Seeing Bishop T.D. Jakes for the first time, without him speaking, he would pass for a Nigerian. When he begins to speak and he expresses his audacity, love and understanding of Christ and his approach to the teachings of Christ, he still would pass for a Nigerian. But for his name and his known origin, his identity of being African-American would have been contested.
After over 50 years on earth, Bishop TD Jakes finally reveals that the thoughts or desires of many Nigerians is not improbable. He disclosed during an interview with BBC Igbo service that after tracing his DNA, it landed him in West Africa, in a country called Nigeria and amongst the Igbo tribe.
“It was when Henry Louis Gates who was at Harvard decided to do DNA tests to see where my ancestry came from. Mine traced back to Western Africa, Nigeria in particular. My ancestors where Ibos.
He disclosed this during an interview with BBC Igbo. He starts the interview by expressing his satisfaction of being an Ibo man, by introducing himself in Igbo. “Ndeewo ndi Igbo. Aha m bu Bishop TD Jakes. Ano m na BBC News Igbo.” He further disclosed how he felt discovering his roots.
“It’s indescribable. It gives us something that we African American people don’t have, which is roots. It gave me a better understanding of my roots. It’s very interesting, how similar I am personality-wise, to how Ibo people are described.
He says, the description of Ibos as being, hard-working, industrious with strong business acumen, aggressive in business, progressive thinking are attributes he equally possesses.
It’s been about 3 years since Bishop TD Jakes and other African Americans first disclosed their African ancestry through the help of Henry Louis Gates (Director of the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research at Harvard University).
During the interview, he also touched on slave trade, the challenges of African Americans and his plans to foster a more cordial relationship with his kinsmen.
“The terrible tragedy of trans-atlantic slave trade is not just that we were taken away from our home, and our culture; from our people and our food but we lost our history. African American history is taught from the time of our boat-landing.
“My sons and daughters have all started studying about ancestry, about Ibos and more and more about Africa as we, close the middle passage and reconnect with our brothers and sisters.
TD Jakes is no-stranger to Nigeria and by extension, Africa. His regular visits mainly evangelism driven, and his presence on satellite Christian channels makes him a personality.
He talks of his interest in investing in Africa beyond mission work; considering Nollywood productions and real estate investments through TD Jakes Rev, his real estate firm.
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