Ajoke, TB Joshua’s Daughter Was Tortured & Rendered Homeless by her Dad

The recent documentary by BBC’s Africa Eye had some shocking revelations, but none stood out like that of Ajoke, the estranged daughter of the late Nigerian prophet, TB Joshua. The revelations within the documentary about the late megachurch leader have exposed some of the most disturbing allegations of sexual crimes committed on a mass scale.

The documentary indicated that Joshua subjected his own daughter to unimaginable torment, confining her and subjecting her to years of torture. The distressing outcome of this ordeal left her destitute and abandoned on the streets of Lagos, Nigeria.

Ajoke, one of the pastor’s daughters, featured prominently in the BBC documentary, where she said her late father always had a deep sense of fear that someone would come forward and speak out about the abuse she witnessed at the church, the Synagogue Church of All Nations (Scoan).

“My dad had fear, constant fear. He was very afraid that someone would speak up,” she said in the Documentary.  

Allegations of widespread abuse and torture spanning nearly two decades have been leveled against the late TB Joshua, who passed away in 2021 at the age of 57.

At the age of 27, Ajoke was the only family member of the late prophet who featured in the three-part documentary alongside other former disciples of the church.

There is limited information available regarding Ajoke’s birth mother, who was reportedly a member of TB Joshua’s congregation. Ajoke claims that she was brought up by Evelyn, the widow of Joshua, for as long as she can recall.

Ajoke fondly recalls her joyful childhood, filled with memorable family vacations to exotic destinations like Dubai.

However, a significant shift occurred one day. After a school suspension, a journalist from the local area penned an article that made a controversial claim about her parentage, linking her to TB Joshua. She was removed from her educational institution and transported to the Scoan compound located in Lagos. Despite that, she did not willingly choose to become one of his disciples.

“I was made to move to the disciples’ room. I didn’t volunteer to be a disciple. I was made to join,” she told the BBC.

The disciples formed a highly committed and exclusive circle, faithfully serving TB Joshua and residing within the intricate confines of the church. People from various corners of the globe flocked to the compound, with some choosing to make it their home for extended periods.

A set of strict rules governed their daily lives: limited sleep, no personal phone or email access, and the requirement to address TB Joshua as “Daddy.”.

“The disciples were influenced and supported.” Everyone seemed to be following orders without question, almost like mindless automatons. According to her, there were no doubts or inquiries.

Ajoke, even at a young age, displayed a rebellious nature that set her apart from the other disciples. Unlike her peers, she would not conform to the rules, refusing to stand up when the pastor entered the room and rebelling against the strict sleeping orders.

The abuse began shortly thereafter.

According to a former female disciple, there was a prevailing belief that Ajoke was plagued by malevolent spirits that required exorcism.

“The message about Ajoke was that she had terrible evil spirits that needed to be driven out,” one of the former female disciples said in the documentary.

“During the disciple meetings, Joshua made a statement suggesting that individuals had the ability to surpass her.” According to another who witnessed the inhuman treatment, individuals in the female dormitory were physically assaulting her, with people casually slapping her as they passed by.

“There was a time in the disciple meetings – he [Joshua] said people could beat her. Anyone in the female dormitory could just hit her and I remember just seeing people slapping her as they walked past,” she says.

Rae, a UK resident who spent 12 years living in the church as a disciple, describes her as being somewhat labeled as the black sheep of the family.

Rae recalls a moment when Ajoke overslept, prompting Joshua to raise his voice, urging her to wake up.

According to her account, another disciple escorted her to the shower, where she alleges she was subjected to physical abuse with an electrical cord, followed by the activation of scalding hot water, which was poured on her head.

Ajoke vividly recounts the incident, expressing her frustration: “I shouted at the top of my lungs, yet they continued to pour water on my head for an extended period.”

According to her, the abuse seemed to have no end.

“We are discussing a prolonged history of abuse that spans over several years. The pattern of ongoing mistreatment. The very essence of being a child from another mother completely contradicted all that he professed to uphold.

“We’re talking about years and years of abuse. Consistent abuse. My existence as a child from another mother undermined everything he [TB Joshua] claimed to stand for.”

At the age of 17, the abuse took a more serious turn when she bravely confronted her father about the firsthand accounts of individuals who had endured sexual abuse.

“I observed female disciples entering his room.” They were away for hours. It seemed like I was hearing things: ‘Oh this happened to me. According to the individual, there was an alleged attempt to engage in a sexual encounter. According to her, numerous individuals were expressing a similar sentiment.

“I couldn’t take it any more. I walked directly into his office on that very day. I shouted at the top of my voice: ‘Why are you doing this? Why are you hurting all these women?’

“I had lost every iota of fear for this man. He tried to stare me down, but I was looking in his eyes,” she says.

Over 25 former disciples, hailing from various countries including the UK, Nigeria, US, South Africa, Ghana, Namibia, and Germany, shared their compelling accounts of experiencing or witnessing sexual abuse in interviews with the BBC.

“I reached my breaking point. I strode purposefully into his office that very day. I exclaimed loudly, demanding an explanation for their actions. What is the reason behind causing harm to these women?I had completely overcome any sense of fear towards this individual. “He attempted to maintain eye contact, but I held my gaze,” she recounts.

Emmanuel, a long-time member of the church and former resident of the compound, vividly recalls that day.

“He was the individual who initiated physical contact with her…” According to him, more individuals decided to join in.

“He [TB Joshua] was the first person that started hitting her… then other people joined,” he says.

“He was saying: ‘Can you imagine what she’s saying about me?’ Even as much as they were hitting her, beating her, she was still saying the same thing.”

Ajoke claims that she was forcibly removed from his office and isolated from the rest of the church members, enduring a year-long period of social seclusion.

Rae also experienced a form of punishment known as “adaba” within Scoan for a duration of two years.

Ajoke claims that she endured frequent beatings with belts and chains, sometimes on a daily basis.

“I wonder how I lived through those times. I couldn’t even stand up for days after these beatings. I couldn’t even take a shower. He was trying so hard to stop people listening to me.”

Ajoke, at the age of 19, recounts being dropped off at the entrance of the church. The church security personnel, armed and vigilant, received strict instructions to ensure that she would never be permitted to reenter the premises. It happened six years prior to her father’s passing.

Ajoke, a young woman struggling with financial constraints, resorted to doing whatever it took to make ends meet, enduring countless years of life on the streets.

In 2019, she reached out to the BBC after viewing a BBC Africa Eye exposé. However, it was only when additional individuals confirmed her account that an extensive investigation by the BBC commenced, aiming to expose the abuse at Scoan.

According to former disciples who spoke to the BBC, witnessing Ajoke’s defiance against this man played a significant role in their growing skepticism towards TB Joshua.

According to Emmanuel, he subjected all of us to a state of complete and utter enslavement.

“He kept all of us in slavery—total absolute slavery,” adding, “Ajoke was bold enough to confront him. I see her as a hero.”

Ajoke emphasises the significance of truth in her life, stating, “I have experienced the loss of everything—my home, my family—but ultimately, what matters to me is the truth.”

“And for as long as there’s breath in me, I will defend that, until the very end.”

She aspires to return to school and complete her education, which was abruptly interrupted.