“High Fees in Faith-Based Universities Due to Energy Costs”-Olukoya

Prof. Daniel Olukoya, the General Overseer of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM), has attributed the high tuition fees charged by faith-based universities in Nigeria to the escalating costs of energy required to run these institutions. Speaking at the weekend during an honorary doctorate degree ceremony at the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA), Olukoya, who is also a proprietor of a private university, highlighted energy expenses as a major challenge for these institutions.

“It is not the fault of those proprietors. 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, explaining that despite the challenges, private universities are forced to contend with high operational costs, particularly in terms of energy consumption.

He further elaborated on the impact of financial constraints on staffing at private universities. “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 added, emphasizing that attracting and retaining quality faculty members requires adequate funding.

Olukoya continued to outline the financial burden private universities face, particularly in terms of energy costs. “Running a university on a generator is expensive. In our university, most of the money goes to buying diesel. It is only now that we are installing solar power,” he revealed. The reliance on generators due to Nigeria’s power supply issues has contributed significantly to the rising cost of education in private institutions.

Addressing broader societal issues, Olukoya also spoke about the escalating insecurity in Nigeria, calling 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,” he said, advocating for spiritual solutions to the nation’s challenges.

Olukoya emphasized the need for divine intervention, stating, “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.” His words reflect his belief that prayer and divine guidance are the key to overcoming the nation’s difficulties.