Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, president of Loveworld Ministry, on Friday announced a donation of N1 billion to the Benson Idahosa University.
Oyakhilome made the donation after a honourary Doctor of Divinity was conferred on him.
He said that the donation was part of his support to the institution, which is one of the legacies of late Archbishop Benson Idahosa.
The pastor who described Idahosa as his mentor and role-model, made the donation to facilitate the Faculty of Engineering project in the campus in Benin city, Edo State.
According to him, his contribution to the varsity is borne of out his passion to contribute meaningfully to the development of lives.
He said that the founder of the institution, late Archbishop Idahosa, positively influenced his life and ministry as a youth.
Oyakhilome said the television ministry of the late Archbishop Idahosa, popularly known as Idahosa World Outreach (IWO- Television), was the first of its kind in the country, noting that it helped to liberate lost souls and assisted Christians in the world to accept Christ.
“Many times, people would ask me why I talk about the late Archbishop Benson Idahosa more than anybody. It will surprise you to know that as a young man, I was working with the Archbishop in the mail room in the Church of God Mission in Benin City. I was blessed to have worked with the late Archbishop Benson Idahosa. While working with him, I had the blessing and benefit of seeing the Archbishop passed by my table everyday to his office.”
The Chancellor of the institution, Archbishop Margaret Idahosa, described Oyakhilome as a spiritual son of the late Archbishop Benson Idahosa.
He noted that the decision to honour Oyakhilome was in recognition of his contribution to building and saving lives through his ministry.
Oyakhilome, popularly called simply Pastor Chris by his followers, is the founding president of Believers’ LoveWorld Incorporated, also known as “Christ Embassy”, a Bible-based Christian ministry headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria.
His ministry runs several arms including the Healing School, Rhapsody of Realities (a daily devotional with global reach), and an NGO called the Innercity Missions for Children as well as three Christian television channels: LoveWorld TV, LoveWorld SAT andLoveWorld Plus. Oyakhilome’s television programs feature his faith healings, miracles and large meetings which his ministry organises around the world.
On 11 June 2015, Oyakhilome received an honorary D.Sc. degree from his alma mater, Ambrose Alli University. Oyakhilome’s ministry has expanded rapidly beyond the coasts of Nigeria and South Africa, and he now holds large meetings in the United Kingdom and the United States and has Healing school sessions in South Africa and in Canada. Oyakhilome has a strong following especially among youths.
