When Prophet T.B. Joshua died on June, 5 2021, about a week to his 58 birthday, there was a sense of huge lost and apprehension among members of the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), thousands of religious pilgrims that flock annually to the church, and many from all over the world that had been impacted by the ministry and teachings of the cleric. Residents of the church’s immediate community, Ikotun, a Lagos suburb, were in shock and unbelief. It was a shock for the immediate community because, for more than three decades, the community’s ecosystem had revolved around the SCOAN and the Prophet in the Synagogue as the church’s late founder was fondly called. How would the community survive, many asked?
The influx of local and international pilgrims’ to church had ushered in a period of prosperity, growth and development for Ikotun and environs. How about the thousands that trooped to the church to see Prophet T. B. Joshua, in search of spiritual and physical help? To them, it was the end of era. Some even hazarded a guess that it was the end of the SCOAN.
It was quite understandable. How does a church replace a historical figure that an America-based research organization-www.ranker.com, ranked as one of the most famous prophets in the history of mankind? The publication listed 71 prophets, named the late Prophet T.B. Joshua as number 13 in the list of prophets the world has seen, and the first in Africa, followed by the Late Prophet Joseph Babalola on number 32.
The situation was not helped by the not-too-edifying squabble for leadership that engulfed the church following the demise of the late prophet.

Enters Pastor Evelyn Joshua
Steadily, despite the protest by some few, the mantle of the church’s leadership fell on Pastor Evelyn Joshua, the wife of the late prophet. Many felt disappointed by the choice since she had hitherto appeared before the public only a few times. She had done most of her work behind the scene.
However, three years after the demise of the prophet, through the leadership of Pastor Evelyn Joshua and God, SCOAN has navigated through the difficult times, consolidated and currently enjoying a period of stability and growth. The post T.B. Joshua era is gradually taking roots in the church. It is not that SCOAN had moved from what the church was during the period of the late founder. The presence of the Prophet T.B. Joshua is felt all over the church with larger than life image of the late prophet placed in different parts of the church. His voice echoes every day all-round the church either from the television screens that are permanently tuned to Enmmanuel Tv of from the church’s sound system, especially during prayers. It is as if Prophet T.B. Joshua is very much around.
However, in the last three years since she took over the mantle of leadership, Pastor Evelyn Joshua has transformed the church and brought stability in the church. She has also imbued hope among the residents of the community. They are gradually seeing a return of pilgrims. The church’s population is increasing with overflow section filled with worshippers and pilgrims.
The COVID 19 had disrupted church services in 2020 and in 2021. To reach out to thousands that normally visited the church, Prophet T.B. Joshua introduced Distance is Not a Barrier ministration on his cable network channel, Emmanuel TV, and ministered to viewers from different parts of the world. The television ministration became a normal, that even when the government gave the green-light for churches to reopen, Prophet Joshua said he preferred to still wait until God would tell him to reopen the church. He was to pass to eternity on June 5, 2021.
Having taken the mantle of leadership, Pastor Evelyn Joshua reopened the church on December 5, five months after the passage of Prophet T.B. Joshua.
In rebuilding the church, Pastor Evelyn Joshua immediately restarted the Prayer Line where people with different ailments lined up to be prayed for , for healing. It is to her credit that the lines for prayers continue to increase with people seeing the healing that they thought was gone with the late prophet. Currently the huge auditorium of the church is filled to capacity. Late comers are directed to the various overflows outside the church auditorium.
She also opened a new branch of the church in Akure, Ondo State where the late cleric hailed from. She also reopened the Accra Branch of the church.

Quietly and with dedication, she worked tirelessly to overcome the onslaught of one of the most influential media organisations in the world, the BBC. At a time many thought the church would buckle and go under the barrage of negative media attacks, Pastor Evelyn Joshua steadied the ship and navigated it through the fierce turbulence of negative media scrutiny and criticism.
SCOAN as a foremost religious tourist destination in Nigeria continues to attract a steady increase in local and international tourists. The numbers may not be up to the pre-COVID 19 era, but it is steadily increasing.
This could be seen in the gradual but steady reopening of some of the accommodation facilities and eateries that had closed shop when the pilgrims’ traffic dried up.
In the last three years, she has embarked on high profile crusades in Madrid, Spain, Kenya, Ghana and other parts of the world. Her crusades are normally accompanied with charity outreaches to the less privileged.
Another major programme of the church is the Morning Water Service. Pastor Evelyn has reintroduced the programme as an annual event in August. Thousands from within and outside the country trooped to the church for this year’s service.
To further continue with the legacy of the late founder, Pastor Evelyn Joshua and the church have launched the Prophet T.B. Joshua Foundation. The Foundation has a 30 Million Naira initial endowment to help the less privileged youths. Serah Joshua, first daughter of the late cleric, has this to say during the launching of the foundation: “We are preserving the life and times, and continuing the legacies of Prophet T.B. Joshua. To continue the legacy, we are empowering the youths. Today, the T.B. Joshua Foundation will be awarding grants to 30 youths. This will consists of 15 scholarships, and 15 small and medium scale enterprises funding awards. So, to be part of this opportunity, please get your application form…we are very excited to continue this project, and to continue the legacy of Prophet T.B. Joshua.”
Admonishing the youths during the inauguration of the foundation on the topic “Investing in the lives that would outlive us,” Pastor Evelyn Joshua said the purpose of the foundation was to encourage and inspire the the youths. She said: “You are the leaders of tomorrow. You are the future of any organization, any society. That is why our mentor, our father and our leader Prophet T.B. Joshua thought us. He was a dedicated mentor, a character molder for the youths. He awarded thousands of scholarships to youths to higher institutions both at home and abroad. I am here today to reaffirm and reassure you that in the Synagogue Church of All Nations, we are still committed in investment in the youths. We are totally committed, so that you can be better focused in part that you have chosen . I stand here to encourage you to listen, learn, and open up your heart to the wisdom and knowledge that will be imparted into you here today.”
Can the SCOAN hit the pre-COVID 19 religious pilgrims’ numbers, only time would tell, but it is to the credit of the Pastor Evelyn Joshua that she has quietly stayed under the radar, reinvented the church, and placed it on the steady part of growth. SCOAN and Ikotun are on the rebound as a destination. Nobody can replace Prophet T.B. Joshua, but Pastor Evelyn Joshua has done a great job of upholding a legacy and rebuilding this foremost global religious destination for pilgrims.