The Presiding Bishop and Founder of Victory International Church, also known as Rehoboth Cathedral, Bishop Taiwo Victor Adelakun, has urged students not to allow their family background or the nature of their schools to limit their aspirations, stressing that integrity, discipline, hard work, and faith in God remain the pillars of lasting success.

Bishop Adelakun gave the charge during the maiden colloquium organised to mark his 63rd birthday, held at the chapel of Dominion University, Ibadan-Lagos Expressway, Ibadan.

According to the cleric, the colloquium was conceived to shape the minds of younger generations and inspire them towards purposeful living.

He said, “Do not allow your family background or your school to affect your vision to become successful in life.”

Adelakun expressed gratitude to God for His faithfulness over his life and admonished students to imbibe integrity, discipline, diligence, and faith in God, describing them as critical virtues for enduring success.

He further urged the students to give back to society by helping others whenever they become successful and blessed by God in the future.

Also speaking at the event, the President of the Nigerian Baptist Convention and former National President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Rev. Olasupo Ayokunle, warned students against social vices and bad company.

Ayokunle said negative influences and distractions among young people are destroying destinies and jeopardising their future.

“The distractions are many today. Things that are not worth our attention are attracting the attention of our children and it is spoiling their future.“

“Cultism, lesbianism, yahoo yahoo and all kinds of quick money-making ventures, if care is not taken and if they do not get out of them quickly, they may not have the future expected of them,” he said.

Delivering a lecture titled, “Start Up to Stand Out,” the Chief Executive Officer of Premium Trust Bank, Dr Emmanuel Emefienim, represented by the bank’s Executive Director, Mr Adeola Adeyemi, emphasised the growing importance of technology in the banking sector.

He disclosed that cash transactions currently account for only six per cent of total transactions in the banking industry, noting that financial institutions are deploying advanced technology to enhance service delivery.

Adeyemi called on the government to support telecommunications operators with the infrastructure needed to improve service delivery across the country.

He also advised beneficiaries of the bursary awards to remain focused on their vision and seek God’s guidance in all their endeavours, adding that teamwork, innovation, and faith in God are indispensable tools for achieving success.

The bank executive further charged the students to take their studies seriously, adding that: “Put in your best and ensure you get the best out of this institution before you leave.“

Earlier in his address, the Vice-Chancellor of Dominion University, Prof. Abel Olorunsola, appealed to well-meaning Nigerians to support the institution financially through the Project Support Trust Fund initiated to commemorate Bishop Adelakun’s 63rd birthday.

Olorunsola said the funds would assist the university in constructing additional hostels and commencing postgraduate programmes.

The VC also dismissed the notion that private universities were established solely for profit-making, insisting that Dominion University was founded as a mission field.

He stated that private universities do not admit only children of the wealthy or candidates who failed to meet admission cut-off marks in public institutions, adding that many private universities admit indigent students and candidates with high UTME scores. The event featured the commissioning of a laboratory built within the institution, presentation of bursary awards to 10 indigent but brilliant junior and senior secondary school students drawn from selected schools in Ibadan, as well as the distribution of exercise books to the beneficiaries.

The bursary awards were presented by the Pro-Chancellor of the university, Pastor Dr Dolapo Adelakun, on behalf of the Taiwo Adelakun Foundation.