The Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) provides Joseph Ayo Babalola University (JABU), Ikeji-Arakeji, Osun State, with ₦30 million monthly to support its operations, the church’s president, Pastor Samuel Oladele, has disclosed.
Oladele made the disclosure on Thursday while speaking with journalists on the university campus during activities marking the institution’s 20th anniversary, highlighting the church’s financial commitment to sustaining the faith-based university.
According to him, CAC initially provided the university with ₦20 million monthly before increasing the amount to ₦30 million as part of its efforts to support the institution’s operations and continued development.
The church president described the establishment of JABU as the product of prayer, planning, consultation, sacrifice and institutional discipline, explaining that the project required sustained commitment to transform the original vision into a functioning university.
He recalled that a Planning and Implementation Committee was inaugurated on January 31, 2002, under the chairmanship of Professor A. M. A. Imevbore to undertake the work of establishing an institution capable of meeting regulatory requirements and serving future generations.
Oladele said the university was established as part of CAC’s determination to contribute to society beyond its spiritual ministry by promoting knowledge, character development, leadership and human capacity building.
He explained that the church initially lacked the financial resources required to establish the institution but continued to pursue the project through faith and commitment.
“When Christ Apostolic Church had nothing, we didn’t have any impact on this project at all. But what we see is a faith-based institution,” he said, reflecting on the journey from the university’s conception to its present stage.
He added that the church’s subsequent monthly financial contributions demonstrated its commitment to keeping the institution operational and supporting its growth.
The president, however, said the university was expected to continue developing beyond dependence on monthly financial support, expressing optimism about its future prospects.
Oladele also emphasised that JABU was designed not merely to award academic degrees but to combine formal education with enterprise, professional competence, character and service.
“Its entrepreneurial orientation reflects the conviction that graduates should be prepared not only to seek opportunities but also to create them,” he said.
The emphasis on entrepreneurship reflects an approach to higher education that seeks to equip graduates with skills to identify opportunities, develop enterprises and contribute to economic activity beyond conventional employment.
Oladele commended the university’s management, members of CAC in Nigeria and abroad, the host community and other supporters for contributing to the institution’s development over the past two decades.
He also noted the significance of Ikeji-Arakeji as the university’s host community, linking the location to the prophetic call of Apostle Joseph Ayo Babalola in October 1928.
The anniversary celebration is themed “Two Decades of Divine Grace, Growth and Glory,” marking 20 years of the institution’s development and its stated commitment to academic learning and character formation.
For JABU, the disclosed monthly contribution represents a significant recurring financial commitment from its founding religious institution. Such support can help sustain university operations, although the long-term stability of a higher education institution also depends on effective financial management, diversified revenue sources, adequate infrastructure and the quality of its academic programmes.
As the university marks its 20th anniversary, the church’s leadership has expressed confidence in its continued development, with entrepreneurship, professional competence and service remaining central to its stated educational mission.
