One tweet about Alleluia Ministries International is at the centre of elites talks
We received an anonymous tip about guests arriving in South Africa to attend the Alleluia Ministries International special program called the International Visitors’ program, so our journalist waited at OR Tambo International airport Johannesburg for the guests to arrive.
Our journalist tried to speak to several people on the list who denied them an interview but later spoke to a European millionaire who was also attending the program. The story of the controversial leader of the church and other information in the media was narrated but shockingly the man discarded all material fact, the story of the dead man as well as allegations of paid miracles at Alleluia Ministries International.
The unfazed visitor spoke of the tweet of Khaya Koko, which I had not seen before the encounter. The visitor had his own proof, a story of his African partner who scored better deals after an encounter with Pastor Alph Lukau. He said “I am not naïve mate, I witnessed a not so smart man become three times better than me on encountering this man, I have to come and see him for myself, forget media, forget stories there is something about this lad”
This made me curious about the tweet of Khaya Sibulele Koko, a fellow journalist and after searching on the influence of the tweet and discussions around it. I was shocked at the type of people discussing this tweet. People one would have expected to be at the fore front condemning the topic are the ones in support of it.
Here are the Tweets:
My trip to “resurrection” Pastor Alph #Lukau‘s Alleluia Ministries International (AMI) where I bought “Holy Oil”, “Prophetic Salt” and his 15-year-old son’s book — totalling a cool R420 — showed me one thing: People who attend AMI are not naive and vulnerable. [A THREAD]. pic.twitter.com/bUEJJ2udFT
— Khaya Sibulele Koko (@khayakoko88) February 28, 2019
In the auditorium, the day after the “miracle” happened, the place was packed and buzzing. Dozens of international congregants, who had spent a weekend in SA, had their luggage and were preparing to depart. But before they left, many were in a long queue waiting to buy goods.
— Khaya Sibulele Koko (@khayakoko88) February 28, 2019
A quick Google search revealed that you need to have taxable income of over €260 533 a year to be considered a top earner. In Rand terms, at the time of writing, this amounted to over R4.1 million a year. Surely this guy can’t be deemed vulnerable, can he?
— Khaya Sibulele Koko (@khayakoko88) February 28, 2019
The American woman runs a small shop in what she said was a largely minority community in New Jersey. She said she opened it 20 years ago and has put her children through school with it. “This was my way of raising them,” she said proudly. Surely she’s also not a naive person?
— Khaya Sibulele Koko (@khayakoko88) February 28, 2019
The Trinidadian woman bought the copies for her teenage children. “I want them to know that nothing in life comes easy. I worked for everything to give them a good life, but they must not relax,” she asserted. She’s also a businesswoman. Could she be naive to attend AMI?
— Khaya Sibulele Koko (@khayakoko88) February 28, 2019
I also had warped views about people attending these churches; gullible people who are skimping from grocery money to buy frivolous “holy” stuff. Boy, was I wrong. In September 2016, @Checkpoint_eNCA reported that women paid Lukau R5 000 for him to pray for them to get married.
— Khaya Sibulele Koko (@khayakoko88) February 28, 2019
So, next time I report on a story where people believe that a man who is sweating buckets and not cold at all is a modern-day Lazarus, I will desist from thinking of them as poor gullible people. It’ll be worth exploring why professionals also believe these “miracles” [The End] pic.twitter.com/NPrhFWmach
— Khaya Sibulele Koko (@khayakoko88) February 28, 2019
Thank you, Sis’Sukoluhle. This was the first time engaging in any way with one of these churches. I’ve never, before this week, entertained anything related to them. All I knew was what I heard in the streets. I’m realising a lot of things as I go along.
— Khaya Sibulele Koko (@khayakoko88) March 1, 2019
Thank you
— Khaya Sibulele Koko (@khayakoko88) March 2, 2019
Thanks for the kind words. However, I’m not Christian. I respect all religions, but I only follow African custom premises on the tenets of Ubuntu.
— Khaya Sibulele Koko (@khayakoko88) March 1, 2019
To understand this more, I contacted Alleluia Ministries and I was told the pastor had already granted a lot of journalists, both internationally and locally interview opportunities and he believes he has explained and narrated his story.
So, what do rich and wealthy elites know that we are missing?
Just like Koko, I am curious and would want to visit Alleluia Ministries International to see and verify exactly what goes on at the church.
On the other hand, I believe Koko’s experience and the discussion on his tweet are one that would have educated many and ensure we rethink our perception and view on certain topics.