For Prophet TB Joshua, his last word to a troubled world, his nation Nigeria and his members is to continue to “watch and pray”.
These Sunrise News was his last word, as he hurriedly took his leave to go to his private quarters, during the vigil programme he was said to have been leading before he suddenly began to feel uncomfortable and had to excuse himself to rest awhile in his quarters.
He was never to return alive.
His aides, who felt he was taking too long in returning and had gone to fetch him, had reportedly met him in an uncomfortable position and moments thereafter rushed out to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
He was said to have passed on around 2am on Saturday.
Sunrise News gathered that close aides and relations are with his wife, and comforting her.
Though the cause of death is not yet known, a close aide who spoke on condition of anonymity said there were speculations that the church premises and the living apartment might be sanitised.
At the outset of the COVID-19, the Prophet had sent all his aides home to be working remotely. Those who are left, it was gathered, are his very close aides, especially those living within the church facility, especially some Britons and other nationals working for the mission.
Confirming Joshua’s death, Lagos Police Commissioner (CP) Hakeem Odumosu said he was officially pronounced dead by a hospital around 3am.
Odumosu said: “It is true he is dead. I do not know the cause of his death yet. But the information we have is that he was conducting service, along the line, he felt uncomfortable, walked to his apartment himself and never came back.
“His people thought he probably wanted to rest or refresh but when they didn’t see him after a long while, they went in search of him and found him in an unusual position.
“The service started in the evening. But it was around 3am that he was pronounced dead by a hospital.”
The church said Joshua’s last words to his members were “watch and pray.”
He was said to have also reminded them there was time for everything before he left the church hall.