T.B. Joshua of the Synagogue was a darling to Israel three years ago because of the millions the nation stood to gain in tourism revenue when the crowd-puller of a prophet contemplated moving his Lagos church there.
Things have changed now, the National Daily learnt.
In fact a two-day meeting Joshua plans to hold June 23 and 24 in Nazareth, where the city’s mayor has already projected $1m to be raked in, may not happen again.
Churches in Israel are moving authorities to call off the event tagged The Nazareth Meeting with T.B. Joshua.
They are suspecting the prophet and one of the biggest philanthropists in Africa.
According to an Israeli publication, Haaretz, some of the church leaders were quoted as saying the upcoming event is an “affront in the principles of Christianity”, and Isreal Christians to stay away.
“We beg you not to play in the hands of those organizing this type of festival which is an affront to the principles of Christianity, and our national identity, and deals a blow to the social fabric of a city like Nazareth,” they wrote.
The Hadash and Youth for Change parties in Nazareth were said to have also cited Joshua’s source of wealth as part of their concerns.
“We have asked to take an in-depth look at this issue, at why a city like Nazareth would receive such a person who is denied entry to many countries on grounds of criminal suspicions and given his links to the extreme right in Israel.
“What’s more, the man is known to have grown wealthy in a way that has raised many questions and therefore we view such a visit as an illegitimate step which contaminates the city and its historic heritage,” the groups said.
They differed with the mayor’s claims that such an event would bring $1 million to the city, arguing if the earning actually materializes, it is an illegitimate contribution that would contaminate the city.