Popular Nigerian gospel music minister Bishop Nathaniel Berenugo a.k.a Praise Machine is among the distinguished Nigerian gospel ministers that will be honored with Akwa Ibom Reconnects Living Legends Award holding Sunday August 3, 2025 at Sure Word Assembly Amuwo, Lagos.
The big frame gospel artist will climb the award podium with the likes of Dr. Edward & Pastor Aity Inyang (the hosts), Rev. Ben & Pastor Mrs.Eragbai, Dr. Tony Rapu, Archbishop Mathias Inyang and Apostle James Idongesit among others as recipients of the Akwa Ibom Reconnects Living Legends Award.
PRAISE MACHINE PROFILE
Bishop Nathaniel Berenugo (popularly called Praise Machine) is a famous Bayelsa State-born gospel music minister, producer and worshiper. He has been in the gospel music ministry full time about 30 years now with a couple of outstanding recorded albums to his credit.
Some of his best-selling gospel album titles include, Baba You, Inside Jesus No Wahala and Jesus Will Never Fail.
Bishop Nath Berenugo studied music at the late Bishop Iloputafie’s Victory Gospel Church in 1986 when he joined the church choir. Due to his musical prowess and talent he was later formally ordained a pastor in the church.
Upon his ordination as Pastor at Victory Gospel Church the then amiable budding Gospel singer proceeded to Word of Faith Bible Institute, (WOFBI) and also attended some other Bible colleges where he was formally equipped theologically for the ministry work before he finally launched out as gospel music minister.
” I came out to become full time on the job and God has been faithful to me. He has helped me to travel wide within and outside Nigeria with my music.”
How did he arrive at his famous stage or brand name, Praise Machine? “The name Praise Machine was given to me over 20 years ago when I was leading praise worship at a programme, and someone from the congregation just remarked that this boy is a machine, and that sticks. And I decided to adopt Praise Machine as my brand name and over
the years many people have been calling me Praise Machine.”
Despite his gargantuan size Praise Machine flexibly mesmerizes energetically while performing as if he is upped with anabolic steroids in his system.
But none of that. He explained to Christian Benefits magazine that what distinguishes a good performer is gift and not ability and disclosed that he finds it very easy to carry his biggy frame on stage because of God’s natural endowment upon his life, which he said surpasses learning and ability.
He explains, “If you are naturally gifted with unique talents in any area of acting, it will be very easy for you to perform unusual agility in your area of gifting. But if you just learned the act you won’t find it easy to express or display unnatural agility.
“The size of my body does not impede my body carriage in whatever bend, direction, shaking or twisting I feel like while performing. It comes just naturally,” he expressed.
Although Praise Machine regards American Grammy Award winning gospel singer, Donnie Mcclurkin as his foremost role model, he expresses that he has greater agility than Mcclurkin because of his African dance background, particularly from the stock he comes from in the South-South Nigeria renowned for their famous Owigirri dance which is the hallmark of his stage razzmatazz.
Bishop Nathaniel Berenugo (a.k.a Praise Machine) grew up in the famous slum of Ajegunle,l in Lagos. He studied
marketing at Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH) before coming into gospel ministry, which initially did not get the backing of his parents.
At a point Paise Machine he veered into church running as a pastor but the effort failed.
From Badagry to Iwo, Ibadan, Sagamu and back to Lagos, he searched for career fulfillment until he returned to his music calling as Music Director of Praise Chapel under Rev. Nwachukwu Okoye where he released his first album, Inside Jesus No Wahala followed by Jesus Will Never Fail.
The BAME Award winning Praise Machine is reputed as an encyclopedia of the names and contacts of numerous high calibre Nigerian preachers of substance due to his seamless relationship and free flow interaction with the ‘Who’s Who’ among Nigerian famous preachers across the states of the country.
The effervescent Praise Machine was ordained Bishop some few years ago becoming the first Gospel music bishop in Nigeria.
Some of Praise Machine contemporaries in gospel music include the now late Sammie Okposo, Buchi, Tope Alabi and Faith Ajiboye among other top Nigerian gospel acts
The amiable, humble and friendly Bishop Nathaniel Berenugo (Praise machine) is happily married to his beautiful wife since September 2007.