By Ayoyinka Jegede

All is set for the 4th Convocation and 7th Founder’s Ceremony of Precious Cornerstone University, a faith-based tertiary institution under The Sword of The Spirit Ministries, Ibadan, Oyo State. The event is scheduled to be held on Tuesday, 11th November 2025, and will celebrate the academic and spiritual achievements of the institution.

During the ceremony, the university will confer honorary doctorate degrees on Pastor Nathaniel Bassey, Pastor Poju Oyemade, Pastor Jerry Eze, Apostle Joshua Selman, and Pastor Sola Osunmakinde. The awards recognise their positive spiritual contributions through prayers and biblical teachings, which are transforming lives, impacting the country, and influencing nations around the world.

According to the Chancellor of the PCU and National President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Bishop Francis Wale Oke, the men of God would be awarded and honoured with Doctor Honoris Causa of Precious Cornerstone University, Ibadan, Oyo State, for their transformative leadership, nation-building efforts, philanthropy, purpose-driven impactful teaching ministries and life-changing conferences around the world, and positive contributions to the advancement of higher education in Nigeria and the world at large, having fulfilled the requirements of the statutes and regulations of the university.

Oke stressed that the awardees were found worthy at the discretion of the Senate and Council of Precious Cornerstone University and by the records of their notable accomplishments to be deserving of public recognition and the award of the prestigious degree of Doctor of Humane (Honoris Causa) of Precious Cornerstone University, Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa) of PCU, Doctor of Letters (Honoris Causa) of PCU, Doctor of Divinity (Honoris Causa) of PCU and Doctor of Liberal (Honoris Causa) of PCU, respectively, as approved by the governing council of the institution.

The awards would be bestowed on the men of God in recognition of their immense contributions toward the nation’s development, giant strides in advancing quality education, laudable impact in the academia, and monumental achievements in the propagation of the gospel, which is transforming youths like wildfire.

The awardees, who are tele-evangelists, would be honoured for their towering contribution towards the spiritual well-being of the nation. The week-long activities, themed “The Trailblazer Set”, will also confer first degrees and prizes on 143 students in the TrailblazerSet, totalling 456 graduates since inception.

Pastor Nathaniel Bassey is a gospel music minister and trumpet maestro. He is a recording artist, trumpet player, singer/songwriter and music producer. He serves as the pastor of THE OASIS – The Youth Church of The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) King’s Court Lagos and pioneered the Viral Hallelujah Challenge, igniting global worship fervour.

PASTOR POJU OYEMADE is the Senior Pastor and Founder of The Covenant Nation (TCN) – a ministry founded in 1994 and headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria, where he oversees a dynamic community of believers who attend any of its services every week or join in on its online platforms. Poju has been the convener of WOFBEC since 2012, a week-long conference attracting participants from all across the globe. He is revered for his teachings that restore apostolic order and empower believers for societal change.

He is a highly regarded teacher of the Word of Faith, who draws out insightful lessons from God’s word that are applicable to the complexities of everyday life, family, business, and nation building. His messages are both transformational and transgenerational, finding relevance across all walks of life. Pastor Poju Oyemade’s call to ministry dates to his time as an undergraduate at the University of Lagos, and he was ordained into ministry by Bishop David Oyedepo, the presiding bishop of Living Faith Ministries Worldwide (a.k.a. Winner’s Chapel).

He has been consistently described as a bridge in the Christian community in Nigeria, a link between the older generation of Christian trailblazers in the country and the younger generation, between entrepreneurs and professionals in business, as well as between the government and the governed.

Pastor Jerry Uchechukwu Eze is the founder and Lead Pastor of Streams of Joy International andlead pastor the convener of the New Season Prophetic Prayers and Declaration (NSPPD), an online digital prayer platform celebrated for its miraculous testimonies and massive daily viewership.

Apostle Joshua Selman is the founder of Eternity Network International, established in 2006 in Zaria, Nigeria, and now headquartered in Abuja. Joshua Selman has contributed extensively to Christian literature and worship through his teachings and spiritually inspired songs. His teachings emphasise spiritual growth, intimacy with God, and the principles of the Kingdom, which are reflected both in his writings and worship ministry. A chemical engineer turned preacher is the founder of Koinonia Global, known for deep teachings and supernatural encounters that draw thousands of believers.

Pastor Sola Osunmakinde is an author, insightful teacher, and widely acclaimed televangelist. Pastor Sola Osunmakinde is the Founder and Senior Pastor of the Household of David, a church with a fundamental vision of raising a people after God’s heart in every nation of the earth. He is the current treasurer of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) Lagos Chapter.

He is known for his practical, purpose-driven messages and the ‘Mercy Diet’ devotion, which nurtures spiritual growth and awareness, especially among youth.

Pastor Sola is the convener of the annual interdenominational Mercy Conference, which hosts some of the leading ministers in the Body of Christ; the Higher Ground Conference, which takes place every mid-year; and the Abeokuta Believers’ Meeting, a non-denominational evangelistic outreach in the city of Abeokuta. His teachings centre on the key themes of mercy, faith, worship, and love, which form the foundation of his ministry.

Born in the ancient city of Abeokuta, he was born again through Scripture Union in the early 1990s and was vibrantly committed to spreading the gospel of Christ in his school. His passion for soul-winning led him to preach the gospel to every class in his school before he graduated from secondary school.

As a student at the University of Ibadan, Pastor Sola became President of the Vessel of Honour Foundation, a fellowship founded by his elder brother, Pastor Dele Osunmakinde. He held that position for about three years before being elected President of the Assembly of Uni-Ibadan Christian Students Fellowship (AUCSF), the umbrella body for all Christian fellowships at the University of Ibadan.

Pastor Sola’s humble and unassuming nature has endeared him to many fathers of the faith and leading ministers around the country, making him a rallying point for those seeking unity in the Body of Christ in Nigeria. In 2024, Pastor Sola was awarded an honorary doctorate by Myles Leadership University (MLU).

Precious Cornerstone University is a Christian faith-based university of the Sword of the Spirit Ministries, approved and licensed by the Federal Government of Nigeria on 6th December, 2017. PCU is geared towards excellence in learning and research to achieve intellectual development, capacity building, diligent wealth creation, Biblical core values and godly character enhancement.

The university strives to serve as a model of excellence that is different and unique by seeking to improve access and quality of higher education for all and consequently raise original thinkers and job creators rather than job seekers. PCU, a citadel of scholarship, research and discoveries where students are raised to take their proper place in destiny, becoming precious cornerstones and pillars of Africa’s emancipation and development, strives to serve as a model of excellence that shall be different and unique by seeking to improve access and quality of higher education for all and consequently raise original thinkers and job creators rather than job seekers.

PCU was birthed with a vision of pioneering excellence in character building, promotion of harmony with the Creator and enhancement of human dignity and self-discovery through quality education and is poised to raise people with possibility thinking and dominion mentality. The institution launched a competitive research grant to support staff-less research initiatives, reinforcing the university’s commitment to academic excellence. PCU fosters a culture of innovation, encouraging students to become job creators through research-driven learning and entrepreneurial development. PCU made significant strides in entrepreneurship development, accountability, and resource optimisation through a dynamic entrepreneurship week held this year.

PCU’s mission is to prepare skilled and ethical scholars, professionals and leaders through the provision of excellent education in a conducive environment. PUC offers students oppourtunity to develop 21stcentury knowledge and competence in scientific research, original thinking, scholastic investigations and development of practical skills in communication, technology, arts and sciences that will enhance self employment and job creation; Develop an understanding of ethical issues in a knowledge driven multicultural society and be reputed as a centre for thought, inquiry, dialogue, and action in matters of character and leadership; Attract, recruit and retain high quality staff that challenge and mentor students to attain their fullest potential emphasising the core values of integrity, Schorlarships , diligence, service and honour ; Create a learning environment known for academic excellence, intellectual rigour, civil discourse and daring and entreneurial spirit ; inspire love of learning and not just learning for its sake ; Gain a sophisticated level of information literacy through emphasis on technology and information literacy accross the curriculum; engage in critical thinking, team work, problem solving, project – based activities, laboratries and work experience; establish a solid based in the Liberal art and sciences and explore diversity, creativity and work.