It took 12 years to establish Mountain Top University – Olukoya

General Overseer of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries, Dr. Daniel Olukoya, has revealed that it took the church 12 years to establish Mountain Top University, which was officially inaugurated yesterday with about 220 pioneer students for academic activities.

He made the revelation while addressing audience during official opening and matriculation ceremony of the university, located within the premises of Prayer City, Ibafo, Ogun State.

Wife of Lagos State Governor, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode; Senator Oluremi Tinubu, Professor Tolu Odugbemi, wife of general overseer of the mission, Pastor Shade Olukoya, and Director of Private Universities’ Establishment, National Universities Commission, Professor Akaneren Essien, are among dignitaries at the event.

Olukoya, a former lecturer and expert in Molecular Biology, noted that the university had to walk that long journey to enable it provide state-of-the-art facilities, qualified manpower as well as fulfill all necessary conditions as stipulated by the National Universities Commission for the new university to take-off.

While disclosing that the university, which he declared open exactly at 12:16pm was an offshoot of his 70-point agenda designed to rescue youths from the streets and prepare them to become useful to themselves, families and the society, Olukoya pointed out that the university was not for commercial purposes.

He disclosed that the university would cater for indigent but brilliant students using scholarship endowment funds to finance their education, noting that 15 scholarship slots were already on ground for grabs.

The general overseer, who is also the visitor to the university, however, urged the new intakes to be diligent and remain committed to their studies and shun all forms of ill practices, including immorality and cultism.

In his address, Vice-Chancellor of the university, Professor Elijah Ayolabi, said the management would do Aswhat is required to achieve the vision and mission of the university.

He disclosed that the fully residential university was starting with two colleges, Basic and Applied Sciences as well as Humanities, Management and Social Sciences, both running 15 courses that have been duly accredited by the NUC.

The vice-chancellor, who is a Professor of Applied Geophysics from the University of Lagos, Akoka, said it was because the university is not after monetary benefit that it is charging fees that are not only affordable, but very low compared to the quality of service and facilities that will be available to students.

He disclosed that the university, which he said would admit any qualified student irrespective of their religion and ethnic backgrounds, would have charged each student something close to N2 million per session if quality of service and facilities to enjoy are considered, but charged between N450, 000 and N520, 000 per session depending on courses of study with those in sciences paying higher so as to make it very affordable.