Batswana escape TB Joshua disaster
Sharon Mathala | Thursday September 18, 2014 15:03
A guesthouse for international visitors within TB Joshua’s sprawling Synagogue Church of All Nations compound in Lagos collapsed on Friday with scores of worshippers feared trapped, injured or dead. While Nigerian officials put the death count at “over 40”, the South African government said 67 South Africans alone were confirmed dead.
Although reports circulated that two Batswana who witnessed the disaster were returning home yesterday, a Mmegi check of the Sir Seretse Khama Airport’s turned up nothing. “Between yesterday and today, there have not been any arrivals from Nigeria,” said an Ebola health-screening official.
“The only way into Botswana by air is through Kenya Airways or from South Africa. South Africa gives advance notice of travellers coming from Nigeria or other restricted countries.
“Kenya Airways will only be in today.”
There are about 10 daily flights into Botswana from South Africa.
It is however still possible that returning residents could use road routes from South Africa, which are reportedly favoured by church worshippers for their lower costs.
Yesterday evening, government spokesperson, Jeff Ramsay said no word had yet been received on Batswana being involved in the Lagos disaster.
“We will keep looking for information from our mission but at this point we have no information,” he said.
“If any Batswana have been affected, we will pass that information onto relatives, before communicating with the public via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”
Ramsay added that support in verifying whether Batswana were involved would come from South Africa, which has sent a contingent to help identify and repatriate deceased, while assisting the injured.
Earlier in the day, a Foreign Affairs official confirmed that concerted efforts were underway in collaboration with the High Commission in Abuja to identify possible local victims of the disaster.
“We are trying our best to find out and once we do, we will go through the established process, which involves notifying relatives,” ministry spokesperson, Monei Rapuleng said.
“We have not heard anything and we are trying hard to confirm.”
Efforts to contact the Botswana High Commission in Abuja and Ambassador Matshwenyego Fisher failed throughout the day as their contact numbers either rang unanswered or did not connect. Officials at the Nigeria High Commission in Gaborone also said they were making efforts to verify whether Batswana were involved in the Lagos disaster.
“The Foreign Affairs Ministry has also been in touch with us but we don’t have any information,” an official said.
The commission refused to state the number of Batswana who secured Nigerian visas last week, earlier this month or on average, saying the information was “confidential”.
Local followers of the Nigerian pastor were equally tight-lipped about possible travellers to the mega-church, stating that they had no right to comment on the matter.
“There are many who are travelling there despite the Ebola travel restrictions, but the Church does not have a branch here or representatives who can speak on its behalf,” said Catherine Bakang, who describes herself as a “devout believer”.
“In Botswana, it operates on the basis of agents who assist Batswana who want to travel to the Lagos church and what I know is that many people go there regularly.”
Synagogue Church of All Nations is wildly popular in Botswana, particularly after its leader and founder, TB Joshua, visited Botswana in 2005.