One journalist ,Nicolas Ibekwe, who leaked the conversation said he was the only one who refused the gift. He called it bribery. He slammed Lagos State Governor ,Fashola for having a closed door meeting with TB Joshua without the presence of journalists. He said TB Joshua should be charged with murder.
Read the full transcript I transcribed from the audio and be the judge
TB Joshua- I want to thank you you very much for your patience and for and for your time. .Infact if i finish talking to you now, you will see,just pass through over 2 thousand people I'm attending to.They are from all over the world .No single Nigerian.I'm attending to them.
So I asked them to give you a copy of the cassette.There is 750 thousand which atleast, it will be 50 thousand each for fuel.To buy fuel for your car.
(Speaks to his staff)..I think you have it there, so you hand over to them.Then the cassette,they need one,one cassette.
Unknown Journalist-But man of God, we were expecting that you would come up with an official statement .
TB Joshua-I have said it, you know I've talked to you(Is your camera recording..you know it's not necessary.It's a private issue (several confirmations its not being recorded)I
Unknown Journalist-The one in the church was not audible enough.We need something substantial for us to air.
TB Joshua-Ok but you know we have to leave the security people to do their job.I don't want to interfere .I don't want a situation where i will become a hindrance .Because the country , the ambassador of America,the UK,they have sent me a letter and i greet them.South Africa Ambassador are here,Ghana Ambassador ,they are here.They want to see their people.It is a very complicated issue.
Unknown Journalist-Sir say something,A sympathy comment
TB Joshua-No no no,it is too early now .Lets finish the whole thing.Have you been there?
All chorus -Yes
Unknown Journalist-So sir are we expecting you to call us back
TB Joshua-By the grace of God..and i will be very happy if you can help me correct some of the things that is inside the papers
Journalist=We commiserate with you the church, what we expect is if you can't give us a later day maybe you can give us an official statement outside the official one.You know when there is no information outside,people will continue to give rumours
TB Joshua-Which official statement do you want me to give
Female Journalist -We know investigation is ongoing.At the moment we know some lives have been lost, some people are in the hospital .
TB Joshua-why cant you talk of those who have been rescued.You should have started from life first
Female Journalist rephrased statement - Ok So some people have been rescued, some people unfortunately have gone .
TB Joshua - want to assure you that alot of people got rescued there.Many of them are even at the prayer now.Some people that are in the hospital are recovering.
Journalist -eh eh like so commiserate with them
Female Journalist -SO can we say you are wishing them quick recovery and you are sympathizing with them ?
TB Joshua -Can't you hear what I said in the church,I talk of the hero and Martyr. I talk like a man of God.I can't talk of death inside the church.You know people will begin to say oh I salute the martyr
Journalists ..Thank you sir,... God bless sir .yes sir..
TB Joshua-SO WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO WRITE NOW
Several speaking concurrently -Just like you said..what you said .
Journalist chatter as he exchanges pleasantries..Laughter
Fade out
signs of the last days,''beware of false prophets''
ReplyDeleteToo bad. Hear d way they are all laughing while so many r dead. It is well.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading it fully, I see nothing wrong here. There is no where where he sounded like he was bribing or telling them what to write. The last part says it all. He refused to give an official statement but said there are rumours. Then he said so what will you write. He didn't say so write it like this.
ReplyDeleteGod sees everything ... Its well!
ReplyDeleteCall it bribe or gift or tip. From this manuscript I see him trying to gain the favour of the journalists.to correct the rumours and to write something good about him.
ReplyDeleteFavour of the Journalists? Did he collapse the building?? He just doesn't want d media to tarnish his image. His reputation is at stake. I pity him.
DeleteGod should forgive Nicholas Ibekwe, the man is afraid, doesn't know who to trust. He is not bribing anyone but he just wants people to be realistic in writing and speaking of the incident, so he wants the truth be told and he is afraid of people who will see white and write black that is why he asked them so what are you going to write now? (The truth or the numerous lies out there already?). BRIBE BRIBE --- HELL NO! He never bride anyone, If that fuel money is a bribe, it should come at the end... Immediate he says "So what are you going to write now, I will give you 50k each for fuel" then that should have been noted as a bait to entice them to write good things. From the extent of my knowledge, he was already concluding the statement to with Journalists to face other intentional calls --- that is when that fuel money entered.
Deletea.k.a EDWIN CHINEDU AZUBUKO said...
ReplyDelete.
*hands in the air* no judging, God is the only judge......
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***CURRENTLY IN JUPITER***
Yea me too no comment cos if I do comment surely it won't be in his favour #ogodalu@mail.com
DeleteI think he was worried about the rumours. People saying he killed them for ritual and all that. So he wanted them to be pleasant in their reports. He is human
ReplyDeleteJournalists are meant to give news the way it is!no ommision or supression of news stories!he gave them brown envelope in exchange for killing some part of the story.he was running about the bush on the official statement!what are going to write now,just like u said!and a sane persons thinks it isn't bribe?
ReplyDeleteThe question is, is this the first time he is giving journalists money? Also he is known as a generous man. You can not see him without him giving you transport money. The sad thing is, there was a case of death here. He needed favourable articles. He also said he didn't want to make a statement to hamper with investigations. He even said that in a statement released lose r that day. Also journalists were reporting that they were stopped from visiting the site, but in the studio, he clearly said have you been to the site? They all said yes. He is just unfortunate
ReplyDeleteheard truth n vizzy went there kwa oo. Or is his dias fotocopy Yaff been putting writings. Vizzy are u dead yet???
ReplyDeleteProphet Tb Joshua is human being like us . One can't act confused or make mistakes while undergoing a trying time. Even Jesus bowed to nature n slept while his disciples battle with d storm b4 they woke him. I am not a scorn member but will not support things am not sure of bc of ppl's
ReplyDeleteRumors
heard truth n vizzy went there kwa oo. Or is his dias fotocopy Yaff been putting writings. Vizzy are u dead yet???
ReplyDeleteI know all of you Bitches have been waiting for my official statement on this. I have been talking to various world leaders. So the journalist who switched is igbo? This means all the yoruba journalists collected and cleaned their fish mouths. My final verdict, He did not bribe them. He doesn't know how to communicate properly
ReplyDeleteyes he iz ibo but gay that his demons wanted him to ask the prophet for sex bt he waz cast aside
DeleteHe did not want money he wantd homo sex
DeleteI meant "can" make mistakes .
ReplyDeleteI am not a "scoan" member. It's typographical error.
He is human. Many if us will do worse in this same situation
ReplyDeleteJudge not,dat is somtin i intend not 2 get myself in.only God knws,so let him be the judge.jealousy*oke*
ReplyDeleteIt's bribery emeh. Whether you try to persuade us or not. I know you are a blogger and not a journalist, but next time, keep your opinions to yourself and just report the news. Okay?
ReplyDeleteLmao @ okay. Emeh is siding him So obvious
DeleteI will start by calling u, Emeh Achanga, a fool. U said its unacceptable and contradicted urself by sayin its a common norm to give journalist gift or cash when they cover both public and private event. Check the meaning of "norm" then u Nicholas a bitter fool, becos u just. Ended ur carrier with ur sinking hands and tongue. I see nothing wrong in this conversation. Journalist are always knwn for lying and feeding the puplic with news blown out of proportion, Prop TB Joshua was only trying to calm the situation, I see nothing wrong in it. For Nicholas, we shall hear of wat becomes of u, that is if I dnt see u pickin groundnut or as a conductor in the nearest future.
DeleteDon't call Emeh a fool... u are entitled to your own opinion but you just misconstrued her. Some of these journalists hardly afford bottle water after going through stress to get information for the media they are representing, especially here in Nigeria. People "Normally" offer them something out of humanity, and never to stop them from writing false things about them. Even when it is not in a case like this, If they try cover someone like Wole Soyinka on things about himself, there is 1 million possibility He Soyinka will still give them something... The fact that they are Journalist doesn't make them abnormal - everybody needs encouragement in their field. My brother did all these for CHAMPIONS NEWSPAPER and at the end they OWED him 3 Months salary that he quit, leaved Lagos and I was the one submitting his letters, demand for his salaries. If it wasn't little "Transport/Fuel" money get got from places he had gone during his days with CHAMPION NEWSPAPER it would have been difficult. SO IT IS "NORM," for UNACCEPTABLE gift maybe deceitful that is why Journalists are trained to not to take things from such cases, but a lot of people give them Gifts not to deceive them and a lot of them accept it as an encouragement not Bribe because they lack encouragement from their Media. So in her writings, "Though" Unacceptable but, "it is" Norm. Shortens my whole explanation.
DeleteI see nothing wrong with this interview. He didn't mean any harm. He is only trying to protect his image. May God see him true.
ReplyDeleteTB Joshua that I know must give something at the end of the day, he gives willingly, secondly, if it was a bribe, am sure we all won't be listening to this audio now. Judge not.
ReplyDeletesome people are not outspoken so let the man be. He did not collapse the building please. The man is a public figure so he is trying his best to avoid scandal.
ReplyDeleteSeriously I think there is nothing wrong with tipping journalist, but in this situation where lives are lost and millions worth of property is lost, who gives 750000 in that situation? ? I smell a rat smwhere
ReplyDeleteSeriously I think there is nothing wrong with tipping journalist, but in this situation where lives are lost and millions worth of property is lost, who gives 750000 in that situation? ? I smell a rat smwhere
ReplyDeleteLmao @Truth and her yeye official statement. Truth is right sha
ReplyDeleteI have listen to to audio. Nicolas must be stupid..there is nothing bad about it..T.B is afraid of the rumours which everyone else does...the fear of the journalist is the beginning of wisdom... He is known to be generous
ReplyDeleteThe man is generous.If he gives every one he sees transport money,bags of rice, school ees, why is this different.It is just sad that it had to happen at a time when the building collaspsed.But everyone knows he always gives journalists money even when they come to interview him on his church activities
ReplyDeletewell,dnt see anytin wrong in givin dem mony o,na wa o,dis tin don 2 escalate,i pity him sha
ReplyDeleteNigerian journalists have been known to write propaganda and exaggerate every incident in other to sell papers.so he give them coke money so that they can be fair in their reporting.
ReplyDeleteI don't see anything wrong with this . mr journalist u are a hungry attention seeker.
ReplyDeleteI don't see anything wrong with this . mr journalist u are a hungry attention seeker.
ReplyDeletelet's call a spade a spade.. it is bribery.. whether he did it to protect his image from rumors or not, it is still bribery.. when ppl bribe policemen on d road or immigration officers at d airport, does it necessarily mean they have contraband on them?? that doesn't change it from being a bribe… at the end of the day, when you give money in exchange of favors regardless of whether u did something wrong or not… IT IS A BRIBE!
ReplyDelete