From Tony John, Port-Harcourt

Apostle Chibuzor Gift Chinyere is Founder and General Overseer of Omega Power Ministries Worldwide (OPM) with headquarters in Port-Harcourt. Over the years, the ministry has gained a global reputation for its incredible philanthropic activities, with free schools for thousands of students, free hospitals, free restaurants and free estates for indigent persons. The ministry also has more than 3000 young people on scholarships in Europe, Asia, North America and other parts of the world.

In this interview with Saturday Sun, Apostle Chinyere spoke on several issues ranging from his family background, education, why and how he started OPM, his philanthropic spirit, and other issues.

Besides your work and philanthropy, not much is known about you, your growing up years, education, call into the ministry. Could you take us through all these?

By the grace of God, I was born on 22nd of October,  1973, here in Rivers State. I am from Ukwa East Local Government Area in Abia State. My father is from that place while my mother is from Idemili Local Government Area, Anambra State. I schooled at Seabed Nursery School to Army Children School, from there to Government Technical College. But, due to financial constraint, I did not finish secondary school. I started doing things myself. First, I was repairing video tapes. Later, I decided to embark on a journey to Lagos. My parents were members of the Jehovah’s Witness. When I went to Lagos, I didn’t know anybody. I slept under the bridge. While in Lagos, I used to hustle, or what Igbo people call, Igba oso ahia in Oshodi. From there, somebody connected me to work as a cleaner at Murtala Muhammed International Airport. I also worked as a security guard. I did several menial jobs until I met Christ. Even when I went to Lagos, I was still attending Jehovah’s Witness. I became born again in a particular church – I have forgotten the name of the church. But I found out that I was not growing spiritually. I decided to leave the church. When I became born again, I was so excited and wanted to know about God. I was born with a special gift of healing. I discovered that when I told people things, it happened. Even when I was at the Army Children School, there was an incident that occurred. I went with a boy to pluck fruits. He fell down.  I didn’t know what moved me. I laid my hand on him. You know, Jehovah’s Witnesses do not believe in miracles. But then, the power was there. Suddenly, the boy woke up. When I got home, I told my mum, but she cautioned me to be careful, so that my dad would not get angry with me. That was when my mum called me Gift. My father called me Chibuzor. But, after my mother started seeing some strange happenings in and around me, she named me Gift. When I encountered Christ, I started attending the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM). It was in MFM I got baptised. I was not a pastor in MFM. From there, the gifts started manifesting. God was mightily doing something in my life. As God was using me to do great miracles, then, I started praying more. They say charity begins at home; then, I returned home and prayed for them. My family was liberated; my brother secured employment and later travelled. By then, I had left Lagos and returned to Port Harcourt. However, through my elder brother’s support, I opened a shop where I was selling recharge cards and doing phone call business at No. 608 Ikwerre Road, by Chakiricha Bus Stop, next to Igbuluchi Estate, Port Harcourt. I am mentioning names and places so that people can go and verify what I am saying. But while I was doing that business, God was mightily using me to do His work in the lives of those that came to me for prayers. I was contemplating travelling abroad. So, I went back to Lagos. By then, I had saved some money plus the money my elder brother gave to me. I had also secured a South African visa. I boarded a night bus to Lagos. I didn’t sleep. I put my money and travelling documents inside the snickers I wore inside my trousers. As we were entering Jibowu, when I touched the area where I put the money and my documents, which I knew were inside, everything had disappeared. I screamed. They were gone. But, that moment, messages have been coming that I should go back to Port Harcourt. I didn’t want to come back. My mind was to travel out. But while I was crying because of my missing money and travelling documents, a man came to me physically and said, ‘the Lord said I should tell you, go back to Port Harcourt.’ He walked away. I was angry and tired. I asked myself, is it to go back to the recharge cards business and be praying for people? I reached Third Mainland Bridge. I wanted to jump into the river.

Why?

I was tired of life. But while I wanted to jump into the river, I saw a big television-like screen. I saw hellfire. That picture withheld me. I was confused. I didn’t know where to go or stay. I have lost everything. All my hope was on that international passport and all the money I had saved. In fact, it’s a long story. I finally came back to Port Harcourt. There was a man called Subaz Oil; he had a daughter who was sick. He had taken her to many places for treatment but no way. But, someone directed him to me. I prayed for her and she was healed. He asked me what I wanted him to do for me. I told him I needed a land to start a church. He bought the land for me and the church started. After church service, I found out I went home without money. All the offering collected, I shared it to helpless members. There is a church called Faith Service Church, along Stadium Road, Port Harcourt.  I was invited to minister at the church. By then, I did not have a house, no car. I was sleeping in my shop. After service, all the offering they collected for me, I gave them to the poor people there and trekked home. My concern is to change people’s lives and not wealth. So, that was how I found myself doing the work of God. I did not attend any Bible training school. My own calling is direct from God. If anyone can say this is the Bible training school I attended, I will resign. I continued doing God’s work and also serving humanity

You also rehabilitated sex workers and criminals. How did you do it?

Those years I was doing my phone call business, when I had not opened OPM, I used to go to Rumuola to preach to those girls there. Out of 20 that gave their lives to Christ, if I got back the next day, I would see only half. The rest would be nowhere to be found. When I asked the rest why they came back into the same business, they would ask me if I gave them jobs. So, when I opened OPM and money started coming, I built an estate, furnished it and went back to the same place. I preached to them. When they repented, I took them to the estate where they were taken care of and I started a business for them. Also, I went to a hotel called Cool Breeze in Diobu, Port Harcourt, and emptied it. I went there with a luxury bus, preached to them and took them to the OPM Estate. I also go to the creeks where these boys are. I don’t go there with any security. I go there alone, preach to them and they give their lives to God and surrender their guns. I am saying this, the Inspector General of Police can investigate, call the Commissioner of Police. The amount of guns that OPM has recovered and handed over to the police, no one has recovered such cache of guns. Go and make your inquiry. If they say there was not such a thing, then, everything I’ve been telling you is a lie.

You rehabilitated the parents and siblings of Deborah, the student murdered by a mob in Sokoto. How have they been faring? Do you personally monitor their progress?

By the grace of God, that relocation I did for Late Deborah’s family to Port Harcourt saved Nigeria from crisis. The killing of that girl could have resulted to a big religious crisis in this country between Muslims and Christians. But, by the grace of God and His direction, I went in and relocated her family members. I put them in an estate of 14 flats. I gave the father a car, opened a big restaurant for the mother and sent the son abroad on scholarship. The remaining children are attending OPM Free School. Last Christmas, I sent rice to the family from the OPM Rice Farm.

You also rehabilitated Nigeria’s actor, Kenneth Jideofor, alias Aguba. How is he doing now? Is he now married?

He is doing well. When I got the news of him sleeping on the streets, I said, ‘this is a veteran; I know him. So, I sent somebody to bring him. They brought him. I have about 18 free estates where people live and don’t pay a dime as rent. I put him in one of them and employed someone to be taking care of him. He is not willing to marry yet.

There must be something behind this your unusual philanthropic spirit. Can you tell Nigerians?

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Love. Bible says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son…” Sometimes, I give even the one I will eat and I stay hungry. People who know me can testify to this. I do whatever I am doing with great joy because God is rewarding the church through these gestures. I have a scholarship scheme. I send people to USA, UK, Canada, Cyprus, Poland, Turkey. All these places are European countries; you can work, but the school fees are high. Now, I discovered a school in Benin Republic, ESM University. It was when the dollar was high. Then I decided to try African countries. I have more than 3,000 persons on OPM Scholarship Scheme. I paid for their school fees for three years, their accommodation for three years. Suddenly, there was a problem. I put a matron to monitor them. I was receiving calls that some of the girls sneak out at night. I called one of them and said, “do you know that it is the tithe and offering from the altar of God that I used in sending you on scholarship? She said that it was out of hunger.’ Tears came out of my eyes. Remember, most of these children on scholarship are from poor families. I called the school authorities and asked for space to build a restaurant in the school. And that was done. I employed a cook and placed the cook on salary to be cooking free meals for all the students.

How can other ministers of God emulate your kind of philanthropic spirit?

Well, people come to church, they drop offering in the box. The offering does not belong to the pastor. The tithe does not belong to the pastor. There is a difference between someone coming to give you a gift and when the person is dropping the tithe in the box. The gift given directly to you belongs to you. But, the one dropped in the offering or tithe box does not belong to you. It belongs to God. And the best way to make God happy is by using that money for God’s people. God’s money is for God’s work.

People say that God blesses those who help the poor. How true is this belief or assertion with regard to your ministry?

Whatever work you are doing in the name of God to help the poor and needy in the society, it doesn’t go without a reward from God. And that is what we are doing and God is rewarding the church.

In what ways can philanthropy such as you are practising today help the propagation of the gospel?

When somebody comes to you and say, pastor, I have not eaten for three days, and you replied, ‘Father, I pray, provide food for this stomach in the name of Jesus.’  Jesus fed people and said ‘Father, I thank you for this food.’  Food will not drop from heaven. God must pass through someone to give that food. God will not throw school fees from heaven. He must pass through somebody to pay the school fees. God will not give somebody a house from heaven; He must pass through somebody to give free accommodation. God will not throw scholarship from heaven, He must pass through somebody to give that scholarship to someone. Use God’s money for God’s people.

Critics say that people hear much about your philanthropic deeds than other aspects of the gospel when it comes to your ministry. What answer do you have for those who feel that way?

What is gospel? It is to convert souls. I have more than 500 girls I picked from the streets. Go to Aluu, ask people about OPM Estate for girls. These are girls who were into prostitution. Go and verify. They are no longer into prostitution. They are learning trades. That is what gospel is all about. I was once a sinner. I’m no longer the same again. Some of them have finished their apprenticeship and have opened their own businesses. We are talking about practical Christianity. It is not just to carry the microphone every Sunday and shout. It is going and reaching out to those perishing and save their souls. For Christ’s sake, what is church? Church is not the building. Church is the people inside the building. If you go through the Bible, you find how many times did you see Jesus went to preach to in the synagogue? Most of his preaching was in streets, reaching the people directly, reaching the people on their needs. That is gospel. Let me tell you, if the rapture happens today, the building will not be raptured. It is the people in the building. Why not concentrate on the people than on the building? The money I use in sending one or two persons abroad for study can put factory-fitted air conditioners in this church. The building will not be raptured on the last day. It is the people that would be raptured. For you to be able to convince a kidnapper to surrender his gun, what other gospel do you have to give? I have collected guns from kidnappers and armed robbers. These are people who were deadly criminals. Currently, nine of them are serving God as pastors. You can investigate what I am telling you. These are people who were dreaded in their communities. Gospel is about converting perishing souls to God.

In a religiously divided country like Nigeria, are there people under your philanthropic care that are not members of your church or do not belong to the Christian religion?

Okay, I will take an example now. We have a Free School in Elekpokpodu here in Rivers State. Anybody can go there and ask for the Muslims in the school. They are full members of the school, not members of OPM. If you go to Harold Wilson Drive, the building was formerly a bank. I bought the property and turned it to a free school. If you go there and ask for Muslims, they will bring them out. I don’t discriminate. It is for everybody.  On the scholarship scheme, there are Muslims who are also beneficiaries. 

The criteria we use in getting the beneficiaries are through examination, which is announced on radio and social media. Then, if you go to the Free Hospital, it is meant for everyone, irrespective of religious background. Nobody pays a dime. All services are free of charge. When you are discharged from the hospital, we give you transport money. Where is this done anywhere in the world? I want somebody to come out and challenge me on this.  The hospital apartments are all in suites and fully furnished. It is not like an open ward.  All doctors are well qualified.

Some people often confuse your ministry, Omega Power Ministries (OPM), with Omega Fire Ministries (OFM), founded by Apostle Suleiman. What is the difference between the two ministries in terms of focus and style of ministration?

I don’t think there is any much difference. Apostle Suleiman happens to be a very powerful man of God whose focus is heaven. Also, Omega Power Ministries of Apostle Chibuzor is also focused on heaven. So, we are gathering souls for the end time rapture.