Jimmy Swaggart, ogbonge televangelist wey die at di age of 90 bin make news for im following and scandal

BBC News

02-07-2025

US televangelist Jimmy Swaggart, don die at di age of 90 years.
Di family say di preacher bin dey intensive care for hospital afta im bin suffer heart attack for im house for Baton Rouge on 15 June.
"For ova seven decades, Brother Swaggart bin pour out im life to preach di gospel, sing songs of faith, and point millions to di saving power of Jesus Christ and di Baptism of di Holy Spirit," im church tok for inside statement as dem confam im death.
Dis na tins you need to know about di Ogbonge American evangelist.
Life and times of Jimmy Swaggart
Oga Swaggart bin start to broadcast sermons in di 1960s and become a pioneer of televangelism, wey extend im his success into a media empire until one sex scandal ssata eviritin.
For im peak in di 1980s, Oga Swaggart broadcast bin dey reach millions of viewers for more dan 100 kontris and e bring in $140 million a year, along wit sales of gospel albums and branded items wey range from bible study manuals to remake of Jesus crown of thorns.
Im bin describe imself as an "old-fashioned, Holy Ghost-filled, shouting, weeping, soul-winning, Gospel-preaching preacher" to di media.
Im Family Worship Center for Baton Rouge dey sit 7,000 pipo, wia im dey conduct im intense services. Worshipers often dey cry and sometimes speak in tongues - na sign of deep devotion for American Pentecostal faith wey Oga Swaggart bin dey practice.
Im bin dey like to preach about di eternal struggle between good and evil, wey bin include sermons against temptations of di flesh.
For 1988, wen im been dey reign well-well, photographers bin snap oga Swaggart for New Orleans wit a sex worker.
Di fallout increase afta im bin address di incident wit im congregation.
For one televised appearance, im bin beg for forgiveness for im sins as tears roll down for im face.
"To di hundreds of millions wey I don stand bifor … I don sin against una, and I dey beg una to forgive me," im tok. "I don sin against you, my Lord."
Oga Swaggart bifor dis mata bin dey highly critical of oda high-profile preachers, especially those wey get similar scandals. Im bin also make controversial comments about Catholicism and Judaism, e call dem illegitimate faiths.
Tori be say dem catch again wit a sex worker again three years later, dis time na for California.
Im bin no too apologise like im bin do for di first one, "di Lord bin tell me say na none of una business," na so im tok for one broadcast.
Afta di New Orleans scandal, dem comot Oga Swaggart from di ultra-conservative Assemblies of God, one association of Pentecostal churches. Religious network drop im programs and di size of im ministry, wey once be a major employer for Louisiana, shrink.
Legal troubles wey get to do wit tax payments further drain im resources.