BY PHILIP NWOSU
The General Overseer of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM), Daniel Olukoya, has announced that the church produced the highest number of first-class graduates in Nigeria.
During the church’s 35th anniversary and international convention on Sunday, Olukoya awarded 492 first-class graduates with cash gifts, alongside National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) presidential awardees.
The award ceremony, now in its 6th edition, is part of an initiative started in 2011 to encourage academic excellence among the youth. Olukoya highlighted the importance of raising responsible, hardworking, and intelligent leaders of tomorrow. “We are helping to train the youth to take on responsible leadership roles in the future,” he said.
Presenting the awards to the 492 first-class graduates, Olukoya recalled that the initiative began with only 19 beneficiaries in 2011. Since then, the number has steadily increased, with the church awarding 115 students in 2015, 106 in 2016, and 329 in 2019. This year, the award reached a new milestone with 492 recipients. “We believe MFM has the largest number of first-class graduates in Nigeria,” Olukoya stated.
He further explained that the first-class award aligns with MFM’s 70-point agenda for youth development globally. Olukoya, who himself graduated with a first-class degree in Microbiology from the University of Lagos in 1980, shared that the initiative aims to inspire the youth to strive for excellence in their academic pursuits.
At the event, Olukoya encouraged students to view the awards as a challenge to work even harder. He noted that in 2010, he promised to reward outstanding students with official cars and cash prizes. However, as the number of first-class graduates continued to grow, the church shifted to providing cash rewards.
“Today, we are proud to honor 492 first-class graduates, children of MFM who have worked hard and excelled in their fields,” he said.
Olukoya urged students to join the MFM Campus Fellowship, adding that some students who earned first-class degrees were disqualified from the program because they were not active members.
One of the award recipients, Fashina Damilola of Afe Babalola University, expressed her gratitude for the recognition, saying, “I want to thank God for using our general overseer as a source of inspiration to this generation, particularly the youth.”
Rachael Umoren, a graduate of Macdonald University, also expressed her appreciation, stating, “I am pleased, honored, and humbled to accept this award and to join past recipients who I have long admired and respected.”
The event was attended by prominent figures, including the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, and Delta State Governor, Sherrif Oborevwori, who participated in the award presentations.
As the convention came to a close, Olukoya spoke on the future of the ministry, emphasizing the importance of spreading the gospel worldwide. “The next level is to deliver the message of salvation across the globe. More people are turning to prayer, realizing that earthly powers cannot help them,” he said, underscoring the need for global evangelism.
The 35th-anniversary convention, which began on Friday, drew worshippers from across the country, with many others joining through various church channels. The event culminated with spirit-filled activities and a demonstration of faith, attended by royal fathers, politicians, and other dignitaries from diverse walks of life.
