I agree Snare & Racket and having two “plants”.....I mean sons in Bethel, probably also “type A” personalities, to smooth the way probably helps, too.
Id say he greased a fair few palms alright....he’s often bragged his family is rich (not really true by the way). His wife was ‘born in’ so she may have had an influential uncle or something.....NB Toni had only been baptized 6 months when they got married so I highly doubt he was at least a ministerial servant (remember his awful talk?) at the time!!!
edit: Pete za hut I was thinking that too. Born ins are trained not to say boo to a goose if they’re not in charge so he would have found it easy to get them all ship shape and in line!!🤣On the other hand a convert is more likely to put their foot in it and not pick up the myriad unspoken cues witnesses notice. It also looks good to have a few converts in the ranks given their theology. If everyone at the top was raised in it doesn’t fit with their idea of what the true religion should look like.