A former Senator, who represented Ebonyi North Senatorial District, Anthony Agbo has lambasted Pastor of the Household of God Church International Ministries, Chris Okotie over the comments he made against late Prophet Temitope Balogun Joshua.
WITHIN NIGERIA recalls that two days after the death of TB Joshua, Chris Okotie had shared a cryptic post on his Facebook page in which he referenced to a certain ”wizard of Endor” who assumed the title of ”Emmanuel”.
According to Okotie, the wizard who assumed the title of Emmanuel had been consumed by divine indignation.
Okotie’s Facebook post came days after the death of founder of the Synagogue, Church of All Nations, TB Joshua, who was known for using the name ”Emmanuel” in his church.
Reacting to Okotie’s Facebook, Senator Agbo wrote in an article that “This Pastor had always attacked and condemned TB Joshua when he was alive.
“Reading about his inglorious descent to mocking the dead Saint even at his death, I immediately remembered the story of Theagenes of Thasos, a celebrated ancient Greek Olympian who was the overall champion of Olympic games in 480 B.C.
“When Theagenes died, the Greek city of Thasos erected a giant statue of him at the public square. But a jealous citizen of Thasos who hated Theagenes so much for his heroism and great success will visit the statue every night to flog, beat and spit at it, yet he was not satisfied.
“Then one night he took instruments and began to dig the statue so as to bring it down. But the statue fell down upon him and killed him.
“The people of Thasos still erected a bigger statue for Theagenes. I leave this little story for that beloved Lagos Pastor. Envy, jealousy, hatred are great evils, moreover when associated with those who are supposed to be teachers of the word. But for TB Joshua, ‘the son of man must go as it is written of him’.
“Ecclesiastical history has shown that often, the greatest appears momentarily to light up the dark corners of human horizon, and then shortly disappears in a cloud of glory.
“Our master and Saviour, Jesus Christ stated in the scripture that among all those born of women, that John the Baptist was the greatest. But we recall that John the Baptist was beheaded by King Herod just in his 20’s. In today’s Christianity, the “High Priests” would have declared that John the Baptist was not of God, having died such death.”
The 65-year-old Nigerian politician noted that what he described as ‘spiritual pride’ has been the bane of Christianity in Nigeria where every top minister sees himself as bigger and better than the others.
Some other top pastors in the country have refused to speak about T.B Joshua’s death, neither did they send condolences to the Synagogue Church Of All Nations or his family.
While T.B Joshua mourned the death of Pastor Adeboye’s 43-year-old son, Pastor Dare, who died a few months. A minute silence was observed for him at the Synagogue and T.B Joshua also sent a condolence message to RCCG and the family of Adeboye.