DID T.B. JOSHUA PREDICT THE NIGERIAN OIL PRICE DROP?

Amidst the news of Nigeria's tumbling oil prices and its attendant economic implications for Africa's largest economy, controversial Prophet T.B. Joshua has released a video claiming he had predicted the worrying development back in December 2013.

The video, released via his popular YouTube channel Emmanuel TV, shows Joshua preaching on Sunday 29th December 2013 about the coming year, describing 2014 as a 'year of crossing the bridge'.

“Whatever your country has discovered in terms of mineral resources which has been a source of income - causing corruption and fights, people living flamboyantly – those things, nobody will buy them,” the cleric stated to his sombre audience.

“The price will drop drastically because all other countries have discovered their own,” he continued. “Nobody to buy them; you will drink them.”

Joshua went on to advise worshippers to invest in agriculture. “We have to return to the farm, fishing and cattle rearing. This is where we are coming from – we have to return back there,” he stressed.

The drastic drop in oil prices has been a source of serious concern for Nigerians, many international observers stating that Nigeria's overreliance on it bodes for worrying financial times ahead.

An estimated $11.5 billion has been lost in the last six months alone since the price of oil per barrel was practically halved in June 2014.

The clip from Emmanuel TV concluded with a statement Joshua reportedly made on August 31st 2014, where he described the remaining months of the year as 'more than 10 years'. “When you put 10 years together, it will be equal to what will happen in these months,”he warned worshippers.

12 days later, a building tragically collapsed within his church premises, leading to the deaths of 116 people, 85 of whom were foreign guests.

Joshua's name has been contentiously synonymous with prophetic declarations for some time, the latest of his purported predictions being the hospitalisation of President Obama.

Also on Sunday 31st August, Joshua stated the US President would be rushed to hospital, stressing that he required rest and should not undergo an operation. He similarly predicted an impending internal crisis in Poland, stressing the number 16.

On 16th November 2014, local elections were held in Poland, the delayed release of results shrouded by accusations of corruption and fraud, prompting several protests.

On 6th December 2014, Obama was taken to hospital complaining of a sore throat and later diagnosed with 'acid reflux'.