Summary:

• Emmanuel TV, founded by the late Pastor TB Joshua, is ceasing broadcasts on MultiChoice platforms due to a BBC documentary detailing alleged atrocities, sexual crimes, and challenges faced by the new management following Joshua’s passing.

Emmanuel TV, the renowned Christian television channel established by the late Pastor TB Joshua of The Synagogue, Church Of All Nations, has officially declared its discontinuation of broadcasts on MultiChoice platforms, DStv, and GOtv.

The widely-watched religious network has also confirmed its withdrawal from other pay-TV services. MultiChoice has verified that Emmanuel TV will cease to be part of DStv and GOtv packages starting January 17th, 2024.

This decision coincides with the release of a three-part documentary by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), shedding light on alleged atrocities and sexual crimes attributed to the late TB Joshua against his disciples.

TB Joshua passed away on June 5, 2021. The BBC documentary, based on interviews with at least 30 former members and workers of the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), exposes a clandestine lifestyle, encompassing stories of abuse, harassment, rape, manipulation, and staged miracles. Accusations suggest that the church was aware of these allegations spanning over two decades but never investigated them.

One part of the documentary discloses how SCOAN concealed information about the collapse of a guesthouse in 2014, manipulating the narrative shown on Emmanuel TV to its congregation. The first installment of the documentary is scheduled for release on January 8.

Emmanuel TV, founded by TB Joshua in Nigeria in 2006, gained global popularity through its YouTube channel, becoming one of the most subscribed Christian ministry channels. However, in April 2021, YouTube suspended the channel due to claims related to “gay curing,” violating policies against alleging mental illness or disease based on protected group membership, including sexual orientation.

The channel, boasting over 1.8 million subscribers and 600 million views before the suspension, was the most-watched Nigerian Christian ministry on YouTube. Emmanuel TV had to rebuild its presence on YouTube, and Facebook also removed some of its posts for similar reasons.

Since TB Joshua’s passing, Emmanuel TV has faced challenges under the leadership of Pastor Evelyn Joshua, the late founder’s wife, who has struggled to fully step into her husband’s shoes. The channel has relied on rebroadcasting old content and repeats of the late televangelist’s programs, producing less new content compared to the prolific scale during Joshua’s lifetime.