Bishop Felix Owolabi, a distinguished graduate of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) was born with a humble background but he refused to allow his background to put his back on the ground. The beginning of His Lord Bishop Felix Owolabi was indeed very small but to the glory of God Almighty, today, he is in a position to lift others up. Bishop and Rev(Dr) Mrs Felix Owolabi Foundation yesterday provided scholarship for 150 students of FUNAAB. In this interview with ValidViewNetwork, he shared information on Bishop and Rev(Dr) Mrs Felix Owolabi Foundation, the drive and the expectations.
Bishop Owolabi is the pastor-in-charge of Faith Triumph Ministries International, Baltimore, Maryland, US.
Can we meet you, Sir ?
Bishop Felix Owolabi and Rev( Dr ) Mrs Temitayo Owolabi, the chairman and chairperson of this foundation, respectively, hailed from Oke-Ila Orangun. Oke-Ila Orangun is a community in the North East division of Osun State, Nigeria. We were not born big but through the grace of God, hard work and divine providence we are where we are today. God Almighty has made it possible for us to transform lives and destinies. We are poised to change the narratives of homes that have been pervaded with darkness through teaching and preaching of the word of faith and the revelation of the wisdom of God cum practical demonstration of the love of God towards humanity.
Can you give us a brief of the Foundation? Its focus and achievements
The Foundation is meant to help the students to achieve their educational dreams. We know there are many who would need assistance to fulfill their dreams and aspirations and God has made it possible for us to stand in the gap and provide sucour for them. The Foundation has also been providing help to the widows and widowers in need including providing for the the aged (adult men and women) in our community. We are committed to mitigating the challenges of the needy regardless or sex, age or religion. We strongly believe that the joy of others is our joy and that is why we are determined to touch more lives yearly.
The Foundation has been providing scholarship to FUNAAB students, what is the history?
Myself and my wife suffered to complete our education. We truly suffered and as a result to appreciate the mercy of God and to extend the mercy of God to as many as we could possibly reach out to. We have been committed to helping others because we believe that we are where and what we are by the mercies of God Almighty. In recognition of the invaluable mercies of God, we must help others.
What is the drive behind the scholarship?
Our belief isn’t just preaching the love of God, but demonstrating the love of God by showing the love of God to our world. We believe that giving is living. You don’t give because you have, but you give to have. We give to put smiles in the faces of the people. We give scholarship to produce many future givers of scholarship. We are providing light into lives so that the brightness can become brighter and brighter and darkness can disappear. We derive our courage and inspiration from Matthew 5:16, “Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Have there been same or similar activities of the Foundation elsewhere?
Yes! we have been giving monthly support to several hundred of widows and aged in our communities. Not only in our town, Ila-Orangun but other towns around us plus annual scholarships to all the tertiary students in our town and over hundred students from different cities in the country
Can you share some notable experiences you had while in UNAAB?
My experience as a UNAABITE was our togetherness and unity of purpose. We grew together and still do things together as a family. Nobody made it for him or herself. We made it together and see each success as our successes. Remember Psam 133:1 ”How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity! The unity and love among us has taken us far and I hope others will covet this.
How would you describe the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta?
FUNAAB has done us proud and it is making us proud. I remember when my results (credits) were evaluated by the World Evaluation Center and I was given equal credit with the American System. Here in the States FUNAAB is ranked very high. It is a well branded university that we must all be proud of. I can walk shoulders high and chest out with graduate from any university anywhere in the world. That is what UNAAB and now FUNAAB made of us.
What are your expectations from the beneficiaries of the scholarship?
Our expectation is that God those we are giving scholarship today will be blessed by God, be successful in life so that in the future we will have many givers of scholarship to the coming generations. We are just laying down a foundation for others to build upon.
What are the lessons you will want others to learn from you?
The major lesson we will want people to learn from us is to continually trust in God Almighty. He comes at the nick of time and He is never late. Myself and my wife suffered in life. We suffered medically, we suffered hunger, we suffered rejection, we were so poor that the neighbors didn’t want us to be the first people they would see in the morning . Yes that was one of our former neighbors at Osogbo told us. She said people in the neighborhood didn’t like us as the first person to see in the morning. One day God appeared in our serious fasting and prayer that we have passed the test and that no more affliction again in our generations. That same week we got a massive major breakthrough. And since then till now all we see in each moment is JESUS.
ValidViewNetwork reports that Bishop Felix Owolabi has made several interventions to the needy and the vulnerable in the society. He has been committed to providing infrastusture and health facilities to people. To ensure the safety of lives and properties and support government in the fight against kidnapping an other criminalities, has donated a Toyota Hilux van for the use of Osun Amotekun Corps in the Ifedayo Local Government Area of the state.
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He should go back home to Oke ila Orangun to help the course of the philanthropic kabiyesi of the town who had established a secondary school providing free education,accommodation and feeding to vulnerable and but brilliant children from all over Nigeria.
I appreciate given back to your alma mate but your community where you hail from is of utmost paramaouncy…
It is confirmed that he has made several interventions to his community in Ila-Orangun.You may want to read the concluding part. Yes, he can do more but encouraging students in his Alma mater deserves ccommendation as well.