Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM) general overseer Daniel Olukoya has awarded 492 first-class graduates with cash gifts and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) presidential awards.

The event, which was the 6th edition, was part of the activities marking the church’s 35th anniversary, which ended on Sunday at the Prayer City on the Ibadan-Lagos Expressway.
Olukoya said the awards encouraged youths who are future leaders to distinguish themselves in their chosen fields.

The cleric said MFM is using the programme to train the youths to be responsible, hardworking, and intelligent.

Presenting the awards to the church’s beneficiaries, Olukoya said the initiative was started in 2011 to encourage the youths to work harder for excellence.

Olukoya said the initiative was in line with the 70-point agenda of the church for youths worldwide.

Olukoya graduated with a first-class degree in microbiology at the University of Lagos in 1980.

He said, “As part of the 70-point agenda for the youths, I made a statement in 2010 that any member of the MFM that performed excellently well in school would be given an official car, among other cash prizes.“When the initiative was launched in 2011, 19 students benefitted, and in 2015, the number reached 115. Since then, the rise of first-class graduates has been so impressive in their various disciplines.

“We are encouraging our youth to work hard. I believe MFM has the most significant number of first-class graduates in Nigeria. In 2011, the Lord inspired a programme within MFM to motivate our young people. During that programme, I announced that any MFM member with a first-class degree would receive a car.

“19 students made the first class that year, and I gave them cars. I did the same in the second edition. However, by the third edition, the programme had inspired MFM students 77 achieved first-class degrees, and I couldn’t afford to give out 77 cars, so I started giving money instead. The following year, the number rose to 106.

By the fifth edition in 2019, we had 329 first-class graduates and gave each N250,000. Today is the 6th Edition, and we have 492 graduates, children of MFM who made the first class. I can gladly tell you that MFM has the highest number of first-class graduates,” he said.

He advised students to view the presentation as a challenge to work harder, to surpass the best, and to become the best.

“When you get to campus, join the MFM Campus Fellowship. Some students who achieved first-class honours were disqualified from the programme because they didn’t join the MFM Campus Fellowship.”

Olukoya’s wife, Pastor Shade, was assisted in the presentation ceremony by the governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, his Ogun State counterpart, Mr Dapo Abiodun, and Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori.