Bishop Wale Oke Emphasizes Need For Greater Commitment To Development At PCU Governing Council Inauguration
•By Oyeniyi Awojoodu
IBADAN – Bishop Francis Wale Oke, Chancellor, Precious Cornerstone University, Ibadan has restated his commitment to lifting the institution to an enviable height within the comity of Nigerian universities.
Bishop Oke, who is the President of Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), describing the Governing Councils of universities as pivotal for the advancement of the various institutions, urged the new Council members to leave no stone unturned in ensuring the progress of the university.
The leading Christian cleric spoke on Saturday during the inauguration of the second Governing Council at the Senate Chamber of the university at Olaogun, Ibadan.
The new Governing Council members include Prof. Adedapo Asaju, Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Governing Council; Prof. Akinwale Coker, Erudite Professor, University of Ibadan; Prof. Muritala Awodun, Professor of Business and Entrepreneurship; Jacob Kehinde Ajibola, a Minister of God and a registered Civil Engineer; Mr Abayomi Belle, General Manager, Boves Group De Philip Oyewale, Chamnan, CEO and Group Managing Direct Immacun Group.
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Prof. Timothy Olubisi Adejumo, Vice-Chancellor, of the university reiterated that Precious Cornerstone University is poised for greater heights by working towards improved funding, infrastructural development and movement to the permanent site.
The VC stated, “We pray that God will strengthen the new Council to exceed our expectations. I know that with the caliber of people that we have on board now, Precious Cornerstone University expectations we have include increase in students enrollment, expansion of programmes, winning of research grants. We want improved funding, improved infrastructure, students welfare, movement to our permanent site and other campuses.”
In his address on the occasion, the VC who described the exercise as the dawn of a new chapter in the life of the institution, welcomed the new team while also lauding the former Council members for their ingenuity.
He said, “The foundation they have served as a springboard for the university to launch into new horizons.”
During the tenure of the former Council members, he stated that the institution secured full accreditation status from the National Universities Commission (NUC) for its academic programmes, including Accounting, Biochemistry. Business Administration, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Economics, International Relations, Mass Communication, Microbiology, Physics with Electronics, and Software Engineering.
The accreditations, he said, signified the university’s commitment to providing high-quality education in meeting rigorous academic standards with the graduation of 95 students during the 2021/2022 academic session, 100 students in the 2022/2023, and 118 students in the 2023/2024 academic session.
The academic programmes of PCU was increased from the initial 13 to 17. The NUC is carrying out resource verifications of six postgraduate programmes and seven youth-friendly undergraduate programmes for the Faculty of Arts and Allied Health Sciences, among others.
He mentioned the upgrade of School Fees done in the 2024/2025 Session, as well as the salary Upgrade for staff of the university effective from January 2025, as well as expansion of infrastructures crowned with the completion of Rev’d Dr Temitayo Felix Owolabi Female Hostel, a male hostel, procurement of a 15 KVA transformer, and procurement of official cars for principal officers among others.
Charging Prof. Asaju and his team to hit the ground running, the VC said, “To our esteemed new Governing Council members, your appointment is not merely an honor, it is a divine assignment and a call to serve. We place our trust in your wisdom, experience and leadership to steer PCU to even greater heights of excellence.”
In an interview with journalists on the occasion, Prof. Dapo Asaju (Rt. Rev), said, “The Governing Council is to supervise the affairs of the university, staff and students, infrastructural development, finance, general development and to work with management so that the university can fulfill all desires to raise people who are godly and who are experts in different fields so that they can make impacts in the society.
“We shall work with the management and the Chancellor and Visioner, Bishop Francis Wale Oke who appointed us as new members of the Governing Council. My duty as the Pro Chancellor of the university is to preside over the meetings.”
Asaju, who was Vice Chancellor, Ajayi Crowther University, added, “We are going to operate with the collective wisdom of members to see what is best for the university. This is a Christian university and GOD will direct the affairs. The management, under the leadership of the Vice Chancellor, runs the affairs of the university. We are to come for meetings to regulate and to approve what they want to do. We would contribute to develop this institution so that it can become a great university.”