The Secret Compound: Investigating TB Joshua

Megapastor TB Joshua once commanded one of the largest Christian audiences in the world – with 600 million social media followers and nine heads of state as members of his church. Journalists Charlie Northcott and Helen Spooner give the inside track of how they exposed decades of atrocities inside the pastor’s secretive compound in Nigeria, navigating intimidation, an arrest and a shooting along the way.

Charlie Northcott

Charlie Northcott is a documentary maker and investigative journalist, specialising in organised crime. His films have been nominated for 3 Emmys and won multiple international journalism awards. He was previously listed in Forbes Magazine’s 30 under 30 in the media.

Helen Spooner

Helen Spooner is an award-winning documentary producer/director with a focus on stories about people overcoming adversity. Her work has led her to cover a wide range of topics around the world from the climate crisis to corruption, terrorism and sexual abuse.

4 July 2024 11.20–12.20

Location: LG 01

Talk

Exploitation

Religion

3 July 2024

Spiritual Abuse: Coercion and Forced Labour in Opus Dei

Opus Dei, a conservative group of Da Vinci Code fame, is one of the most powerful organisations in the Catholic Church. Its influence extends beyond religious circles. High-profile Opus Dei members include the late Luis Valls, former president of Banco Popular, Patrick Njoroge, former governor of the Central Bank of Kenya, and Guillermo Lasso, the president of Ecuador until last year.