President and founder of the Living Faith Church aka Winners Chapel Worldwide, Bishop David Oyedepo, has defended what many consider to be the exorbitant tuition fees charged by the church’s schools, describing the provision of quality education as an expensive venture.

Oyedepo defended the fees while addressing journalists on Friday in Ota, Ogun State, at a media chat organised as part of activities to celebrate his 60th birthday coming up on September 27, 2014.

Private schools, especially faith-based ones in the country, including Covenant and Landmark universities, owned by the church, are often criticised for being too expensive for average Nigerians to afford.

But the popular cleric highlighted some of the church’s humanitarian programmes which include providing scholarships and bursary awards to assist disadvantaged and brilliant students.

He said, “I’m sure we all agree that education is expensive. Education carries cost; nothing of value is free. Our mission for years long, before we started any university or secondary school, was a bursary awarding church and we have not stopped doing that till tomorrow”.

Oyedepo said that the church was committed to providing quality education to youths, adding that many Nigerians complain about the cost of education in private universities because they have got their priorities misplaced.

“Our problem most of the time is priority; an average Nigerian can spend N1m on burial but to spend N200,000 on education (is a problem), because of wrong priority.

“On a yearly basis, we have N1.5trn that Nigerians spend to overseas universities, so people thrive on it. Nigerians spend N463bn a month on recharge cards, how much are they paying for schools fees? So it’s all a matter of priority. This is the largest market for telephone in the world. Now, to pay N500,000, some people have only one son, they have huge business and houses all over the places, they will never pay it”.

Speaking further, Oyedepo, who seems to have developed thick skin to many controversial reports about him on the social media, revealed that it is a waste of time to respond to his critics.

He said, “My understanding of opposition, persecution is simply someone’s opinion harshly expressed. Everybody has a right to his opinion. Today, millions follow after Christ but you will be surprised that when you get to Israel some people do not believe that Christ has come.

“People have rights to their opinions. I naturally don’t feel it’s necessary (to respond). The energy I would need to react, I can use it to make moves. I have enough to think about than start running after a man who says you are a fool.

“If he says you are a fool and you are behaving so, then he’s right. If you leave your job and start pursuing somebody who says you are a fool, he has already said so, your going around doesn’t change it. So why going around, why don’t you settle on your job and make moves?

“I’ve also come to understand that those who make news hardly watch them, they are so busy making news while others are busy watching”.
Asked about the challenges he has faced in life and in his ministry, Oyedepo said he had never focused on his challenges but rather, has been fuelled by them.

He said, “Life essentially is full of challenges, it is those challenges that make champions. You can’t emerge a heavy weight boxing champion except you receive punches. You can’t change classes in school except you write exams.

“So to me, life is an adventure in challenges and I’ve said often that it is normal to be challenged but it’s unscriptural to be defeated. Challenges are the stepping stones for the making of champions”.

In 1981, at the age of 27, Oyedepo, who would later become a household name in Nigeria and beyond, started his ministry in Ilorin, Kwara State and sited his first church two years later in Kaduna State.

At the media chat, he said that the church, which had humble beginnings, is now located in 63 countries in the world and that the Faith Tabernacle, Ota, where he is the presiding Bishop, plays host to “over 200,000 worshippers every Sunday morning in four services”.

http://endougs..com/2014/09/oyedepo-defends-fees-charged-by-private.html

Endougs: President and founder of the Living Faith Church aka Winners Chapel Worldwide, Bishop David Oyedepo, has defended what many consider to be the exorbitant tuition fees charged by the church’s schools, describing the provision of quality education as an expensive venture.
Oyedepo defended the fees while addressing journalists on Friday in Ota, Ogun State, at a media chat organised as part of activities to celebrate his 60th birthday coming up on September 27, 2014.
Private schools, especially faith-based ones in the country, including Covenant and Landmark universities, owned by the church, are often criticised for being too expensive for average Nigerians to afford.
But the popular cleric highlighted some of the church’s humanitarian programmes which include providing scholarships and bursary awards to assist disadvantaged and brilliant students.
He said, “I’m sure we all agree that education is expensive. Education carries cost; nothing of value is free. Our mission for years long, before we started any university or secondary school, was a bursary awarding church and we have not stopped doing that till tomorrow”.
Oyedepo said that the church was committed to providing quality education to youths, adding that many Nigerians complain about the cost of education in private universities because they have got their priorities misplaced.
“Our problem most of the time is priority; an average Nigerian can spend N1m on burial but to spend N200,000 on education (is a problem), because of wrong priority.
“On a yearly basis, we have N1.5trn that Nigerians spend to overseas universities, so people thrive on it. Nigerians spend N463bn a month on recharge cards, how much are they paying for schools fees? So it’s all a matter of priority. This is the largest market for telephone in the world. Now, to pay N500,000, some people have only one son, they have huge business and houses all over the places, they will never pay it”.
Speaking further, Oyedepo, who seems to have developed thick skin to many controversial reports about him on the social media, revealed that it is a waste of time to respond to his critics.
He said, “My understanding of opposition, persecution is simply someone’s opinion harshly expressed. Everybody has a right to his opinion. Today, millions follow after Christ but you will be surprised that when you get to Israel some people do not believe that Christ has come.
“People have rights to their opinions. I naturally don’t feel it’s necessary (to respond). The energy I would need to react, I can use it to make moves. I have enough to think about than start running after a man who says you are a fool.
“If he says you are a fool and you are behaving so, then he’s right. If you leave your job and start pursuing somebody who says you are a fool, he has already said so, your going around doesn’t change it. So why going around, why don’t you settle on your job and make moves?
“I’ve also come to understand that those who make news hardly watch them, they are so busy making news while others are busy watching”.
Asked about the challenges he has faced in life and in his ministry, Oyedepo said he had never focused on his challenges but rather, has been fuelled by them.
He said, “Life essentially is full of challenges, it is those challenges that make champions. You can’t emerge a heavy weight boxing champion except you receive punches. You can’t change classes in school except you write exams.
“So to me, life is an adventure in challenges and I’ve said often that it is normal to be challenged but it’s unscriptural to be defeated. Challenges are the stepping stones for the making of champions”.
In 1981, at the age of 27, Oyedepo, who would later become a household name in Nigeria and beyond, started his ministry in Ilorin, Kwara State and sited his first church two years later in Kaduna State.
At the media chat, he said that the church, which had humble beginnings, is now located in 63 countries in the world and that the Faith Tabernacle, Ota, where he is the presiding Bishop, plays host to “over 200,000 worshippers every Sunday morning in four services”.

http://endougs..com/2014/09/oyedepo-defends-fees-charged-by-private.html

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what do you want him to do because other christian schools charge similar rate but for him to say an average Nigeria spend N1m on burial is not a yardstick for such an outrageous fee

Come on ....money spent on recharge card is a collective summation of more than 60 million phone users in the country. 1 million naira upwards spent on burial is not a yearly affair and usually is as a result of contribution to the bereaved from various sources.

One million as school fees comes from your pocket alone and not from other contributions sir! Is it easy to save 500k a year in this country? Take a look below

1. You spend money on fuel for your generator - No public power supply
2. You spend money on providing your household with potable drinking water
3. You spend money on filtering/treatment of borehole water
4. You spend money on maintaining the borehole ...yes the salty water affects the piping due to its salty nature
5. You pay your security guard monthly
6. You pay for neighborhood security
7. You fuel your car (black market or normal)
8. You spend money for household needs
9. You pay tithes in church + other church program tinz
10. You pay tax

I could go on and on not easy sir!

I read this somewhere before....

I am a Christian and a born again one at that. There is no where in the bible that the church was a money making venture. Was Oyedepo's education expensive? Most of the men of their generation enjoyed scholarships self. To me, the church should give out, instead of competing with the world. A Church university that cannot be accessed by more than half its congregation has lost it.

He should go and sit down jare

Msg to all nairalanders

una know say na ember ember month we dey so..heartbreak nor just dey hapun.na me and you dey cus am.d ones wey girls dey cus na im plenty pass..mek una LOVE wit care

'Nigerians spend 1.5trn naira to overseas university....' Like seriously? Now we know d calibre of doz whom ds man built his Univ for. I jst pity all doz poor pple wey follow contribute thr token den.



Oyedepo exhibiting his 'capitalist' ideology from time imo river Lol! E concern me?



Lastly, first page dey sweet o. Jst lyk using dry gin drink garri. See as pple below me dey hustle to displace me. Chai!

Many Nigerians just like condemning anything church perhaps it is based on poverty.You guys should cut them some slack.I am not taking side with this man but he is not far from the truth.Most private University even in the US owned by churches are also expensive.A good example is Oral Roberts University.I have not come across where the owners of the religious Universities forced anyone to attend their school.It is by choice.Some will soon start complaining that his members can't attend his school.Funny enough many of them are not complaining so why are you guys bothered?If you think you have the money then your can send your kids there but if not you can sure look else where i.e Adekunle Ajasin University and other.Anyways even the useless state Universities in Nigeria are getting expensive daily without any meaningful infrastructure and wack administration so you guys should ponder on the difference between both.

Now, the question I want to ask is if Nairaland has now become an official platform for critizing Men of God, dragging their name the mud. It was Pst Chris, Prophet TB Josh. Boy!!! I pity you guys taking it upon yourselves to do this. It is not for you to choose who is or who is'nt a Man of God..

[b]Speaking further, Oyedepo, who seems to have developed thick skin to many controversial reports about him on the social media, revealed that it is a
waste of time to respond to his critics.

He said, “My understanding of opposition, persecution is simply someone’s opinion harshly expressed. Everybody has a right to his opinion. Today,
millions follow after Christ but you will be surprised that when you get to Israel some people do not believe that Christ has come.
“People have rights to their opinions. I naturally don’t feel it’s necessary (to respond). The energy I would need to react, I can use it to make moves. I
have enough to think about than start running after a man who says you are a fool.

“If he says you are a fool and you are behaving so, then he’s right. If you leave your job and start pursuing somebody who says you are a fool, he has
already said so, your going around doesn’t change it. So why going around, why don’t you settle on your job and make moves?
“I’ve also come to understand that those who make news hardly watch them, they are so busy making news while others are busy watching”.

Asked about the challenges he has faced in life and in his ministry, Oyedepo said he had never focused on his challenges but rather, has been fuelled
by them.
He said, “Life essentially is full of challenges, it is those challenges that make champions. You can’t emerge a heavy weight boxing champion except
you receive punches. You can’t change classes in school except you write exams.

“So to me, life is an adventure in challenges and I’ve said often that it is normal to be challenged but it’s unscriptural to be defeated. Challenges are
the stepping stones for the making of champions”.[/b]

That's My Papa...Exceeding Grace Sir!....

I wish his church members will tell him that they cannot afford to pay their tithes as it too expensive. Awon Ole.

I have one question to ask....HOW COME ALL THIS CHURCH CHURCH THINGS ARE JUST MAKING FRONT-PAGE SINCE SYNAGOGUE COLLAPSE.....
I know What to do

Oga oyedepo,education is expensive though,that doesn't give you the impetus to charge exorbitant fee beyond the reach of the common man in your church..

Church encompasses showing consideration to vast majority of the members,than selected few rich..

Your fees is high Mr man.

I don't blame him. How many of his church members can afford to send their wards to Covenant University?

true talk

For me I see nothing there. Is not by force we all can go to private schools that is why We have federal schools. These days state schools are more expensive.

bigtt76: Come on ....money spent on recharge card is a collective summation of more than 60 million phone users in the country. 1 million naira upwards spent on burial is not a yearly affair and usually is as a result of contribution to the bereaved from various sources.

One million as school fees comes from your pocket alone and not from other contributions sir! Is it easy to save 500k a year in this country? Take a look below

1. You spend money on fuel for your generator - No public power supply
2. You spend money on providing your household with potable drinking water
3. You spend money on filtering/treatment of borehole water
4. You spend money on maintaining the borehole ...yes the salty water affects the piping due to its salty nature
5. You pay your security guard monthly
6. You pay for neighborhood security
7. You fuel your car (black market or normal)
8. You spend money for household needs
9. You pay tithes in church + other church program tinz
10. You pay tax

I could go on and on not easy sir!

Guy ur head foka sibe. U r so onpoint. U dey mind d yeye pastor. No b schorlaship him take go school. How much him parent pay for his school fees.

bigtt76: Come on ....money spent on recharge card is a collective summation of more than 60 million phone users in the country. 1 million naira upwards spent on burial is not a yearly affair and usually is as a result of contribution to the bereaved from various sources.

One million as school fees comes from your pocket alone and not from other contributions sir! Is it easy to save 500k a year in this country? Take a look below

1. You spend money on fuel for your generator - No public power supply
2. You spend money on providing your household with potable drinking water
3. You spend money on filtering/treatment of borehole water
4. You spend money on maintaining the borehole ...yes the salty water affects the piping due to its salty nature
5. You pay your security guard monthly
6. You pay for neighborhood security
7. You fuel your car (black market or normal)
8. You spend money for household needs
9. You pay tithes in church + other church program tinz
10. You pay tax

I could go on and on not easy sir!

7 out of the 10 items you stated has to do with the Failure of the Government.

If you read what he said the key word is "priority"

Sending your ward to a Private University is all about choice.

Simply amazing comparisons and logic!

Titiluvly:


That's My Papa...Exceeding Grace Sir!....

As if you can afford the school fees.
Keep enriching him.

In Peter Obi's voice akwukwo n'ato uto,ona ara ahu na mkputa onye nwere nkasiobi,oga akputa akwukwo n' oburu na nne gi na nna gi nwee egooooooooo!quality Education is 4 d rich!
D man no d force anybody mk I'm kum I'm sch.I dnt even see d reason of him tryin 2 justify dia exorbitant. Sch feez!if u ve d money flaunt it if u dnt deal wit wat u can afford.

D higher institution u attend doesn't determine ur destiny so f#@k wateva he has 2 say

So? Why did u put this on FP? So we can start debating about it until it turns into a religious and ethnic bashing thread just to generate traffic to this site .... Continuuuu.... There is God in everything we do.

This man has lost touch with the ordinary Nigerian life. Which "average Nigerian" spends N1million on burials? Even the burials that have budgets of such amounts have the cost borne my many members of the extended family and a single person may not pay more than 100,000. Besides, people don't die in families every year. Children (not even child o) pay sch fees every year. Quality education is expensive, but I don't think all those management courses those private universities offer should be this expensive. Tor, make me sef open church plus related businesses.

I respect d man, anyways.

K

hmmmm....okay ooo

Titiluvly:


That's My Papa...Exceeding Grace Sir!....

Strange works jawe

arabbunkum: I don't blame him. How many of his church members can afford to send their wards to Covenant University?

you guy shud come to the school before you talk abeg. many of the students there are members of the church

kudoxs: So? Why did u put this on FP? So we can start debating about it until it turns into a religious and ethnic bashing thread just to generate traffic to this site .... Continuuuu.... There is God in everything we do.

Honestly I really think we should evaluate the role of religion in our development as a continent. I personally believe it's a drawback factor.

QuiverBox:

7 out of the 10 items you stated has to do with the Failure of the Government.

If you read what he said the key word is "priority"

Sending your ward to a Private University is all about choice.

Unfortunately, not every one can make such a choice. An average nigerian can not.