By Deji Elumoye and Udora Orizu in Abuja
Elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark, has expressed sadness over the death of the General Overseer of the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), Prophet Temitope Balogun Joshua.
Clark in a statement issued yesterday, described the prophet’s death as a personal loss because he was someone he (Clark) referred to as a son.
He eulogized Joshua for his philanthropic works worldwide, noting that the late cleric assisted many people in various areas-education, sports, vocational training, even psychological assistance.
The former Information Minister prayed that the prophet’s soul will repose in the bosom of the Almighty God, and that God will give all his loved ones the fortitude to bear the loss; grace to his followers to maintain the Church and the legacies he left behind.
The statement read in part: ‘’The number of times I had conversations with him, he always talked of his assistance to humanity, ministering to them spiritually as a servant of God, and ministering to them physically as a man; and would express a strong desire to render more assistance.
“I recall his narration to me of how he sent relief materials to Haiti in 2010 under the umbrella of the Church, Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), after the catastrophic earthquake that affected almost 3,000,000 persons, with thousands of death. He repeated the same thing in Ecuador, when the country also experienced a devastating earthquake in 2016. The Federal Government of Nigeria, in recognition of his philanthropy, conferred on him the National Honour of Order of the Federal Republic (OFR). Even the United Nations wrote a letter of commendation to him in recognition of his humanitarian works. Other international bodies also did same.
‘’I got emotional watching members of his congregation, especially those he was catering for and assisting, including widows and orphans, who trooped to the Church premises yesterday, June 6, as news of his death spread. Many of them were weeping, and were in state of despondency, wondering what their situation will be like now. My sincere condolences go to his wife Evelyn; his children, his extended family, members of the SCOAN, those who he was catering for, the country, and indeed his followers worldwide.”
