Inauguration of the Planning and Implementation Committee for the proposed Margaret Lawrence University

The inauguration of the Planning and Implementation Committee (PIC) for the proposed Margaret Lawrence University happened on Friday the 19th of May 2017. The occasion began by 11:47am with a brief session of praise and worship led by the Founder of Fountain of Joy and Comfort Foundation (FJC) and Margaret Lawrence University, Mr Paul Odili. Engr. Samson Balogun hemmed the session with an opening prayer. Following, Dr. Magdalene Ajani introduced FJC to the attendees, speaking on how it emerged in 2011 with three major goals to support the then Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in providing Education to indigents, sound Maternal and Child Healthcare, wide-ranging Eye Care services, and undertaking other philanthropic activities as time and necessity may prompt.

She explained that the Foundation is taking higher steps of operations by going into University education. Hence the moves to establish a University, Margaret Lawrence University, Delta State, Nigeria. Presently, a good number of buildings have been completed at the university site – buildings for hospital, administration, hostels, lecture halls, a 15,000-capacity auditorium, etc. Also, she revealed that the Foundation’s Headquarter will be in the University community.

In his remarks, the Founder, Mr. Paul Odili, spoke about how FJC resulted from a vision where God told him to establish a ministry to cater for the needs of indigents in the society and how heeding the call has kept him in God’s abundance and blessings.

He revealed that the university is currently being developed on a land of over 114-hectares, a location now called “Galilee”, recognized by the Delta State Government as an autonomous community, and signed into law as such on the 1st of March 2017. Additional to the structures stated as existing there, the Founder said the community has a police station which has just been changed to an Area Command by the Inspector General of Police.

In a related briefing, he said the Governor of Delta State will be available to Commission the Primary Healthcare Centre built by FJC in Owerre-Olubor and the Area Command also built by FJC, in Galilee. He thanked everyone for agreeing to be part of the committee and enjoined all to put in their best for the mission to be achieved.

Setting up the PIC for the University is in obedience to the National University Commission (NUC) requirement that to be granted license, an aspiring university shall set up a PIC that will responsibly come up with all the paperwork; making up the Academic Brief, Law of the University and the Master plan. Then the committee, with the paperwork will be presented to the NUC, to obtain the University License. As part of the requirements by the NUC, buildings for the staff school are nearing completion at the university site and it is being expected that both the staff school and the university will commence operations this year.

The inaugurated chairman of the PIC, Professor Angela Okatahi expressed satisfaction that the proposed university is a conventional one and not specialized as this will cater to the needs of more people. She also expressed joy that the NUC included requisites for the establishment of a secondary school to “feed” the university. Other members of the committee present are Dr (Mrs) Magdalene Ajani, (Member, Board of Trustees) Mrs. Oluwakemi Oyelola (Secretary, PIC), Professor Felicia Anumah, Barrister Ralph Monye, Engr. Samson Balogun, Mr. Collins Ejikeme, Mrs. Dorcas Osode, Mr. Stephen Iwagoh. Professor Shola Kolawole was unavoidably absent.

The Closing prayer was said by Professor Anumah and the meeting ended at 1:00pm.