's pray God brings to light those behind it!

SOURCE: http://www.spyghana.com/mend-unleash-terror-synagogue-high-court-hearing/

T.B. JOSHUA SHOCKER: MEND Threatens Synagogue Coroner Inquest For ‘Exposing Involvement Of Our Members’

The controversies surrounding the inquest into the collapse of a building at The Synagogue, Church Of All Nations (SCOAN) continue to thicken with an email purportedly sent from the Niger Delta militant group MEND threatening an imminent attack at Ikeja High Court.

The email, seen by this reporter, was written by one ‘Commander Wilberforce’ who claims to be the ‘Chief of General Combined Operations’ for the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), South West Groups.

The message, which was emailed to the Lagos State Ministry of Justice and addressed to Lagos State Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola, states an attack on members of the Lagos State judiciary is imminent.

“It’s with the greatest regrets that we write through this medium to inform you of the imminent dangers and calamities that will befall Lagos State very soon,” the sour message begins.

It proceeds by revealing plans on 5th November 2014 to “blow up homes, offices and vehicles” of judiciary across Lagos State who have “mishandled matters affecting our members”, specifying Justice Ayotunde Phillips, the Chief Judge of Lagos State, as one of the key targets.

The email then sensationally alleges the militant’s predominant focus is the Coroner’s Inquest into the collapse of The SCOAN building on September 12th 2014 which left over 100 dead.

“This is so because there is no way these inquiries can continue without exposing the involvement of our associates and members in the controlled demolition of The SCOAN Guest House using the latest weapons of mass destruction,” Commander Wilberforce claims.

He further adds, “We've been directed from above by ‘those that must be obeyed’ never to allow any leakage or disclosures of the secrets connected therewith.”

The message ends with a warning to suspend activities at the inquest until 15thNovember 2014 or risk an “occurrence of grievous calamities of unimaginable dimensions”.

Interestingly, several media reports on September 11th 2014, a day before the tragic collapse at SCOAN, quoted the same Commander Wilberforce as warning of imminent attacks from MEND in Lagos State.

The article was titled, ‘MEND Threatens Terror Attacks In Lagos State' and contained morbid threats including that of bombing.

The next date for the ongoing inquest is set for Wednesday 5th November 2014 where the court has summoned Prophet T.B. Joshua to appear.

Mr Nosa Osazuwa, a ‘citizen reporter’ based in Lagos, Nigeria was present during the last two sessions of The Synagogue Inquest.

The controversies surrounding the inquest into the collapse of a building at The Synagogue, Church Of All Nations (SCOAN) continue to thicken with an email purportedly sent from the Niger Delta militant group MEND threatening an imminent attack at Ikeja High Court.

The email, seen by this reporter, was written by one ‘Commander Wilberforce’ who claims to be the ‘Chief of General Combined Operations’ for the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), South West Groups.

The message, which was emailed to the Lagos State Ministry of Justice and addressed to Lagos State Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola, states an attack on members of the Lagos State judiciary is imminent.

“It’s with the greatest regrets that we write through this medium to inform you of the imminent dangers and calamities that will befall Lagos State very soon,” the sour message begins.

It proceeds by revealing plans on 5th November 2014 to “blow up homes, offices and vehicles” of judiciary across Lagos State who have “mishandled matters affecting our members”, specifying Justice Ayotunde Phillips, the Chief Judge of Lagos State, as one of the key targets.

The email then sensationally alleges the militant’s predominant focus is the Coroner’s Inquest into the collapse of The SCOAN building on September 12th 2014 which left over 100 dead.

“This is so because there is no way these inquiries can continue without exposing the involvement of our associates and members in the controlled demolition of The SCOAN Guest House using the latest weapons of mass destruction,” Commander Wilberforce claims.

He further adds, “We've been directed from above by ‘those that must be obeyed’ never to allow any leakage or disclosures of the secrets connected therewith.”

The message ends with a warning to suspend activities at the inquest until 15thNovember 2014 or risk an “occurrence of grievous calamities of unimaginable dimensions”.

Interestingly, several media reports on September 11th 2014, a day before the tragic collapse at SCOAN, quoted the same Commander Wilberforce as warning of imminent attacks from MEND in Lagos State.

The article was titled, ‘MEND Threatens Terror Attacks In Lagos State' and contained morbid threats including that of bombing.

The next date for the ongoing inquest is set for Wednesday 5th November 2014 where the court has summoned Prophet T.B. Joshua to appear.

Mr Nosa Osazuwa, a ‘citizen reporter’ based in Lagos, Nigeria was present during the last two sessions of The Synagogue Inquest.

Contradictions and insufficient information from witnesses at the inquest into the collapse of The Synagogue building last month provided strong indications that ascertaining the real cause of the collapse will be a challenging task. At the fifth sitting of the inquest held on Thursday, 30th October, 2014, two major witnesses struggled to convince the court with their submissions on the collapsed building.

While undergoing cross-examination, the Lagos State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mr. Toyin Ayinde, contradicted himself and was unable to explain why a building, which he said was not approved, could not be noticed prior to the demolition by the relevant agencies working directly under his ministry.

Under cross-examination by counsel to The SCOAN, Ojo Olalekan, Mr. Adedamola had agreed that the building, going by the first CCTV footage he watched, collapsed symmetrically typical of induced or controlled demolition. Moments later, while being cross-examined by counsel to the state, Akingbolahon Adeniran, he contradicted his earlier stance, claiming that after a second look at the CCTV footage, he had discovered that the building collapsed asymmetrically typical of structurally-deficient buildings.

Furthermore, he agreed that a lack of building approval bears no semblance to its structural integrity. He said, “That a building does not have a plan is not a determinant of structural defects because there are buildings with plans officially that have collapsed. Yes, a building in Jakande Estate, Isolo recently collapsed due to structural defects even though it had a duly approved plan. When I watched the clips of the collapsed Synagogue building before the commencement of the coroner’s inquest, the building fell in one swoop which is typical of symmetric fall. I have heard of induced demolition but haven’t seen one before. In induced demolition, the building falls symmetrically as against asymmetric collapse, where a building falls due to structural defects. By this, the building collapses from the weakest point. However, the building I watched collapse in the CCTV footage didn’t tilt towards any weaker part”.

Concerning the allegation that officials of LASEMA and NEMA were prevented from entering the scene of the incident, the Commissioner admitted that the agencies were duty-bound to identify themselves properly to the appropriate authorities owing to the emergency nature of the incident: “I agree that the police have the right to monitor movement within and outside the scene of the incident and that the government agencies are obliged to identify themselves. However, I can’t confirm that they did this since I was not at the scene of the incident on the first day”.

On his own part, the Surveyor General of Lagos State, Mr. Joseph Olorunyomi, stated that the aircraft seen flying close to the ill-fated building at The SCOAN several times on the day of the incident was actually flying far above the church and thus was not linked to its collapse.

However, during cross examination by counsel to The SCOAN, Ojo Olalekan, he admitted that his report emanated from documental data sent to him by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authorities (NCAA) and the Commissioner of Physical Planning and Urban Development. He also confessed that since the day of the incident, he had not once visited the site of the collapsed building: “I didn’t visit the site neither did I send officials to the scene to investigate so as to form the basis of my report. I only relied on information given to me by NCAA and other relevant Lagos State agencies”.

The court was adjourned until November 5th 2014 when the inquest would hear from more witnesses.

SYNAGOGUE BUILDING COLLAPSE INQUEST DAY 5: COUNSEL PICKS HOLES IN WITNESSES’ REPORTS

Contradictions and insufficient information from witnesses at the inquest into the collapse of The Synagogue building last month provided strong indications that ascertaining the real cause of the collapse will be a challenging task. At the fifth sitting of the inquest held on Thursday, 30th October, 2014, two major witnesses struggled to convince the court with their submissions on the collapsed building. While undergoing cross-examination, the Lagos State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mr. Toyin Ayinde, contradicted himself and was unable to explain why a building, which he said was not approved, could not be noticed prior to the demolition by the relevant agencies working directly under his ministry.

Under cross-examination by counsel to The SCOAN, Ojo Olalekan, Mr. Adedamola had agreed that the building, going by the first CCTV footage he watched, collapsed symmetrically typical of induced or controlled demolition. Moments later, while being cross-examined by counsel to the state, Akingbolahon Adeniran, he contradicted his earlier stance, claiming that after a second look at the CCTV footage, he had discovered that the building collapsed asymmetrically typical of structurally-deficient buildings.

Furthermore, he agreed that a lack of building approval bears no semblance to its structural integrity. He said, “That a building does not have a plan is not a determinant of structural defects because there are buildings with plans officially that have collapsed. Yes, a building in Jakande Estate, Isolo recently collapsed due to structural defects even though it had a duly approved plan. When I watched the clips of the collapsed Synagogue building before the commencement of the coroner’s inquest, the building fell in one swoop which is typical of symmetric fall. I have heard of induced demolition but haven’t seen one before. In induced demolition, the building falls symmetrically as against asymmetric collapse, where a building falls due to structural defects. By this, the building collapses from the weakest point. However, the building I watched collapse in the CCTV footage didn’t tilt towards any weaker part”.

Concerning the allegation that officials of LASEMA and NEMA were prevented from entering the scene of the incident, the Commissioner admitted that the agencies were duty-bound to identify themselves properly to the appropriate authorities owing to the emergency nature of the incident: “I agree that the police have the right to monitor movement within and outside the scene of the incident and that the government agencies are obliged to identify themselves. However, I can’t confirm that they did this since I was not at the scene of the incident on the first day”.

On his own part, the Surveyor General of Lagos State, Mr. Joseph Olorunyomi, stated that the aircraft seen flying close to the ill-fated building at The SCOAN several times on the day of the incident was actually flying far above the church and thus was not linked to its collapse.

However, during cross examination by counsel to The SCOAN, Ojo Olalekan, he admitted that his report emanated from documental data sent to him by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authorities (NCAA) and the Commissioner of Physical Planning and Urban Development. He also confessed that since the day of the incident, he had not once visited the site of the collapsed building: “I didn’t visit the site neither did I send officials to the scene to investigate so as to form the basis of my report. I only relied on information given to me by NCAA and other relevant Lagos State agencies”.

The court was adjourned until November 5th 2014 when the inquest would hear from more witnesses.

Nosa Osazuwa - freelance journalist

there is one serious issue with this yakubu, he seems to be forever tied to the first team, and i have no idea why
we saw tonight how much pain one player can cause so many millions

Dear all,
all dis blabbering about someone who claims to be a man of God is dangerous and stupid. i advise you all, think well before you speak.
first: you who say dat why is he always prophesying doom, do you think he can choose what he will prophesy? if he does, then surely he is false. dat means he is making it all up. do you tink jeremiah wanted to continue speaking out to the israelites? probably not, but he was doing as he was told.
second: when you hear one or 2 or even 3 prophecies dat tbj said, it is very easy to look at it and say co-incidence or fabrication or whatever, but when you look at all of dem, you cann;t just brush them away like dat.
http://www.scoan.org/prophecy.htm

dat alone should give you a little of d fear of God. if he is truly a man of God, i beg ooo watch your words, the bible says touch not my anointed and do my prophets no harm.
let each be convinced in his own mind and let us not be foolish but wise, redeeming the time because the days are evil,

i read dat report, sounds like a farce but i believe we'll hear from yobo himself to confirm d truth - by now, he must ahve learnt of the report,

undoubtedly Jesus Christ, He saved humanity from hell and judgement

@ abu zola,
dere has never been any evidence released dat tbj is a fraud and d accusations on d cd you mentioned has been cancelled by a cd released of her confessions at d synagogue - someone who came dere for help and healing now turned d whole ting round like dat, a big shame

@Zodiac 61
I understand now why you class Tb Joshua as a fraud. If you don't believe in God, den definitely, you cannot begin to believe the ones that God has sent. If you dont understand d grace of God, den you def won't understand dose dat God's grace has set apart. but 4 God's sake, i beg, look at tb joshua with an open mind - d huge and outrageous amount of criticism he is receiving actually proves his authenticity more, if you consider d way jesus and d apostles were persecuted, you will understand what i'm saying

@Zodiac 61

what's your problem with agbo? as far as i can see, he is just giving credit to whom credit's due

i tink he has done well to voice out, many are seeing d glory of God in tb joshua but too ashamed to speak out because of d way dey abuse am in d past. people in nigeria need to know what's really happening in d Synagogue
many have heard very bad reports and agbo just wants to shed light on d matter

you dat say dat tb joshua is a fraud and a charlatan, ok, where is d evidence?

Adeboye Akingbola and the ‘Private Jet’ Revisited

Is Christianity a lifestyle of a life? All the vibrancy that has come to be associated with modern Pentecostal Christianity, particularly in the third world as led by Nigeria has not come without its own philosophies. One of the most original of those must be the one which has the religion as being a lifestyle rather than a mere declaration. At some point, it all made sense. If a person would be referred to as a Christian, it figures he must behave like one. In those days, it was easy enough to identify what the lifestyle of a Christian is. These days, it’s not that easy. The profile of a Christian then was of a quiet easy going chap who went about with a Bible in his pocket or handbag, looking morose and dressing appropriately. He went to church six days a week and bore with admirable longsuffering as more worldly characters made jest of him. He dressed decently and minded his language, at the expense of self.

Not now. The Christian’s lifestyle now is more colourful, more expressive. Some of the funniest and most popular jokes on the Nigerian comedy scene are Christian jokes. There is the “Why did the chicken cross the road?” joke, there is the one about a Christian that went to Heaven and got bored with all the slow music, preferring hell and its naked girls. And then there is that classic AY one about single ladies taking the dance floor in the club on Saturday night and the church aisle on Sunday morning with the same clothes and the same dance steps!
The Pentecostals have moved out of the world, but created an identical one for themselves within their church, acquiring thousands of acres of land, building incredible edifices for the Lord and themselves costing millions of dollars. A prominent Pentecostal pastor ended up on the Elite list, while winning the Vanguard/Silverbird television poll for Greatest Living Legend. Everything was MGM, until the Private Jet saga, which threatened his empire, with bad-belle people wondering too loud what a man of God might need a jet for.
Now, that threat is back. Now that Erastus Akingbola, a corporate man of God who is now being slammed left right and centre begs the question are these pastors doing with all these things material? His association with the head of the Redeemed Kingdom vis a vis the Private Jet is being questioned again. Those complaining should desist from doing so. You know what they all say: “Touch not my anointed…”

published in today's vanguard
Christianity has indeed changed. i beg, we should remember where we are coming from

materialism and Christianity does not go together
if we focus more on building ourselves than building God's kingdom, we are on seriously dangerous territory as explained about the redeemed overseer above

Adeboye Akingbola and the ‘Private Jet’ Revisited

Is Christianity a lifestyle of a life? All the vibrancy that has come to be associated with modern Pentecostal Christianity, particularly in the third world as led by Nigeria has not come without its own philosophies. One of the most original of those must be the one which has the religion as being a lifestyle rather than a mere declaration. At some point, it all made sense. If a person would be referred to as a Christian, it figures he must behave like one. In those days, it was easy enough to identify what the lifestyle of a Christian is. These days, it’s not that easy. The profile of a Christian then was of a quiet easy going chap who went about with a Bible in his pocket or handbag, looking morose and dressing appropriately. He went to church six days a week and bore with admirable longsuffering as more worldly characters made jest of him. He dressed decently and minded his language, at the expense of self.

Not now. The Christian’s lifestyle now is more colourful, more expressive. Some of the funniest and most popular jokes on the Nigerian comedy scene are Christian jokes. There is the “Why did the chicken cross the road?” joke, there is the one about a Christian that went to Heaven and got bored with all the slow music, preferring hell and its naked girls. And then there is that classic AY one about single ladies taking the dance floor in the club on Saturday night and the church aisle on Sunday morning with the same clothes and the same dance steps!
The Pentecostals have moved out of the world, but created an identical one for themselves within their church, acquiring thousands of acres of land, building incredible edifices for the Lord and themselves costing millions of dollars. A prominent Pentecostal pastor ended up on the Elite list, while winning the Vanguard/Silverbird television poll for Greatest Living Legend. Everything was MGM, until the Private Jet saga, which threatened his empire, with bad-belle people wondering too loud what a man of God might need a jet for.
Now, that threat is back. Now that Erastus Akingbola, a corporate man of God who is now being slammed left right and centre begs the question are these pastors doing with all these things material? His association with the head of the Redeemed Kingdom vis a vis the Private Jet is being questioned again. Those complaining should desist from doing so. You know what they all say: “Touch not my anointed…”

published in today's vanguard
Christianity has indeed changed. i beg, we should remember where we are coming from

materialism and Christianity does not go together
if we focus more on building ourselves than building God's kingdom, we are on seriously dangerous territory as explained about the redeemed overseer above

dis is something yar adua should ave done long ago. if he goes now, he will also need to go with an apology
how can a country ahve such a great prophet, humanitarian, man of God and all dis while be ignored by its president
God should forgive us!