a suprising move, YouTube has terminated the official channel of the late Nigerian televangelist TB Joshua’s megachurch, Emmanuel TV, for violating its hate speech policies.
The decision to shut down TB Joshua YouTube channel Emmanuel TV follows a recent investigation by the BBC and openDemocracy after the BBC Documentary expose on the late prophet.
BBC TB Joshua Documentary Exposé Triggers YouTube Action
The BBC documentary shed light on shocking allegations of sexual abuse, torture, and staged miracles that occurred during TB Joshua’s leadership until his passing in June 2021. These revelations prompted an in-depth examination of SCOAN’s practices and led to the recent termination of Emmanuel TV, the church’s YouTube channel.
Emmanuel TV, which played a significant role in TB Joshua’s rise to global prominence, boasted over half a million followers and had accumulated hundreds of millions of views on the video-sharing platform. However, this is not the first time the channel has faced suspension; previous breaches of YouTube’s community guidelines had resulted in temporary suspensions.
During the course of the investigation, openDemocracy discovered approximately 50 “abusive” videos on Emmanuel TV’s YouTube channel. These videos depicted individuals with mental health issues being held in chains, disseminated medical misinformation, and engaged in smear campaigns against women who had spoken out about TB Joshua’s sexual abuse.Citing violations of its hate speech policies, YouTube, a subsidiary of Google, confirmed the termination of Emmanuel TV. The move underscores the platform’s commitment to ensuring that content aligns with its community guidelines and promotes a safe and inclusive environment.
The termination of Emmanuel TV’s YouTube channel comes a couple of weeks after MultiChoice, the South African company that operates DStv, recently disconnected the TB Joshua Emmanuel TV channel from its satellite service.Emmanuel TV’s satellite channel was dropped on January 17, 2024, after being one of the most successful Christian networks globally for many years.
Emmanuel TV had been broadcast on DStv since 2006, reaching millions of viewers across Africa and beyond. The channel featured live services, crusades, prophecies, and humanitarian projects associated with SCOAN. Testimonies from individuals claiming to have experienced healing and miracles through TB Joshua were also a prominent feature.
The decision to disconnect the Emmanuel TV chann was made in light of the BBC Documentary investigation into TB Joshua and the disturbing revelations surrounding SCOAN
