“People Quarrel With What They Don’t Understand” – How T.B Joshua Ended Fiery Fight That Climaxed In Allegation Of Kidnapping With Okotie

“People quarrel with what they don’t understand”, that was the last words of late Pastor T.B Joshua (Temitope Balogun Joshua) in a fiery and gripping public fight with Pastor Chris Okotie of the Household of God in the early 2000s.

The fight which had Pastor Chris Oyakhilome at the centre was sparked over interpretations of the scripture and manners of conducting healings and miracles.

“Then healings and miracles and deliverances were big on television with different pastors showcasing their spiritual powers at different crusades they organized or were invited to” societynow.ng learned.

Societynow.ng gathered that Prophet T.B Joshua of the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) and Pastor Christ Oyakhilome of the Love Word Incorporated – more popularly known as Christ Embassy – were prominent features of these televised shows before the NBC (Nigerian Broadcasting Commission) banned such broadcasts in the face of raging controversies premised on authenticity.

“After years of snide and on and off engagements, this particular religious fight between T.B Joshua and Okotie was sparked over claims of spiritual impartation against Oyakhilome and T.B Joshua by Okotie” a journalist formerly in the employment of Encomium Magazine which lavishly reported the development explained.

Encomium with highly respected Kunle Bakare (KB)and Femi Akintunde Johnson (FAJ) as founders and dubbed the most civil soft sell magazine hugely featured interviews with Okokie and Joshua all through the fiery religious fight..

Societynow.ng gathered that Pastor Okotie accused Prophet T.B Joshua of initiating Pastor Oyakhilome into a cult and further stretched that “A spiritual impartation occurred between the two as part of the process.”

Okotie alleged that the result was the adoption of “shaman like” movements by Pastor Oyakhilome, with his hands, when conducting deliverances.

Okotie’s allegations came on the heel of reports of a private visit by Pastor Oyakhilome to Prophet T.B Joshua at the international headquarters of his ministry in Ikotun-Egbe, Lagos State.

“While Pastor Oyakhilome shied away, Okotie and T.B Joshua engaged in a massive public fight decorated with plenty allegations thrown against the man in Synagogue by Okotie” societynow.ng learned.

T.B Joshua who died on the evening of Saturday, June 5, 2021, was famously known as “the man in the Synagogue”, a tag bestowed on him by the legend of celebrity reportage Kunle Bakare who ended up the sole publisher of Encomium magazine after the exit of partner FAJ (Who left to run own publication National Treasure and Treasure People )

“To be fair, the public fight was largely more of a one person narration with Okotie leveling most of the allegations in sermons and in lavish interviews, especially on Encomium Magazine. T.B Joshua was interviewed as well but was taciturn. Most of Joshua’s responses were obtained in references he made during preaching, especially Sunday services” societynow.ng gathered.

Added revelation revealed that the climax of the fight was allegations of kidnapping against T.B Joshua by Okotie.

“Pastor Okotie alleged some persons who came to Synagogue (SCOAN headquarter) were been held against their will. I can’t really recall the veracity of the claim but I think it created a huge stink for the late T.B Joshua and the police waded in and all that. But Pastor T.B Joshua was not arrested” societynow.ng learned.

The checks by societynow.ng revealed that in the face of the long-running allegations against him by Pastor Okotie-including accusations of threats to life and spiritual attacks -, Prophet T.B Joshua made what turned out his most famous saying to Encomium.

“I am not sure the people that conducted the interview, but I thing Mr K.B (Kunle Bakare) was part of the team. Prophet T.B Joshua in a very short response to the lengthy allegations against him by Pastor Okotie stated that People quarrel with what they don’t understand. That profound quote stuck with me ever since, especially because it made the cover of Encomium magazine for that week” the journalist stated.

Societynow.ng gathered that after that “impressionable statement”, Prophet T.B Joshua refused to speak on allegations raised against by Pastor Okotie and the fight fizzled out.

Pastor Okotie, however, dredged up the ashes of the about 20year old fight with the recent death of Prophet Okotie.

He posted message that re-affirmed his conviction about the kind of a pastor prophet T.B Joshua was.

The checks by societynow.ng revealed that though the Synagogue man is no longer around to respond, many who feel Okotie is being insensitive to the memory of Prophet Joshua who did massive charity home and abroad have started taking him on.