TB Joshua’s wife becomes GO, amid funeral plans

The wife of the late founder of the Synagogue Church of All Nations, Temitope Joshua, Evelyn Joshua is set to replace him as General Overseer of the popular church.

Evelyn and Joshua were married for 31 years and had three children together until his death on June 5 at the age of 57.

France-based news outlet AfricaNews reports that elders of the church met and declared Evelyn the successor to the late televangelist.

One of the top aides of the late cleric was quoted as saying, “Someone must take charge immediately and give spiritual direction on the mode of service continuity. So much spiritual and financial effort went into building SCOAN and it cannot just waste away (sic).”

Evelyn Joshua, who met TB Joshua over 30 years ago, was said to have been serving as the second-in-command to her husband before his death earlier this month, performing the role of a preacher and offering counselling to church members.

The wealthy church had earlier said Joshua would be buried at the church, contrary to the wish of the traditional rulers in Arigidi Akoko, the late televangelist’s hometown in Ondo. The weeklong event will take place from July 5 to 11.

According to a caption-free Instagram post by the late cleric’s friend and media mogul, Dele Momodu, on Friday night, a candlelight procession will be held on July 5, while a tribute service and service of songs/all-night praise will be held on July 6 and 7.

Joshua’s lying-in-state will be held on July 8, while the funeral and interment will follow on July 9. A thanksgiving service is scheduled for July 11. All services will be broadcast live on Emmanuel TV.

SCOAN also assured its members that worship would not stop at the church, following its shutdown since Joshua’s demise.

As of 2011, according to Forbes, the late TB Joshua was Nigeria’s third-richest pastor, although the claim was immediately denied in a statement by the church. He was a controversial figure, and was officially blacklisted by the government of Cameroon in 2010