Bishop Dr. Barnabas Gbenga is the Founder/Senior Pastor of Rooted to Flourish Ministry International, Chapel of Comfort, Gwagwalada; Abuja. As part of activities to mark his 63rd birthday, he inaugurated his foundation – Gbenga Barnabas Foundation on July 27, 2025; where he spent millions of naira for the first phase of the beneficiaries. In this interview with Nigeria Project, the former journalist-turned preacher and philanthropist, reveals why he established the foundation.
By John Ajayi, Kikelomo Oluwole & Martins Omale
You recently inaugurated your foundation, tell us more about that.
First of all, let me say a very big thank you to the Almighty God. When I went to Bible School in Living Faith Church in Kaduna many years ago, where I received the vision which I’m currently running; God gave me three items – Bible, key and money in different currencies. He then gave me an instruction to go to a place which he showed me. He said, if I get there, I should use the key to open the gate (people were locked inside). And when they come out, I should open the Bible, and preach the word of comfort and hope to them. I should look at them, some of them need money because their clothes were torn and some were hungry. He asked me to give them the currencies so that they can take care of themselves. I want to thank God because the ministry is running – I’m preaching the word, and God is using us to deliver people from bondage.
But recently, the Holy Spirit reminded me that the third aspect of the ministry has not been maximally put to use, as expected – which is empowering people, helping the less-privileged. I said ah! I have been doing it on individual level. But the Holy Spirit said, “No, it’s not enough, you should make it official, bigger and global.” That was the reason I officially inaugurated the Gbenga Barnabas Foundation on July 27, 2025 to reach unto widows, orphans, less-privileged and the vulnerable as means of empowering them globally.
I discovered that in the kingdom of God (talking about the church); poverty is ravaging, which is not supposed to be. Prayer is good, but not enough to pull people out of poverty. The way out of it is to empower people especially the less- privileged. That is why I’m taken the bold steps now, as well as encouraging others especially the rich Christians, to come to the rescue of the kingdom, by helping others in order to reduce poverty in the church. Actually, I didn’t know that it would get to this magnitude. I wanted to start officially on a small scale or low key. But, God who sent me, made the provision. Few days to the inauguration, people were sending money to me from here and there. I told my wife that I have to make it big. That was how we could empower forty people during the inauguration. The amount we spent runs into millions of naira, and I’m hoping that very soon, it will go global. I told them during the inauguration that it wouldn’t be an annual event. It is going to be from time to time. As the Lord helps me, I will be doing it as often as help is coming; and continue to reach out to them.
You usually role out drums to celebrate your birthday, what is rationale behind that?
The book of Psalm 90:12 says, “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” When you numbered your days; your heart will full of gratitude to God. When you remember where you’re coming from, and where God is taking you to, you have every reason to thank God. It’s scriptural to celebrate birthday as a mean of giving thanks to God. Particularly, people like me that people thought I wouldn’t live at all. Devil wanted to kill me at my tender age, afflicted me with sicklier; but, by the mercy of God, I survived. It’s not like these days that we celebrate birthday for our children annually. During my own time, as a child growing up, I didn’t have anybody that could celebrate my birthday. My parents thought I would die early thus, there was no point celebrating. But at thirty, though still a sicklier, I told myself that, “They said I would die at twenty but didn’t, but here at thirty.” I said, “I must celebrate myself.” That was how I started to celebrate birthday for myself at from age thirty till date. And at thirty-two, God healed me, changed my genotype. Today, I’m 63 but strong like twenty-year-old boy – I’m waxing stronger. I told God that I would continue to celebrate my birthday in appreciation of his love over me, to let the people know that you’re the reason of my existence.
One thing is to empower people and another thing entirely is for the beneficiaries to make use of the fund judiciously. What mechanisms are you putting in place to checkmate that?
I told the maiden beneficiaries during the inauguration categorically that, the funds is for them to start business. And those who are already in business, they should use the funds for expansion. I know majority of the beneficiaries, some of them are my church members while others are outside the church – some are living in Kogi State. I told them that I will be coming to see how their businesses are doing from time to time. I promised them that if their businesses are doing well, I will add more funds for them. I have put in place follow-up mechanism to make sure that the funds are judiciously used.
You talked about high rate of poverty in the church, what do you suggest is the way out?
One of the ways to reduce poverty in the church is to preach the gospel and work practically against laziness by embracing hard work. The truth of the matter is that we have a lot of lazy people in the church – they don’t want to work, they think if they pray or do one thing in the church, money will come or manna will fall. But it doesn’t work that way. The book of Psalm 1:3 says, “…and whosoever he doeth shall prosper.” The church should put more emphases on hard work, as well as empowering members into business enterprises. When the breath of God rests upon such enterprises, they will flourish.
Another challenge in the church is that, we have many rich Christians, but they only reach out to pastors, reverends, bishops – it’s good, but not enough. They should extend such magnanimous to the members of the church as well.
I want to also encourage my fellow preachers to take the welfare of their members very serious. It shouldn’t be only collecting and keep collecting from them, we should, as well, extend the hand of love towards them by empowering them. The rich Christians in the church should give money to the less- privileged to either do business or expand their businesses. If the fear that they (members) will misuse the funds is the issue; they should look for the equipment they need for their businesses, purchase and hand them over to them. Those who are into sewing, buy sewing machines for them. Those who are into barbing, buy barbing equipment for them – just like that. If our churches can do this, poverty will be a thing of the past in the house of God.
How do you intend to expand the Foundation to reach a larger society?
We have begun the process of finalizing all the legal requirements in order to become legal entity. We will be having partners all over the world. There is going to be different segments – people in Europe will have their own, Nigeria as well as the entire Africa. It’s going to be a well-structured organisation, to take care of all parts of the vision. That was the plan and mode of operandi. At the moment, it’s being run as a ministry. But if we finish the legal framework and becomes a legal entity, it will be expanded for people all over the world to come and partner with us. I can assure you that very soon, we shall be lending to nations.
What do you think the government at all levels should do to reduce hunger in the land?
The truth of the matter is that the major issue we have in Nigeria is leadership. There are agencies of government that have been in place to fight poverty, but over the years, instead of poverty to reduce, opposite is the case. They earmarked billions of naira annually for that purpose (to fight poverty), but the huge sums of the money, didn’t get to the right people – it usually ends up in private individuals pockets (through embezzlement).
I will appeal to our leaders especially our President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to find way to reduce the high rate of hunger in the land. If anybody tells you that there is no hunger, he or she is economical with the truth – there is much hunger in the land. With the enormous resources that God has given to us as a nation, we are not supposed to be in such pity condition. As clerics, we will do our own part while we continue to pray for them (leaders), so that God can touch their hearts and do the needful, in order to end economic quagmire in the country.
Some Christian leaders say politics is a dirty game and it’s for dirty people; what is your take on that?
From the beginning of my ministry, I preached on politics and encouraged my members to be actively involved in politics. I always discourage them from taking peanuts from politicians to vote for them. They (politicians) come to deceive them with N5, 000. I told them not to mortgage their future with such peanuts. I usually tell them to vote for the candidates they know that can deliver dividends of democracy, even though he/she doesn’t have money to share. Let them vote according to their conscience. The issue of politics is a dirty game or politicians are dirty people are all false. The position of authority is meant for godly people. It’s when we have God-fearing people in leadership positions that we can experience good things. If we continue to leave it for them because it’s dirty, they will continue to produce bad leaders for us. God-fearing Christians should be fully involved in politics. When we have them there, the narrative will change. Bible says, “When the righteous are in the position of authority, people rejoice…” who are the righteous people? They are Christians. Christians are not supposed to be left out of power.
What is the secret of your ever looking young? (Laughter…)
It’s the grace of God. My second name is product of grace. I live my life very simple. I don’t put myself in any unnecessary pressure because I know God is involved. I take care of my health. One of the challenges many preachers are having is that they don’t take care of their health. It is not a sin to go for medical checkpoint. It’s not a sin to take drugs, if the need be. I take care of myself, and God’s grace has been very instrumental to my well-being; that is the secret.
Below are some pictures during the inauguration of the foundation.
