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YOUTUBE WALKS DANGEROUS LINE BETWEEN TOLERANCE AND CENSORSHIP IN ITS DECISION TO TERMINATE CHANNEL OF FAMED NIGERIAN PASTOR T.B. JOSHUA

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YOUTUBE WALKS DANGEROUS LINE BETWEEN TOLERANCE AND CENSORSHIP IN ITS DECISION TO TERMINATE CHANNEL OF FAMED NIGERIAN PASTOR T.B. JOSHUA
YOUTUBE WALKS DANGEROUS LINE BETWEEN TOLERANCE AND CENSORSHIP IN ITS DECISION TO TERMINATE CHANNEL OF FAMED NIGERIAN PASTOR T.B. JOSHUA
YouTube recently made the decision to terminate the channel of prominent Nigerian pastor and televangelist TB Joshua, claiming that his content repeatedly violated the company’s hate speech policy pertaining to discrimination based on sexual orientation.
In a statement made Wednesday to Today News Africa, a YouTube spokesperson Ivy Choi said TB Joshua’s channel, which had amassed over 1.8 million subscribers and 600 million views, repeatedly violated community guidelines pertaining to hate speech. In particular, she was referring to videos in which the prominent pastor claimed to cure congregants of their homosexuality.
“In accordance with our long standing three strikes system, we terminated the channel The Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) for repeatedly violating our hate speech policy. Our Community Guidelines clearly prohibit content promoting violence or hatred against protected groups based on attributes such as sexual orientation,” the statement said.
Joshua responded to the labelling of his content as hate speech, stating, “Our mission is to share the love of God with everyone – irrespective of race or religion – and we strongly oppose all forms of hate speech! We have had a long and fruitful relationship with YouTube and believe this decision was made in haste.”
Many feel that it is a slippery slope to begin policing people’s actions or beliefs under the ambiguously defined label of “hate speech.” At what point does rhetoric become hate speech and stop being protected under the umbrella of religious freedom?
In the video that is most responsible for triggering the closure of Joshua’s channel, he “casts out the demon of homosexuality” from congregants.
The video’s description read, “God hates sin, not sinners. When the Bible says, ‘Do not judge so that you will not be judged’, it means we should hate sin, not the sinner because sinners can change… We should hate the act, not the people because our battle is not against flesh and blood but against the spirit beings that cause all these acts.”
While YouTube is meant to be a platform where creators can openly share ideas and express themselves, many have taken TB Joshua’s ban as an affront to the teachings of Christianity and an infringement on free expression.
Community guidelines are an important aspect of any social media platform such as YouTube, and representatives of the company have repeatedly asserted that hate is not welcome on the popular video platform.
Clearly, heinous offenses such as the incitation of violence or the promotion of child trafficking should have no place on YouTube. Yet, the label of hate speech can feel loosely defined, all-encompassing, and open to subjective interpretation. There is much disagreement about the extent to which offensive content should be tolerated and at what point free speech turns into hate speech.
Should a preacher be banned for openly practicing his religious beliefs just because they are offensive or controversial? What is the line that preachers cannot cross without their rhetoric being labeled hateful and impermissible? This raises many concerns amongst religious communities about whether pastors can be punished for merely reading the teachings of Scripture.
It can be difficult to achieve the right balance between appropriately monitoring hate speech and simultaneously promoting the free expression of religious beliefs. For instance, how can YouTube best administer its community guidelines to make sure that conservative Christians and members of the LGBT community both feel welcome and respected on the platform?
A platform with 2.3 billion users around the globe, YouTube is a subsidiary of Google and holds immense power and influence all over the world. The decision of what type of content should be allowed or banned from being posted on the platform is incredibly significant and impactful worldwide.
If YouTube were to disproportionately police conservative content, it would be accused of imposing the company’s ideological perspective on its users. Therefore, conservative Christians ought to be entitled to the same freedom of expression as more liberal content creators regardless of whether or not YouTube agrees with their perspectives.
YouTube spokesperson Ivy Choi asserted that all content creators are held to the same standard, saying of the decision to terminate TB Joshua’s channel for hate speech, “We enforce this policy consistently, regardless of speaker, nationality or religious affiliation.”
There is much controversy and disagreement surrounding the policies by which YouTube monitors content. If the organization wants to promote tolerance, it can be difficult to strike the right balance between respecting religious freedom and simultaneously protecting the interests of people groups.
While making sure that all users feel welcome on YouTube regardless of race, religion, or sexual orientation is one of the company’s top concerns, it is no easy feat to pull off. Protecting the interests of one group sometimes means taking protections away from another group, leaving YouTube performing a never-ending balancing act.
There are many practical challenges for a company like YouTube, which is headquartered in California, United States but has grown to immense popularity worldwide. This provides for additional difficulties in monitoring global content, given the religious and cultural differences between different parts of the world. Throughout Nigeria and much of Africa, homosexuality is currently punishable by law.
As the world reacts to the removal of TB Joshua’s channel and many disagree about whether or not it was justified, the pastor urged listeners Friday to “be strong” and said, “I got to know what happened to YouTube when I saw the viewers complaining… I want you to help me pray for YouTube… Don’t see them the other way around; see them as friends.”
Noah Pitcher is a U.S. and global politics writer at Today News Africa who specializes in covering the White House. A full-time undergraduate student at California Polytechnic State University of San Luis Obispo, Noah is studying Political Science with a concentration in global politics. Noah’s background and experience include working on congressional campaigns, with elected members of the American government, and as part of numerous research teams.

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Apostle Johnson Suleman: Firebrand of Faith, Prophet to the Nations, Voice to a Generation

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Apostle Johnson Suleman: Firebrand of Faith, Prophet to the Nations, Voice to a Generation

Apostle Johnson Suleman: Firebrand of Faith, Prophet to the Nations, Voice to a Generation

 

By Femi Oyewale

 

In the beginning, there was just one man with a burning vision. Today, that man has become a global force whose voice thunders across continents, whose prayers ignite miracles, and whose mission is transforming destinies worldwide. He is Apostle Johnson Suleman, the fiery Restoration Apostle, the humanitarian preacher, and the global trailblazer reshaping the Christian faith for a new generation.

 

Apostle Johnson Suleman: Firebrand of Faith, Prophet to the Nations, Voice to a Generation

 

From Auchi to the World

 

Born in Auchi, Edo State, Nigeria, Apostle Suleman’s rise from humble beginnings to international prominence is nothing short of remarkable. What started as a divine calling has now evolved into a global mandate, reaching millions through Omega Fire Ministries International (OFM).

 

His story is the classic tale of vision meeting conviction—of a man who dared to believe God not just for himself, but for nations. From a modest congregation, OFM has spread like wildfire, with branches in Africa, Europe, Asia, the Americas, and beyond.

 

The Man & The Mission

 

Apostle Johnson Suleman: Firebrand of Faith, Prophet to the Nations, Voice to a Generation

 

To know Suleman is to understand passion—passion for God, for people, and transformation. He lives by one mantra: populate Heaven, depopulate Hell.

 

His pulpit is a battlefield, his voice a trumpet, his words a sword. Through his fiery sermons, prophetic declarations, and healing crusades, countless men and women testify of divine encounters—cancers healed, destinies restored, impossibilities overturned.

 

But beyond the pulpit lies the heart of a humanitarian. Suleman’s mission has always extended beyond preaching. He funds scholarships for the underprivileged, empowers widows with homes, sets up businesses for struggling families, and supports countless orphans. In times of crisis, he has sent relief materials across regions, proving that true ministry is not only heard—it is seen.

 

The Impact

 

Step into one of his crusades, and the atmosphere tells its own story. Stadiums overflow. Multitudes gather, hungry for hope. From London to Houston, Dubai to Johannesburg, crowds testify to healings, deliverance, and restoration.

 

Through Celebration TV and other digital platforms, Suleman’s voice penetrates homes, villages, and cities, giving access to millions who may never step into a physical church. His boldness in confronting social ills and speaking truth to power has also established him as a fearless voice beyond the church walls.

 

The Global Moves

 

Apostle Suleman is not just a Nigerian voice—he is a global phenomenon. His recent international crusades draw audiences in their tens of thousands, breaking barriers of race, culture, and language.

 

From prophesying to presidents to laying hands on ordinary citizens, his message is universal: God still speaks, God still heals, God still restores.

 

Each global tour solidifies his place as one of the most influential Christian leaders of the 21st century. He is as comfortable commanding a crowd in Chicago as he is in Accra, as bold in Paris as he is in Abuja.

 

The Legacy in Motion

 

Apostle Johnson Suleman is more than a preacher—he is a movement. A man consumed by vision, driven by compassion, and equipped with an anointing that refuses to be confined by borders.

 

From Auchi to America, from pulpits to palaces, from widows to world leaders, his impact is undeniable. And as the Restoration Apostle continues to blaze trails across nations, one thing is certain: his legacy is still unfolding, and his global moves have only just begun.

 

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Apostle Suleman Heals Super Falcons Player, Nkor Blessing, of One-Year Leg Injury

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Apostle Suleman Heals Super Falcons Player, Nkor Blessing, of One-Year Leg Injury

 

 

An international female footballer formerly with the Nigerian Super Falcons national team, Nkor Blessing, has testified that she was healed of a 12 months-old leg injury by God’s power through the anointing power of Apostle Johnson Suleman of the Omega Fire Ministries (OFM) worldwide.

 

Apostle Suleman Heals Super Falcons Player, Nkor Blessing, of One-Year Leg Injury

 

Blessing’s testimony was announced by the wife of the servant of God, Reverend (Dr.) Lizzy Suleman, during the ‘My Time Has Come’ healing programme at the ministry’s national headquarters

 

 

The female footballer’s joy and renewed passion were conspicuous as she stood before the large congregation to tell her recovery story. While expressing confidence of returning to active play after the one year setback, Blessing recalled during the testimony that the incident happened without contact with a fellow player while she was with the Turkish Gaziantep Asya Spor.

 

 

The star footballer was signed on loan by the Spanish club, Deportivo La Coruna, for the remainder of the 2024/25 season.

 

 

“I’ve been nursing the injury since last year when I played in Turkey. Amazingly, I had no contact with any of my colleagues in the field, nobody bashed me. I just woke up and we went out for training in the morning. Then I started feeling the pain when we were jogging. That is how it started. I later came down to Nigeria for a break. In Nigeria, I treated the leg but it wasn’t healed. I later had an invitation to Spain. I played in Deportivo La Coruna but I was off-season because of the injury,” Blessing narrated.

 

 

Dr. Lizzy Johnson Suleman stated that Blessing was supposed to have participated in the last match but couldn’t because of the injury and she had been nursing severe pains until she attended ‘My Time Has Come’ programme and “amazingly got healed by the power of God”.

 

 

The former Super Falcons forward presented to the congregants her x-tray test results used to locate the injury.

 

 

“That is witchcraft.” That is wickedness,” said Apostle Johnson Suleman while praying for Blessing after the healing, emphasizing reliance on God’s power through faith and prayer. “I asked her to speak about how she sustained the injury because she said nobody hit her on the field. Nobody hit her leg, she didn’t fall down or get injured through a wrong attack. It just came. That is witchcraft,” the cleric declared, praying that God that has healed her makes her whole and restores all that she has lost.

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Revival Intercessors Ministries Celebrates 15 Years of Growth and Impact in Port Harcourt

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Revival Intercessors Ministries Celebrates 15 Years of Growth and Impact in Port Harcourt

 

 

Revival Intercessors Ministries International, a fast-growing Christian ministry headquartered in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has marked its 15th anniversary with a thanksgiving celebration, highlighting a journey of spiritual growth, humanitarian outreach, and nationwide expansion.

 

Revival Intercessors Ministries Celebrates 15 Years of Growth and Impact in Port Harcourt

 

The Anniversary, held in Port Harcourt, was attended by church members, dignitaries, and representatives from various branches across Nigeria. The event served as both a celebration of God’s faithfulness and a reflection on the milestones achieved since the ministry was founded in 2010 by Apostle Samuel Chidiebere Godwin.

 

 

Speaking at the event, Apostle Godwin recalled the birth of the ministry on July 25, 2010. “It all started after a divine encounter I had earlier that month. I shared the experience with my wife and later with three other brethren, and together we took the first step. We began with just five adults and three children. Today, we can only thank God for how far He has brought us,” he said.

 

Revival Intercessors Ministries Celebrates 15 Years of Growth and Impact in Port Harcourt

 

Over the past 15 years, Revival Intercessors Ministries has expanded its reach significantly, planting branches in several cities and states across Nigeria. The church has also established educational institutions to cater to children and young people, with a vision of raising a generation grounded in both academics and faith. In addition to its local assemblies, the ministry has hosted large crusades and revival meetings in multiple states, attracting thousands of worshippers. According to Apostle Godwin, these gatherings have been marked by testimonies of healing, deliverance, and spiritual renewal.

 

 

Beyond its core spiritual mandate, the ministry has actively engaged in humanitarian services through outreach programs and charitable initiatives. The church’s non-governmental activities have included support for the less privileged, medical visits to hospitals, and empowerment programs for families in need. “We believe ministry goes beyond the pulpit. Our mission includes touching lives physically, socially, and spiritually. That is why we have invested in education, community service, and welfare projects,” Apostle Godwin explained.

 

Revival Intercessors Ministries Celebrates 15 Years of Growth and Impact in Port Harcourt

 

As the ministry enters its next phase, Apostle Godwin expressed gratitude to God and reaffirmed his commitment to advancing the gospel. “We have never had a better last year — every new year has been greater. Our prayer is to remain consistent in God’s kingdom work. We are trusting Him for greater expansion and deeper impact in the years ahead,” he declared. His wife, Pastor Mrs. Blessing Godwin, joined in expressing appreciation to God and church members for their dedication to the vision.

 

 

The Anniversary celebration concluded with praise, worship, testimonies, and renewed commitments from members to continue spreading the message of revival and intercession across Nigeria and beyond.

 

Revival Intercessors Ministries Celebrates 15 Years of Growth and Impact in Port Harcourt

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