Pastor Peter Kayode Falarungbon is the Head Pastor of Awakeners Chapel International. He was the first Head Pastor of the Ghana branch of T.B. Joshua's Church, Synagogue Church of All Nations.
In the latest edition of the world acclaimed Nigerian Religious magazine-Lifeway, Pastor Kayode reveals how the Head Pastor of the Synagogue Church of All Nations, Prophet T.B. Joshua, virtually sent him into exile in Ghana in order to have canal knowledge of his (Pastor Kayode's) wife, Lola.
This is his story:
It was in 1991 that my wife, Lola, and I went to the Synagogue. We went there because we had been married for nine years without any child. When we met Joshua he looked like a gentleman, a kind person and someone that could be relied on. I saw him as someone representing God because of his physical and outward appearance. Within two weeks of our going there, he had gotten very close to my wife. That got me concerned but then I concluded that it could be because my wife hailed from the village next to his in Ondo State, Nigeria.
One day my former wife told me that the Prophet wanted her to work with him; that she had to do this before God could answer our prayer for a child. Since I did not want to be an obstacle, I gave her the go ahead. Suddenly I found myself going there every day because we wanted the fruit of the womb. One day, Lola told me the Prophet wanted to see me. T.B. Joshua told me God wanted to use me and that I should surrender myself to the service of the lord. It was a big battle in my heart and with my family but finally I succumbed.
The first thing he did was to relocate me from where I lived in a three bedroom apartment at Ipaja road. He gave me a Chamber and hall at Ikoutun Egbe. He told me that if I wanted to serve the Lord, I have to separate myself from the world, from my family and my friends. That was the beginning of my journey. I abandoned my parents and refused to see any of my siblings. I was placed in the evangelical department to study the scriptures. However, because of my Salvation Army background, I found loopholes in some of the things he taught us but I could not openly challenge him.
He later asked my wife to move into the church permanently, while I continue to stay in the chamber and hall. I would leave the house in the morning, go straight to the church and return home in the evening alone. On Sunday mornings, she would rush in early in the morning around 6am, take a change of clothing and rush back to the church. Anytime I showed my desire for intimacy, she will refuse on the grounds that the Prophet said we should not engage in sex yet.
After going through the Bible Training course for about three to four years, most of my colleagues left. I was one of two or three people who remained from my set. After a while, a Ghanaian named Ben and I came to Ghana in 1997 to plan a crusade, We contacted the Ghana Pentecostal Council and we marketed Joshua very well to them even though many of them did not know him. We returned to Nigeria and about months later. I was sent back to Ghana to start a fellowship. We began to grow from there. Up till this time, my former wife remained in Lagos; we could not talk on the phone and I could not talk to my family as well. Once in a while, maybe once in six months or once in a year, Joshua would call me and put my wife on the line. Our conversation usually went like this: “How are you?” “I am fine.” “Well I just want to find out if you are okay.” That was all. Meanwhile, the real reason why we went to Synagogue was yet to be resolved – that was our childlessness.
At some point during the years, I began to awaken from my spiritual slumber. I took a series of decisions. One of them was I must see my parents. Early one morning, while in Lagos on his orders, I left Ikotun Egbe at 5.am.for Agege and traced my parents. They received me coldly. I was not in the least surprised. But then my mum later disclosed to me that my wife had told one of my old friends that Joshua told her it was impossible for her to conceive through me, that the lack of conception was my fault.
An incident I witnessed convinced me there was something between Joshua and my wife. Joshua used to flog his followers, old and young. I was privy to him trying to flog my wife once, but she just walked out on him without anything happening. For her to have the guts to walk out on him when he was flogging others convinced me there was more to their relationship.
The allegation of my wife with the connivance of T.B Joshua that I could not father a child continued to bother me. I battled with temptation. I came to a decision that I needed to remarry in order to prevent falling for temptation and also to prove to Joshua, Lola and everyone who believed the lie that they were wrong. In Ghana, I met a lady here and I told her everything about my situation. And she agreed to my proposal. To the glory of God she got pregnant. I jubilantly announced to my parents, “I told you there was nothing wrong with me!
Five days before my father passed on, he insisted on speaking with me. But because none of siblings had my telephone number they could not reach me. Eventually, my father persuaded my siblings to take him to The Synagogue to meet with Joshua. He was sure that through Joshua a call would be placed to me.
Unfortunately, when they got to The Synagogue they were left at the gate unattended to for two hours. They sent for my former wife and briefed her. She went inside to return two hours later to tell them that the Prophet was not available to see them. They had to return home. The next day, my father passed on. That was why my siblings shunned me. Right there I made up my mind to leave The Synagogue. I told myself it was time to leave!
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