The Founder of Mountain Top University (MTU), Dr Daniel Olukoya, says the institution “is always at the back of the poor” to ensure they have access to quality education through a scholarship scheme.
According to him, like himself, the University recognises the huge financial burden in the way of the children of the poor in Nigeria to acquire University education and therefore places high premium in catering to their needs.
Olukoya, also General Overseer of Mountain of Fire (MFM) Worldwide, stated these at the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) in Ondo State, after his conferment with an Honorary Doctorate degree in Management Sciences.
He was reacting to questions on why Faith-Based Universities in Nigeria are expensive for the children of the poor to attend.
Olukoya said, “The reality is that Universities are expensive to run. To get a top-notch University, you must invest in quality learning equipment, academic gadgets, among others; they are also expensive to procure.
“But the current situation is that if you cannot pay good money to lecturers or Professors, you won’t get good teachers. And if you run a private University and are paying less than federal Universities, you will not get good Professors.”
Olukoya also explained that the cost of financing and paying salaries contribute to “high” fees.
“A large chunk of the money goes to electricity, diesel, but we are now installing solar panels and inverter as alternative to the conventional sources of energy”, he emphasised.
Highlighting other packages the school has in place for the poor, Dr. Olukoya said, “At the MTU, we offer rebate to pastors’ children apart from the scholarship scheme. We also have endowment fund to cater to the needs of the poor as well as rebate for members.”
He assured the public that he knows how it feels to be poor.
“I am one of them. I am always supportive of the poor because I know how difficult it was for me to get to the University. My parents didn’t have the money,” Olukoya said.
On the issue of insecurity in Nigeria, Olukoya advocated for divine intervention through prayer.
“There is only one weapon that can kill any problem, and it is prayer. No matter how strong the problem is, prayer can dismantle it,” the cleric said.
He emphasised that Nigeria needs divine intervention.
“What we need in Nigeria is divine intervention. Let God intervene in what we are doing. Divine intervention is greater than human intellect. From what is happening in the world, you can see that God is showing mankind that they are helpless,” he said.
