Visitors to The Synagogue Church of All Nations [SCOAN] have doubled in number over the last one year compared to what it witnessed in a decade.
This, African Travel Times magazine gathered from information revealed by hotel operators within and outside the vicinity of SCOAN architectural masterpiece, located in the heart of Ikotun-Egbe, Lagos and environs such as Ejigbo, Alimosho, Ijegun, Isolo, Oshodi, Iyanna Ipaja and others.
Information also from those who work at the Muritala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos [MMA], as well, shows that a lot of visitors enter the country for the purpose of visiting SCOAN.
Travel Times magazine also found out that consequent upon this influx of these visitors to the country, especially Lagos State, there has been a lot of new hotel accommodations in the towns mentioned springing up, as the business of tourism is generating a lot of income to the owners.
It is worth knowing that, annually The SCOAN hosts thousands of national and international visitors, who travel from within and around the world to seek the face of God through Prophet Temitope Balogun Joshua, the leader and founder of the church.
Surprisingly, the recent five storey building guest house accommodation collapse on the church headquarters’ premises in Lagos, has not really deterred visitors who wish to come to look for healings of one sickness and diseases or the other; prophecies and deliverance from spiritual afflictions; blessings and salvation.
This surge of religious visitors into the country cannot be unconnected with the award the church’s television network, Emmanuel TV received from American based digital TV group, YouTube for hitting and surpassing well over 1,000,000 subscribers mark in 2018 among other subscribed Christian channels worldwide.
It is also interesting to know that Every Sunday, the SCOAN Headquarters at Ikotun, Lagos State is always filled to capacity with worshippers from across Nigeria and the world, this, the Emmanuel TV broadcasts live to millions around the globe with YouTube channels programmes available in English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese languages.
With the addition of these Emmanuel TV programmes 24 hours a day, seven days a week on various satellite TVs connected to MultiChoice Africa DStv channel 390, and GOtv channel 82 platforms in November 2015, as well as Startimes in February 2016, this has helped immensely in bringing the inspirational sermons, healings, deliverance, miracles ministry to the homes of viewers across Africa.
Hence, the Emmanuel TV has been a veritable tool used by the church to propagate the good news of salvation to all mankind; “changing lives, changing nations and changing the whole world”, according to its slogan, since it has audience in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North and South America, with also catch-phrase of, “Distance Is Not A Barrier”.
Therefore, as a nation in need of foreign exchange earnings, and in order to boost the economy of both Lagos State, whose weather conditions are accommodative [high 20s to low 30s Centigrade] all year round with high humidity, and the country at large, it would not be out of place to invest in this opportunity provided by the church; as the number of these religious or pilgrims’ visitors keep increasing.
These two levels of governments can key into this ample avenue to develop a tourism master plan geared towards positioning the country as one of the best tourism destinations in the world. This could be achieved by building new infrastructure and putting in good shape the existing ones just like what obtains in Israel, Saudi Arabia and other countries, which make billions of dollars annually from religious pilgrims.
These amenities range from good road and rail network, properly coordinated air transport system/air routes; even waterways are not left out. Adequate security and uninterrupted power supply are also to be tackled.
Even, giving some palliatives in the form of tax incentives to the operators in the industry would go a long way in encouraging them to increase output.
If these and some other things are put in proper shape in this regard, Nigerian embassies/ High Commissions abroad would record high volume of visa applicants who would be seeking to visit the SCOAN/ the country.
Nigeria through the issuance of visa alone would be raking in millions of dollars, and as expected, while these visitors stay for days/week or more and fulfilling their religious/spiritual needs, definitely foreign currencies will exchange hands.
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