By Akinwale Kasali
It sounds a little odd, but Babcock University has graduated the first set of students in Nigeria to read Church Administration as a Course of study. It has just graduated 17 of them.
In doing this, the University, founded by the Seventh Day Adventist, has confirmed that running a Church is big business as has been proved in Nigeria.
Nigeria not only boasts of more number of Churches than any other country, it has some of the biggest Pentecostal Churches in the world, whose founders rank as some of the richest in the world.
Not only do they own private jets, they own Universities, Hospitals, financial institutions and hundreds of properties. They are, at once, businessmen, entrepreneurs and investors.
The 17 pioneer graduates, many Nigerians say are, therefore, not likely to look for jobs. They either get employed by the existing Churches, or they found their own.
Lauding the University for what he sees as a feat, , the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Tayo Ademola, said the graduands are the first fruits of the University in its collaboration with the Church Administration Society of Nigeria (CASON).
In his address at the Graduation ceremony held in Babcock’s Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State campus, Ademola said, “I wish to congratulate the graduands for sticking to the battle to the end. They are the first fruits of our relationship with CASON in their bid to foster greater professionalism in the administration of Churches in Nigeria.”
He further affirmed, “If there is a need for Church workers to get or receive more training, the time is now. The world is getting more sophisticated and so are the members of our different Churches.”
In his own remarks, CASON President, Pastor Seyi Oladimeji said, “By providence, our partnership with Babcock University was birthed in August 2017, followed by two years of intense preparation and today, we witness the graduation ceremony of the first set of University diplomates in Church Administration; a first in the history of the Church in Nigeria.”
Oladimeji concluded by saying, “The Church is a critical stakeholder in the building and development of a Nation; to give direction towards peace and progress. Therefore, the Nigerian Church must rise to the challenges of our country. Hence the need for the upscaled training of Church workers and stakeholders.”
The 17 diplomates, sourced by CASON, comprise of General Overseers, Pastors and Career-minded Church Administrators.
Already the second stream of candidates have been admitted for the 2021 Executive Diploma in Church Administration with registration ongoing, while the partners, CASON and Babcock Hope plan to institute an Executive MBA in Church Administration in future.
