TB Joshua: Celebrating a Legacy of Global Impact

Babafemi Ogundare

Some lives leave a mark on a family. Others leave a mark on a community. Then there are those rare lives whose influence stretches across nations, cultures and generations. Prophet Temitope Balogun Joshua belonged firmly in the latter category.

As June 5, 2026 approaches, millions around the world will pause to remember a man whose journey from a modest upbringing in Arigidi Akoko, Ondo State, to global prominence remains one of the most remarkable stories in modern Christian ministry. Five years have passed since his transition to glory, yet for countless people, his voice, teachings and example remain as relevant today as they were during his lifetime.
The significance of this milestone is not being lost on those whose lives he touched. Beginning from June 2, The Synagogue, Church of All Nations (SCOAN) has lined up a series of activities to celebrate his life and enduring influence. The week-long programme will culminate in a special service on Friday, June 5, themed “Rejoicing with the Saints.” International gospel artists, ministers and Christian leaders from around the world—many of whom openly acknowledge the role his teachings played in shaping their spiritual journeys—are expected to gather in honour of a legacy that continues to resonate far beyond the walls of any single church.

It is easy, when discussing TB Joshua, to focus on numbers: the millions who followed his ministry, the crowds that attended his services and the viewers who tuned in from every corner of the globe. Yet numbers tell only part of the story.

The true measure of his impact lies in the lives transformed through encounters with his message. For many, he was more than a preacher. He was a source of hope during seasons of despair, a voice of encouragement in moments of uncertainty and a reminder that faith could remain relevant in an increasingly complex world.

Long before digital evangelism became commonplace, TB Joshua understood the power of communication. Through Emmanuel TV, he brought a distinctly African expression of Christianity to a global audience. Viewers from Europe, Asia, the Americas and across Africa found themselves connected by messages that spoke not merely to religious conviction but to everyday human struggles and aspirations. In many respects, he helped place African Christianity at the centre of a global conversation rather than on its margins.

What perhaps distinguished him most was his conviction that faith should be practical. He believed compassion ought to be demonstrated, not merely preached. Throughout his ministry, support was extended to widows, orphans, students, disaster victims and struggling communities in different parts of the world. His acts of giving reflected a belief that service is one of the clearest expressions of faith.
That emphasis on compassion remains one of the defining features of his legacy. At a time when success is often measured by personal achievement and material accumulation, TB Joshua consistently encouraged people to look beyond themselves. He challenged them to consider the lives they touched, the burdens they helped carry and the hope they offered others.

His influence also carried broader significance for Nigeria and Africa. Through the global reach of his ministry, he contributed to a different narrative about the continent—one that demonstrated Africa’s capacity to produce voices capable of inspiring and influencing the wider world. The thousands of international visitors who travelled to Lagos each year were not simply attending church services; they were engaging with a movement that had emerged from African soil and captured global attention.
Of course, like many figures whose influence reached far and wide, his life and ministry attracted both admiration and scrutiny. Public debate accompanied aspects of his work, as often happens with individuals who occupy a significant place in public life. Yet time has a way of revealing what endures.
Five years after his passing, what remains striking is not the controversies but the countless testimonies of lives changed, families restored, dreams revived and faith renewed. These stories continue to emerge from different parts of the world, offering compelling evidence of a legacy that remains very much alive.
Under the leadership of Pastor Evelyn Joshua, SCOAN has continued to build upon the foundations he laid. The ministry’s ongoing humanitarian and spiritual outreach efforts reflect a commitment to preserving not merely his memory but the values he championed throughout his life.

Perhaps one of TB Joshua’s most memorable observations was that the greatest use of life is to spend it on something that will outlive it. Five years after his transition, those words feel particularly fitting. Buildings can be erected and institutions established, but the most enduring legacy is often found in people—in lives inspired, hearts encouraged and futures transformed.

As the world gathers to commemorate his life this June, the focus will be about far more than remembrance. It will be about gratitude for a life that transcended borders, a ministry that reached across continents and a message that continues to inspire long after its messenger has departed.
Legacy, after all, is not measured by the years one lives but by the difference one makes. By that measure, five years on, TB Joshua’s impact remains unmistakably global. His story continues to be written in the lives of those he inspired—and that may well be the greatest tribute of all.

• Ogundare a Public Affairs Analyst writes from Lagos