The international community was abuzz during last week as news of TB Joshua’s epochal visit to the Republic of South Sudan spread like wild fire.

When the news of the invitation sent to the world renowned prophet and televangelist to visit the country first broke, the usual skeptics from the prophet’s home country thought it was a fluke. A truly wonderful nation, despite evidences of the prophet’s numerous feats around the world, promoting the image of Nigeria while being feted by presidents, kings and potentates, some still thought this fresh invitation, personally written and signed by President Salva Kiir of South-Sudan himself was a fluke.

But then, as news, pictures and footages of the amazing journey of TB Joshua to Juba, capital city of South-Sudan began to come in, splashed on the pages of credible international media outlets, the skeptics became believers and even the most ardent of Joshua’s critics among his compatriots could not but admit that this was extraordinary.

At a meeting of this reporter with media colleagues during the week the questions on every lip was “Why are our leaders not giving equal honor to this Man of God? Why do we waste what God bless us with only for the international community to embrace and celebrate such? What is really wrong with our country?”

The answer, as they say, is blowing in the wind.

Nevertheless, while Nigerians still dilly-dally about propriety, the world has decided to pass us by by giving honor to whom it is due. Just as it took the Swedish Academy to teach the Nigerian leadership to appreciate Wole Soyinka after years of persecution, many countries around the world and their leaders are teaching their Nigerian counterparts to appreciate the immense gift that TB Joshua is to the point world.

South Sudan is the latest of such discerning countries and The Lagosian proudly brings you pictures from that country where a Nigerian Prophet was invited by the President and welcomed like a visiting Head of State.

By Sola Ojewusi