Exposing the tricks: How TB Joshua manipulated his followers with fake miracles

The methods used by the late Nigerian televangelist TB Joshua to deceive his followers and stage fake miracles have been exposed by the BBC.

Joshua, who founded the Synagogue Church of All Nations (Scoan) in Lagos over 30 years ago, gained fame through his claims of divine powers and healing abilities.

The supposed miracles, including instances of disabled individuals walking and even a purported resurrection, were recorded and distributed on VHS tapes to churches worldwide.

When Nigeria’s broadcast regulator banned the airing of such miracles on live terrestrial TV in 2004, Joshua launched Emmanuel TV on satellite and online platforms, creating a global media empire that reached millions of viewers.

However, the investigation conducted by the BBC, with the help of over 25 insiders from various countries, has revealed the fraudulent tactics employed by Joshua to deceive his followers.

1: The emergency department

The designated area within the church, known as the “emergency department,” had the responsibility of creating an illusion of miracles. This section would assess the individuals seeking healing and determine who would be chosen to be filmed and prayed for by Joshua. Agomoh Paul, who oversaw the department for a decade under Joshua’s direct guidance, revealed that the team received training from medical doctors. As a former disciple and part of an exclusive group residing within the Scoan compound, Paul explained that individuals with cancer were turned away while those with minor wounds that could heal were brought in to be presented as cancer cases. Only a select few trusted disciples were permitted to work in the emergency department, where they would prepare placards detailing fabricated or exaggerated ailments for each follower. These followers would then stand in line in front of the cameras, appearing to be “healed” when they met Joshua. Paul emphasized that this was a complex and secretive system, with not all disciples being aware of the truth behind it.

2: Drugs

Foreign visitors who sought healing at the church were required to complete a medical report, providing details about their illness and the medication they were currently taking. Despite being instructed to discontinue their medication, Joshua would instruct pharmacists to obtain the same drugs. Unbeknownst to the visitors, these drugs would be secretly added to their fruit drinks, which had been blessed by Joshua. This deceptive practice aimed to ensure that the visitors remained in good health during their stay at Scoan, reinforcing their belief in the pastor’s divine healing abilities. In the 1990s, when HIV/AIDS was rampant in certain parts of sub-Saharan Africa, Joshua advised visitors to stop taking their antiretroviral medication upon returning home. This dangerous advice resulted in the deaths of individuals who relied on their medication for survival. One former disciple, who chose to remain anonymous, acknowledges the guilt associated with the deaths caused by this misguided instruction. Tash Ford, a woman who traveled from Johannesburg to Lagos in 2001 seeking a miraculous cure for her failing kidney, was also told to stop taking her medication. Despite the disciples’ assurance that she would supernaturally receive a new kidney, Ford’s health deteriorated rapidly after she ceased her medication. She eventually required kidney dialysis for over six years before undergoing a third transplant in 2011.

3: Brainwashing

According to Ms Ford, during her time at Scoan, she never had any doubts about the miracles she witnessed. She was amazed by what she saw, particularly when she witnessed someone walking out of a wheelchair. However, she also acknowledges that there was a certain theatricality to the whole experience that captivated everyone. In an interview with the BBC, she revealed that after being screened, selected followers were instructed to exaggerate their problems so that they could receive healing from God. Ms Ford believes that the people themselves were being manipulated by the church. She also mentioned that the church had a ready supply of wheelchairs, which followers were encouraged to use. They were warned that they would not be healed unless they sat in a wheelchair when they met Joshua. Mr Paul, another former disciple, explained that they would instruct the followers to shout for help and express their inability to walk, as this would increase their chances of receiving prayers from Joshua.

4: Bribes

Several disciples claim that they were assigned the task of locating individuals who required financial assistance and instructing them to feign illness. During their healing campaigns conducted in countries other than Nigeria, they would specifically target the impoverished areas of a city in search of individuals living in poverty. According to another former disciple interviewed by the BBC, they would approach these individuals and offer them payment to act out a specific scene. The disciples would then arrange for their accommodation and ensure they were presentable before bringing them to the event. Once there, they would inform Joshua about the planted individuals, including their seating arrangements and attire, so that he could perform his supposed miracles on them. The purpose of this deception was to have people pretend to be healed, as the former disciple explains.

5: Fake medical certificates

Millions of people regularly watched the “healing miracles” broadcast, which often featured medical reports claiming that individuals had been miraculously cured of HIV/AIDS and other serious illnesses such as cancer. These reports were supported by interviews with doctors who confirmed the authenticity of the cures. However, in 2000, Nigerian journalist Adejuwon Soyinka exposed the fact that these medical certificates were actually fake. Despite Soyinka’s efforts to investigate further, Joshua, the late preacher, managed to suppress the investigation, preventing it from gaining any traction. Nevertheless, there are still individuals who firmly believe that they were genuinely healed through these miracles. However, insiders have revealed that it was all a carefully orchestrated performance on Joshua’s part. One insider, Mr. Paul, describes Joshua as an “evil genius” and asserts that every aspect of the events that took place in the compound was meticulously planned and executed by Joshua himself.

6: Video manipulation

The alleged “miracles” were captured on film and then manipulated through editing to create the illusion of instantaneous healing. By splicing together footage from before and after the supposed healing, the videos showcased the purported miraculous powers of TB Joshua. However, in reality, these films were shot months, or even a year, apart. Bisola, who served as Scoan’s chief video editor for five years and worked on Emmanuel TV, reveals that what viewers see on TV is not real but rather a fraudulent representation. As an insider, she speaks out about how anything undesirable or inconvenient was intentionally removed from the footage, emphasizing that everything was meticulously organized. The BBC reached out to Scoan regarding these allegations, but the organization did not respond directly. However, it did deny previous claims against Joshua, stating that none of the allegations had ever been substantiated.

The investigation conducted by Africa Eye BBC