The Presiding Bishop, Victory International Church, Rehoboth Cathedral, Ibadan, Victor Adelakun, has called for what he described as a balanced, fair, and honest response between the government and university lecturers if there must be a lasting solution to the perennial strike in public universities in the country.
He spoke on Tuesday while fielding questions from reporters during a Press conference to announce events of activities to celebrate the 36th Anniversary of the Church, held at Wonder City, opposite Dominion University, Lagos Expressway, Ibadan.
The anniversary themed, “The glory of the latter house”, is slated for October 16th-19th, 2025.
Bishop Adelakun said the government must do beyond mere words and live by what it wants others to do in its bid to show sincerity.
He said, if the government is claiming paucity of funds to attend to the challenges facing public universities and the demands of the lecturers, such must also reflect in the lifestyle of those in public offices.
According to the National Vice President (Southwest), Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, if the political class would cut down on the cost of governance and benefits of political offices, it would be easy to persuade the university lecturers to also sacrifice for the development of the sector.
On the other side, he challenged the university lecturers to do more in terms of research that can make an impact on society, which he said can foster economic development and prosperity for both the institution and society at large.
Bishop Adelakun said, “If the lifestyle of those in government does not change, we will keep coming back to strike. A nation that will not educate its youth is a time bomb.
“If the members of the National Assembly and those in elective positions will not slash their benefits, income, and perks of office, members of the Academic Staff Unions (ASUU) and others generally will not agree that there is no money to meet their demands because they can see that those in government are allocating monies for themselves.
“How much has the government allocated to education? If the cost of governance is cut down, everyone will sit up and reason, but as long as the cost keeps increasing, they will also keep fighting for whatever interest they have.”
Apparently challenging the lecturers, the cleric who also doubles as the Chancellor, Dominion University said, “How many universities are still involved in research? Many of such should translate to an impact on the nation and its economy. The people in the academic sector need to wake up and do research of value to the institution and society.
“With all the various departments and fields in the various schools, let it translate to an outcome that will benefit all.
“Let’s balance it, we know those who are living large and asking others to live small. It won’t work. I believe ASUU members have facts on what those in government are spending and enjoying, and members of the society too can see.”
Speaking on the anniversary, the cleric said the Church has come a long way, from humble beginnings, which were despised by many, but have emerged to be a cynosure by the grace of God.
He said he would only be ungrateful if he didn’t acknowledge what God has done in the ministry in the last 36years, recounting the various challenges that the Church had faced and how God helped out.
He noted that, for the anniversary, God has only instructed the church to give him praise and worship, assuring that many wonders would be done in the lives of the people.
He said the event, a four-day “fearful praise” and two mornings of “appreciation” was instructed by God and would hold at the Wonder Hall at the Wonder City, as the main venue, while the Rehoboth Cathedral, Oluyole Estate, Ibadan, will be for virtual centre.
He also disclosed plans for the foundation laying ceremony of a 16,000 capacity mega city Cathedral, which would be completed within a year.
“Anybody who is ungrateful will eventually be grounded. We have been on the journey for 36years and only the ungrateful will say God has not done anything.
“From a congregation that was despised to the one that built the first Pentecostal Cathedral. We have reasons to praise God because when we started, many people were looking down on us.
“If leadership is strong, there is hope. If leadership is selfless, there is hope. God asked us to give him four days of fearful praise and two mornings of appreciation”, he added.
