Many Nigerians may not have met Bishop Oyedepo at a close range, yet, he is still reverred by many and loved by many across the continent. Almost on every point he has been criticized. Is it for his involvement in Nigerian politics, or as being one of the richest pentecostal preachers in the world, or on the ground that he runs one of the most expensive private universities in Nigeria; one in which critics claims poor members of his congregation cannot afford to enrol their children in. Yet, these criticisms never seems to remove a single strand of hair from his body.
He has once said that critics are those who chose to express their opinions in a rather harsh manner and he believes that people are entitled to their opinions. On the grounds of whether he is the richest preacher in Nigeria or not, Bishop Oyedepo has never been bothered or apologetic about it. He has said umpteen times, through his messages and numerous books that when one seeks God passionately, every other thing would be added to such a one.
His principles upon which God blesses and enriches a man is captured in the book of Matthew 6:33 which reads “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” It is on this ground that he encourages his church members never to be tired in giving sacrificially to the things of God.
According to him, the dominion mandate that he propagates across the world came in an 18-hour vision in May 1981, to liberate the world from all oppression of the devil through the preaching of the word of faith. This vision gave birth to the Living Faith Church Worldwide, initially called Liberation Faith Hour Ministries.
His passion for education can be seen in the establishment of Covenant University, Otta and Landmark University in Omu Aran, Kwara State. Other educational institutions that the Oyedepo Ministry has birthed include Faith Academy and Kingdom Heritage Model Schools respectively. On education, Bishop Oyedepo believes “It is not due to lack of education that we suffer, but due to lack of applicable knowledge.” Because of his passion for knowledge, Bishop David Oyedepo is an author and publisher who has over 70 books to his name; apart from periodicals. He is the chairman/publisher of Dominion Publishing House (DPH), a publishing arm of the ministry.
To this generation, Bishop David Oyedepo is a blessing and I wish him a blissful birthday. I pray for many more years for him; basking in the strength and wisdom of God to fulfill and complete God’s assignment to which he has been called and appointed an ambassador.
