The Omega Power Ministries (OPM) will soon have its own university in Nigeria which would be free for all Nigerians.
This is even as the General Overseer of the church, Apostle Chinyere Gift Chibuzor, has offered scholarship to 15 more young people to study at the prestigious Final University in Cyprus, as part of his 49th birthday celebration.
The beneficiaries, who were visibly elated, departed the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, in company of the General Overseer on Monday.
Speaking to newsmen at the airport before the departure of the beneficiaries, Chibuzor said it has become necessary for OPM to have its own free university due to the high cost of sponsoring scholarship beneficiaries of the church in foreign countries.
He said as soon as the new university comes on stream, OPM will no longer send young people abroad to study, lamenting that sponsoring people abroad on scholarship today was taking a heavy financial toll on the church due to the high exchange rate of the naira, amid other global challenges.
Chibuzor disclosed that the flight ticket for one of the scholarship beneficiaries which was a little above N500,000 six months ago, has now risen to N1.7million, contending that in spite of the seeming setback, the church has sustained its foreign university scholarship programme for over 10 years now.
He noted that taking the 15 scholqarship beneficiaries to Cyprus this time around, was his birthday gift to the world, and urged the beneficiaries to always concentrate on their studies and not be distracted by the beautiful things and worldly pleasures abroad in order to assist others on their graduation.
The General Overseer further hinted that the church has, through tithes and offerings, already paid the school fees and accommodation of 80 beneficiaries, adding that the 15 were the first batch, as other batches would soon follow suit, and recalled that 84 OPM scholarship beneficiaries were already studying in Cyrus.
Among the beneficiaries were three damsels who had earlier been sent to Dubai by the church to train as nurses for a brief spell, but had some challenges due to the seeming frosty relationship between the Federal Government and the United Arab Emirates.
The trio, who narrated their ordeal said they were brought back to Nigeria by the General Overseer who offered them another opportunity to complete their Nursing programmes in Cyprus for a duration of four years like the other beneficiaries.
More pathetic is the story of another beneficiary, Mr Godswill Chibuzor Uchendu, who had an accident some years back which left one of his legs broken.
Uchendu said he was rescued by OPM when he had been abandoned by the society, and was only ekeing a living by carrying blocks.
The young man said in an interview that Apostle Chibuzor did not only provide him with an artificial leg and a walking aid, but also gifted him a parcel of land in Port Harcourt as well as considered him worthy to be among those travelling to Cyprus to upgrade his education. For all these, Uchendu thanked God and the cleric.
His father, Mr. David Uchendu, who is a carpenter, spoke to newsmen amid tears, and thanked the man of God for his good deeds.
Miss Emmanuella Assimita from Cross River State; Mr. Lucky Emmanuel Wonaemi from Bayelsa State; and Miss Covenant Kelechi Onyenze from Imo State, said in separate interviews that Apostle Chibuzor was God-sent and prayed God to grant him long life.
Another beneficiary, Miss Mmesoma Favour Obasi, who hails from Abia State told The Tide that she was living in Lagos with her parents but could not cope with her education because of poverty.
She, however, expressed delight that she was discovered by OPM to be among those travelling to Cyprus to further her education.

By: Donatus Ebi