In the last week, Israeli media has been awash with news of
the controversial visit of Nigerian cleric T.B. Joshua to Nazareth. Initial
news of the visit ignited a furore among apprehensive religious leaders from
both the Muslim and Orthodox Christian sector but the tone among locals appears
to have emphatically shifted in the aftermath of the successful event. Dele
Momodu, the publisher of Ovation Magazine and erstwhile presidential candidate
in Nigeria, was among the visitors in Israel to attend the much-publicised Christian
event in Jesus’ hometown.
Whilst traversing the ‘Holy Land’, he sampled opinions
regarding the controversial cleric and was surprised at the warm response of
Israeli’s.
“Joshua-mania hits Israel… It is incredible how T.B. Joshua
is wowing the people of Israel,” wrote Mr Momodu to his 500,000 followers on
Instagram, subsequently sharing short video clips of taxi drivers speaking
glowingly of the cleric.
“Joshua is a good man,” a Nazarene driver named Alosh
remarked to Mr Momodu. “He is always welcome to Israel. Everyone knows him here
and we love him!”
Buttressing Mr Momodu’s assertion, the Mayor of Nazareth,
Ali Sallam, touted the economic benefit derived by Joshua’s visit in an
interview with local Arabic media, stating the region of Nazareth would accrue
up to $1,000,000 as a result of the influx of tourists.
A Nigerian living in Israel named Kennedy stated that
Israeli reactions towards him – and his fellow Africans living in the nation –
had significantly brightened after Joshua’s two-day event.
“Many of us Africans who work here in Israel are treated
with suspicion and we sometimes feel marginalised,” the Tel-Aviv based
electrician originally from Imo State said in a video posted online.
“But after TB Joshua’s visit, I have observed a notable
difference. Many people have approached to ask me more about Nigeria; they are
responding far more positively to me and black people in general,” he stated.
“I can testify that T.B. Joshua’s meeting in Nazareth is rebranding Africa’s
image abroad.”
Writing on Facebook, Julian H – a pilgrim from the UK who
attended the event – recounted the experience of how an Arabian seller at a
local market gave him free fruit after learning he had attended the meeting
with Joshua.
“He told me he watched the event live on a local station and
was amazed that miracles can still happen today in Nazareth,” the Brit
explained.
“Whether you hate this man or like him, the fact remains
that T.B Joshua is Nigeria’s biggest export to the world at the moment,” penned
Chukwudi Iwuchukwu, a lawyer and social media influencer, on Facebook.
“No other Nigerian – dead or alive – has the capacity to
attract such global media attention except him, which makes him one of Africa’s
biggest ever icons,” he bluntly wrote.
Opinion among the local Muslim community in Nazareth – which
was significantly divisive before the event – appears also swung in the
pastor’s favour in the aftermath.
“I thought Joshua was coming to try and force us to
convert,” an Arabic clothes vendor named Habib stated.
“But I realise he is just a good man with a message of love
for all. Also, I sold more in this last week than in the last four months
combined because of the tourists he brought to our town – so he’s definitely
welcome back!”
A young group of Arabic men admitted they actually attended
the event to mock it. “I went with my friends for a joke. I thought they were
all a bunch of actors but when I saw someone whom I personally knew receive
healing, I started taking it seriously,” wrote Ahmed Dahar in Arabic on
Facebook.
The two-day meeting, which has been viewed 500,000 times on
Emmanuel TV’s YouTube channel since its broadcast, also received coverage from
the international media.
1 comment:
We thank God for prophet TB Joshua.I was there in Nazareth for the meeting.It was my first time to meet the man of God in person.I am so blessed.
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