“We are grateful O Lord, We are grateful O Lord for all you have done for us, We are grateful O Lord”.

We are indeed very grateful to the King of all kings for the unquantifiable mercies, unfailing love, and faithfulness we have enjoyed from Him in the academic session we just concluded. We started with big fears but we can see Him helping us turn our fears into testimonies. Where would we have been today as a college without Him? We are glad the Lord revealed Himself as the Builder and Watchman of our college, Psalm 127:1. We cannot thank Him enough. We are indeed grateful to you O Lord.

We congratulate Daddy and Mummy Wale Oke for their God-given dreams coming to fulfilment especially concerning missionary training and WOCOME. We can testify that your God is indeed strong. We cannot thank Daddy and Mummy enough for all the unceasing practical big love and sacrifices we are enjoying from them. Thank you so much for not just being tools in God’s hands to plant WOCOME. You are indeed going extra mile to water the planted seed. Thank you for guiding us. Thank you for praying for us. Thank you for financing us. We cannot thank you adequately. May the Lord gladden your hearts as He causes the seed to grow to become a very big tree with global relevance in Jesus’ name.

We thank Daddy and Mummy Adeboye of the Redeemed Christian Church of God. Thank you for being destiny helpers to many. God has used you tremendously to guide our visioner and to support him in ensuring the God-given dream concerning WOCOME come to reality. Your well appreciated roles in the establishment of Wale Oke College of Missions and Evangelism are yielding results and bringing glory to God. May the Lord God continue to support and supply all you need to continue to be the father and the mother He has made you to His body globally in Jesus’ name.

We thank Daddy E.A. Odeyemi and Mummy, the RCCG Assistant General Overseer in-charge of training and education. Your fatherly encouragement, guidance, approachability, prayers and concerns for this work are very helpful and well appreciated. More grace to you Daddy and Mummy in Jesus’ name.

My mentor and Oga – Pastor Joel Oke, the Provost of the Redeemed College of Missions, you are well appreciated today sir. By the grace of God, passing through you has added values to my life, family and ministry. Passing through you is among the raw materials God has used to make me what I am today. Thank you for all those good qualities I have learnt from you over the years that are now very helpful here at WOCOME. May the Lord help me not to disappoint you and our fathers/mothers. May the Lord continue to preserve your relevance and grant all your heart desires sir in Jesus’ name. We will win together in all our endeavours in Jesus’ name.

Members of Governing Council of the Sword of the Spirit Ministries are greatly appreciated. Your sincere love, concerns, support, prayers, sacrifices are all well noted. Humbly praying that the Lord God will prosper His work all the more in your hands and reward you bountifully in Jesus’ name (1Corinthians 15:58).

I believe he Strategic Implementation Committee of the Sword of the Spirit Ministries set up by the Governing Council of the SOTSM to strategize for the establishment of this college will be happy to see that they have not labored in vain. I congratulate you because the difficult and big task you were saddled with enjoyed the mercy and favour of the Lord.

We appreciate all the Senior Pastors of this great and blessed ministry, SOTSM, for believing-in and supporting the vision that reproduced WOCOME. May the Lord strengthen you all the more and make your own visions too receive help and favor of the Lord.

To all our numerous helpers/supporters within and outside Christ Life Church, we appreciate you. The Lord that has positioned you to encourage us will not forget your labour of love and will reward you bountifully in Jesus’ name.

Our Major Achievements in the just Concluded Academic Session

1. Production of lecture notes for 75% of the courses offered.
2. Production of classroom tables and library cubicles and shelves through our vocational effort.
3. Production of academic regalia for both staff and students through our vocational effort.
4. Introducing students to five vocations viz carpentry, plumbing, iron bending, tailoring, paint production, painting and farming.
5. Renovation of present temporary campus.
6. Acquisition of about 46 acres of land (gift from the family of the presiding bishop) for the permanent site.
7. Production of architectural layout of the permanent site.
8. Production of the architectural designs of all the buildings proposed for the permanent site.
9. Sinking of bore hole at the permanent site.
10. Bull dozing of the permanent site and opening up of road into it.
11. Foundation laying at the permanent site and the commencement of construction of major structures.
12. Cultivation of college’s farm at the permanent site.
13. Raising the students’ enrolment to 47.
14. Empowered by the governing council to facilitate induction trainings for the newly employed staff of SOTSM.
15. Purchase of a new 10kva generator.
16. Production of discipleship manual.
17. Staff development.
18. Acquisition of an educational portal.

Our Major Goals for the New Academic Session

1. Move college to permanent site.
2. Turn Olubadan (current campus) to satellite campus for Tent-making programs.
3. Make the college become a self-sustaining institution.
4. Enhancing student enrollment to a minimum of 100 students per session.
5. Establishment of a functional and self-sustaining vocational institute able to serve the body of Christ and the general public.
6. Plant a church within Nigeria to serve as a model church.
7. Establish mission school (primary school) at the permanent site that will be able to use Christian Curriculum and serve missionary children, the Community and beyond.
8. Workforce enlargement and grooming.
9. Partnering with relevant institutions within and outside Nigeria.
10. Stocking of Library with books and establishment of the E-Library wing.
11. Investments for revenue generation.
12. Packaging/Commencing of Part-Time Executive Missions Training.
13. Staff development.
14. Acquisition of educational domain for the college.

Enrolment and Graduation

We are grateful to God for all He is working out at our end. We are young but we are glad we can feel and see Him taking us somewhere.

So far, we have been able to enroll 47 students comprising of 8 females and 39 males. Being a cross-cultural institution, our present enrollment cuts across 16 different people groups in Nigeria and one from another West African country. Our interdenominational makeup enabled us to have 28 of the students on our enrolment as Christ Life Church members while the remaining Nineteen students are from other church denominations.

We give glory to God that today we are happily marking the first graduation of the college in which our pioneer students are able to officially celebrate the completion of their training. On our graduation list of today are Eighteen students. Fifteen out of these are graduating with Postgraduate Diploma while the remaining three are graduating with Advanced Diploma in Cross-Cultural Missions. three of them are females - capable, strong and made ready for cross cultural missions.

To the glory of God, all the graduating students performed well. Academic and behavioral awards will be given to the outstanding ones among them today.

Charge for the Graduating Students

My farewell charge to my well beloved brothers and sisters graduating today is from 1 Corinthians 15:58.

“Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain”.

Five admonitions from the verse;

1. You are brothers and sisters – your identity must not be tampered with. Run from whatever can wound this identity. Jealously preserve it. It is primary. It comes before service. It gives meaning to your service and makes service rewardable. Sin is one of the things that changes one’s identity. You must run from it, 2Corinthians 4:1-2, Matthew 7:21-23.
2. Stand firm – The habit of praying and studying of the word that WOCOME has developed in you must not be neglected. It will help you to know the Lord increasingly, resist the devil and do exploits –Daniel 11:32; 1Peter 5:9, James 4:7.
3. Let nothing move you – A lot of storms are waiting to welcome you on the field. Never forget you are sent as an ambassador of Heaven and God has promised to go with you. Anywhere you are, His presence can be felt, Matthew 28:20. It takes courage to serve the Lord on the mission field – Joshua 1:7-8, 2 Corinthians 4:1.
4. Always give yourself fully to the work of the lord – You are to give yourself FULLY and ALWAYS to the work of the Lord. Working for the King of Kings pays when we are diligent in it, Philippians 3:14.
5. Your labour in the lord is not in vain – Jesus promised this to the disciples, Mark 10:28-30. Labouring on the field is not easy but it attracts rewards Colossians 3:23-24, Galatians 6:9.

Finally, as you go, do not forget the “three Gs” – God’s glory, their Gold and their Girls –they are fire you must not touch (Proverbs 6:27). Allow God to reward you. Serve with humility. The God of all grace will go with you. The God of our fathers will give you success in Jesus’ name.

Congratulations.