By Morufu Smith
Last week, social media were awash with undercover report of a Daily Nigerian reporter who obtained a degree from one university in Benin Republic in six weeks. In a swift reaction, the Federal Government of Nigeria suspended acquisition of degree certificates from universities in Benin Republic and Togo. Trust Nigerians! They were vociferous in their condemnation of all the universities in Benin Republic as if there were no certificate racketeering syndicates in Nigerian universities. It’s making a culprit of all Benin varsities for the alleged sin of one of them.
Three days ago, a BBC investigative report on the cult activities of late TB Joshua surfaced on social media. Nigerians reacted differently to the report. While some Nigerians believed the BBC report on the late self-styled man of God, many other Nigerians took the report with a pinch of salt. Those Nigerians wrote off the report as being unnecessary since TB Joshua was no more alive to defend himself of the cult allegations against him. Same Nigerians did not give Benin varsities a chance to defend themselves of the certificate racketeering allegation before they were tied to a stake.
TB Joshua’s former disciples who testified against him in the report were said to be telling lies against him by the Nigerians defending the late prophet. But one question that agitates my mind is, what do the disciples want to achieve or benefit from lying against the man who was already dead?
Why is it easy for Nigerians to believe that all the universities in Benin Republic engage in certificate racketeering but is difficult for them to believe BBC’s report on TB Joshua’s cult activities? Is it a case of a Nigerian reporter being more credible than the BBC?
Some Nigerians also berated the BBC for releasing the report, saying that it would serve no purpose since the person involved is no more alive. One shudders to hear such puerile reasoning! So, Nigerians do not deserve to know that they need to less gullible with the so-called religious prophets who hypnotise them to manipulate them?
Late Kola Olawuyi was the first broadcast journalist who investigated the activities of TB Joshua and uncovered scary secrets while he was in Radio Nigeria, Ibadan Station. The revelations could not fly as Kola Olawuyi was eased out of the station when he refused to back down on the report. Therefore, the BBC report was a confirmation of what Kola Olawuyi had once uncovered about TB Joshua and his church.
With the revelations being rolled out by the BBC on TB Joshua, it’s high time the Federal Government of Nigeria beamed searchlight of scrutiny on TB Joshua’s SCOAN, churches and Islamic organisations, especially (the so-called asalatu groups and the sheus). Nigerian government should as a matter of urgency direct investigations on TB Joshua’s church same way the government has directed investigation into the allegation of certificate racketeering by Benin varsities.