By Izunna Okafor


In line with the age-long maxim that he who gives to the poor gives to Jesus Christ, a philanthropist, Chief Gilbert Ezenagu has shared bags of rice to the less privileged, the disabled and the widows in Ebenator, Nnewi South Local Government Area of Anambra State, in celebration of Prophet T.B. Joshua's legacy.

During the distribution of the bags of rice, which recently took place in his residence in Ebenator, the philanthropist of note also shared money to the beneficiaries.

In an interview with our reporter, Chief Gilbert Ezenagu decried the rate of hunger in the country, which, he said, produces a chain of negative effects and contributes increasingly to the crime rate in the society.

He juxtaposed Nigeria with some countries, such as China, which he said, has the highest population in the world but has low crime rate, as a result of availability and affordability of food in the country, even as he attributed the difference and increasing crime rate in Nigeria to the hunger and food insufficiency in the country; hence the need for almsgiving.

Chief Ezenagu explained that giving to the needy is giving to God and attracts God's blessings and favour, in addition to many other ways God pays back to the giver as the divine rewarder.

While testifying of how God miraculously blessed him, he revealed that he learnt the act of almsgiving from the Founder of Synagogue Church of all Nations Late Prophet Temitope Balogun Joshua, popularly known as Prophet T.B. Joshua, in memory of whose legacy he distributed the bags of rice and money to the needy.

According to him, Prophet T.B. Joshua, who was buried few weeks ago, was a great man of God and good disciple of Jesus Christ who followed Christ's footstep till death. He also disclosed that he himself learnt a lot from the life and ministry of Prophet T.B. Joshua, especially the act of giving and assisting the needy, which is also biblically founded, as was exemplified by Christ himself.

He said, "T.B. Joshua was the person who motivated and taught me that the best way of living life is by helping the poor, helping the less privileged, the disabled... That is one of the biggest things I learnt from him. And he made it a point that we should be the one to look out for those in need. So, he is the pillar of this thing that I just did; and that is the way he wants us to celebrate his legacies."

Continuing, he said, "This is one of the major legacies Prophet T. B. Joshua left behind —living for the people. He taught him to understand that this is the right and best way to say Amen to our prayers. This is the real Amen, and not actually the one we say orally when we finish praying. This was the foundation Christ laid; He went around doing good, helping the poor. He said that when you give food to this people, you've given to Him; and that when you clothe them, you have clothed him. So it is obvious in the scripture."

Chief Gilbert Ezenagu also testified that Late Prophet T.B. Joshua was the pillar that God used to make him what he is today, adding that "whatever I am today is by the Grace of God in the life of Prophet T.B. Joshua."

He also shared a testimony of how he finally encountered T.B. Joshua when all hope were lost, and how God miraculously used the Prophet to turn things around in his life and change his life story entirely, after many years of wandering from one country to another and from one business to the other in search of greener pastures, having lost everything he had in 1999.

The philanthropist, Chief Ezenagu used the opportunity to thank God for the life of Prophet T.B. Joshua who availed himself to be used by God to positively change many lives and nations of the world.

He pledged to continue emulating and following the footsteps of his Mentor, Prophet T.B. Joshua and sustaining his philanthropic legacies. He also called on other privileged and well-to-do individuals in the society to always remember and unconditionally assist the poor and the needy around them, as that is one of the surest ways of attracting God's matchless blessings and favour, being himself a testimony of what God can do.

Legacy of Tb Joshua, forever in our heart! man of God.

Very noble of you sire!!
God bless you and yours

It shall be well with you sir. More grease.