By Lukman Omikunle
Gateway Front Foundation, founded by Gbenga Daniel, marks 25 years with 300 free surgeries in Ogun and pledges expanded healthcare, scholarships and empowerment
Gbenga Daniel’s GFF Marks 25 Years with 300 Free Surgeries
The Gateway Front Foundation (GFF), founded by former Ogun State Governor and Senator Otunba Gbenga Daniel, has marked its 25th anniversary with a humanitarian milestone, celebrating a team of 40 American doctors and paramedics who performed about 300 free surgical procedures in Ogun State.
Daniel, the foundation’s founder and chairman, commended the visiting medical volunteers from Sharing Hope Medical Mission, USA, for bringing relief to hundreds of patients during a two-week medical mission sponsored locally by GFF, with beneficiaries paying nothing for the procedures.
He spoke at a luncheon held in honour of the medical team, which also provided an opportunity to reflect on the foundation’s 25 years of humanitarian service and outline its priorities for the next quarter-century.
“Behind every successful surgery is a human story,” Daniel said, describing the impact of medical intervention on patients battling pain, families burdened by anxiety and individuals given a fresh opportunity to live healthier lives.
He told the visiting doctors and paramedics that medicine was “not merely a profession but also a noble calling to serve humanity,” commending their willingness to travel to Nigeria and dedicate their expertise to patients in need.
The former Ogun governor particularly praised the team leader, Dr Emeka, while acknowledging Juliet Achilike and Amra for facilitating the collaboration that brought the medical mission to the state.
Daniel also expressed appreciation to Pastor Enoch Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, and the management of Redeemed Health Village, where the surgical procedures took place.
He commended the facility’s Chief Operating Officer, Lady Laura, for coordinating the mission amid the daily arrival of hundreds of patients, while also thanking Dr Dada and the wider Redeemed Health Village team for their cooperation.
The medical outreach formed a central part of the foundation’s silver jubilee celebrations, underscoring healthcare as one of its longstanding areas of intervention. By sponsoring the local cost of the surgeries, GFF helped remove a major financial barrier for beneficiaries who might otherwise have struggled to access the procedures.
Reflecting on the foundation’s journey since its establishment around 2000, Daniel said its activities had been guided by the conviction that everyone deserved to live with dignity, regardless of economic circumstances.
Over the years, GFF has supported vulnerable residents through scholarships, medical assistance, interest-free microcredit for small businesses and the provision of agricultural equipment to farmers. Its interventions have also included donations of hundreds of wheelchairs to persons with disabilities, work tools for artisans and vehicles and other empowerment resources for beneficiaries.
The foundation’s programmes are designed to address immediate needs while helping individuals and households build more sustainable livelihoods. Its combination of healthcare, education and economic empowerment reflects an approach that seeks to provide relief while creating opportunities for greater independence.
In education, GFF operates a scholarship scheme for indigent Ogun State students attending tertiary institutions across Nigeria. It has also supported schools through donations of books and library equipment, with the broader objective of improving access to learning for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Its economic empowerment initiatives include interest-free revolving microcredit for market traders, artisans and women, alongside the distribution of functional equipment such as sewing machines, grinding equipment, motorcycles, commercial vehicles and agricultural tractors.
The foundation has also undertaken humanitarian relief and food support initiatives aimed at helping vulnerable households cope with economic hardship and rising living costs.
Daniel said GFF intended to build on these interventions over the next 25 years by deepening its medical outreach, expanding scholarship opportunities, promoting vocational training and youth development, and increasing access to microcredit.
He added that the foundation would sustain its support for persons with disabilities and farmers while strengthening the institutions and processes required to ensure its programmes remained effective.
According to him, the next phase of the foundation’s work must be anchored on good governance, transparency and measurable results, with its interventions assessed by the practical difference they make in the lives of beneficiaries.
The GFF chairman also used the anniversary to appeal to well-to-do Nigerians to embrace philanthropy, stressing that meaningful giving was not restricted to people with enormous financial resources.
“A scholarship, a medical intervention, a business tool or support for a struggling family can change the course of someone’s life,” he said.
Daniel acknowledged that government bore the primary responsibility for providing public services but argued that individuals, companies, religious organisations and charitable foundations also had important roles to play in complementing public efforts.
He urged Nigerians with the capacity to help others to identify needs within their communities and support practical interventions that could improve lives, expand opportunities and restore hope to vulnerable people.
As the foundation looks beyond its silver jubilee, the chairman called on its members, donors and partners to renew their commitment to its humanitarian vision and strengthen the collective effort to reach more people in need.
The 25th anniversary, marked by the medical mission and the recognition of its volunteers, provided an opportunity to highlight the role of partnerships in delivering essential services to underserved communities.
For the beneficiaries of the two-week outreach, the impact was immediate: access to surgical care without having to pay for the procedures. For the foundation, the mission represented a continuation of its longstanding emphasis on healthcare and social support.
As GFF begins its next 25 years, its stated priorities point to an expanded focus on healthcare access, education, skills development and economic empowerment, with Daniel urging greater participation from individuals and institutions willing to contribute to the welfare of their communities.
