Covenant University, located in Ota, Ogun State, is widely recognized as one of Nigeria’s premier private institutions. Fondly called "Hebron" (the birthplace of kings and queens) by its students and alumni, the university was founded in 2002 by Bishop David Oyedepo. It has earned a reputation for its strict code of conduct, academic rigor, and beautifully manicured campus.
But beyond training captains of industry, tech founders, and corporate leaders, Covenant University has quietly served as a massive spiritual crucible. Underneath the structured lifestyle, the early morning chapel services, and the leadership development courses, the Holy Spirit was branding a new generation of charismatic ministers.
Here is a detailed look at five phenomenal gospel ministers and Christian leaders whose spiritual foundations and leadership capacities were forged within the walls of Hebron.
1. Pastor Emmanuel Iren
Degree: B.Sc. in Building Technology
Graduation Year: 2010
If there is a minister who represents the modern, vibrant, and doctrinally sound shift in the Nigerian charismatic scene, it is Pastor Emmanuel Iren. As the Founder and Lead Pastor of Celebration Church International (CCI), he oversees a rapidly growing global ministry with campuses across Nigeria, North America, the United Kingdom, and beyond.
Pastor Iren entered Covenant University at a very young age and graduated in 2010 with a degree in Building Technology. He has often spoken about how the rigorous discipline of Covenant University helped shape his work ethic.
It was during his time as an undergraduate at Hebron that the seeds of his global ministry were sown. He was actively involved in campus fellowship leadership, sharpening his teaching gift and learning the structures of spiritual administration. Just two years after his graduation, at the age of 22, he founded what was then called Life Triumphant Church (now CCI) in Lagos. Today, the Building Technology graduate is building a spiritual temple of believers worldwide, known for deep theological teaching, prophetic accuracy, and a passion for soul-winning.
2. Pastor Laju Iren
Degree: B.Sc. in Mass Communication
Graduation Year: 2012
Beside Pastor Emmanuel Iren is his partner in life and ministry, Pastor Laju Iren (formerly Laju Olajumoke). A powerhouse in her own right, she is an author, award-winning filmmaker, publisher, and pastor at Celebration Church International.
Laju graduated from Covenant University’s highly competitive Mass Communication department in 2012. Her time at Hebron did not just prepare her to understand media; it taught her how to use media as a vehicle for the Gospel.
At Covenant, she was known for her intellectual brilliance and writing skills. Following graduation, she went on to build a highly successful career in journalism and creative writing before transitioning into full-time creative ministry. Through her film production company, Laju Iren Films, she produces high-quality, faith-based movies that compete on mainstream streaming platforms, proving that the creative skills she honed at Covenant University could be used to capture souls for the Kingdom.
3. Pastor Steve Ogah
Degree: B.Sc. in Business Administration
Graduation Year: 2007
As a prominent voice within the Living Faith Church Worldwide (Winners Chapel), Pastor Steve Ogah represents the direct transition of leadership from the foundation of Covenant University back into the heart of the commission that birthed it.
Pastor Steve studied Business Administration at Covenant University during its formative years. His time at Hebron deeply instilled in him the core values of the university. Specifically vision, spirituality, and capacity building. He didn’t just leave with a degree; he left with a burning pastoral mandate.
He has served in various administrative and pastoral capacities within the ministry, both in Nigeria and internationally (including pastoring major branches in the United States and the United Kingdom). He currently serves in high-level leadership at the international headquarters (Faith Tabernacle, Canaanland). Pastor Steve, who is also married to Love Oyedepo-Ogah (Bishop Oyedepo's daughter, also a CU alumnus), is a testament to the university's ability to raise spiritually grounded leaders capable of managing global church operations with corporate precision.
4. Pastor Akin Akinpelu
Degree: B.Sc. in Economics
Graduation Year: 2007
When you listen to Pastor Akin Akinpelu speak, you immediately recognize the seamless fusion of a developmental economist, a corporate consultant, and a fiery gospel preacher. He is the Lead Pastor of Emerge Church and the CEO of Akin Akinpelu International.
Pastor Akin studied Economics at Covenant University. During his undergraduate years, he was highly active in student leadership, campus ministry, and peer mentoring. Hebron’s relentless focus on the "Total Man Concept" (TMC) deeply resonated with him, sparking a lifelong obsession with human capital development.
After graduating, he went on to earn postgraduate degrees and professional certifications, but his foundational framework remains rooted in his time at Covenant. Through Emerge Church and his extensive consulting work with corporate organizations and educational institutions, Pastor Akin uses the analytical precision of an economist and the authority of a preacher to raise marketplace apostles across the globe.
5. Pastor David Ebohimen
Degree: B.Sc. in Management Information Systems (MIS) / Engineering-related discipline
Graduation Year: 2011/2012
In the modern charismatic movement, behind every powerful preaching ministry is a strong administrative engine. Pastor David Ebohimen is a prime example of this reality. Serving as a key pastor and administrator within Celebration Church International (CCI), his ministry is defined by structural excellence, theological depth, and a calm, teaching grace.
David Ebohimen graduated from Covenant University, where he studied under the College of Science and Technology. Covenant's strict schedules, demanding academic requirements, and emphasis on technological integration provided the perfect environment to shape his analytical mind.
At Hebron, he developed a reputation for consistency, loyalty, and a deep love for prayer. This combination of spiritual devotion and administrative competence made him a vital pillar in the growth of CCI. Today, he pastors one of the church’s major branches and plays a critical role in structuring the global operations of the ministry, proving that the systems-thinking he learned at Covenant University is highly valuable in running the logistics of the Kingdom.
The Legacy of Hebron
What these ministers show us is that Covenant University of is doing exactly what it was designed to do: raising leaders. While the world looks to Ota for its next generation of tech founders, investment bankers, and engineers, the heavens look to Hebron for voices that will carry the fire of revival into the next generation.
From the lecture halls of the College of Business and Social Sciences to the pews of the university chapel, God has consistently used the structured environment of Covenant University to build ministers who are academically sound, behaviorally disciplined, and spiritually on fire.
Conclusion: The Spiritual Harvest of Hebron
While Covenant University set out to raise a new generation of corporate and academic elite, its spiritual output has proven to be just as historic. The university’s core mission of holistic development does not just prepare students to dominate in their respective careers; it equips them to build the Kingdom with exceptional capacity.
A distinct signature defines a minister raised in Hebron, characterized by a seamless fusion of spiritual fervor and structural excellence. These leaders do not merely preach; they build global ministries with the same administrative precision and systems-thinking expected in multinational corporations. Furthermore, their mastery of modern media, technology, and culture allows them to keep the Gospel deeply engaging and accessible without ever diluting its truth. They successfully bridge the gap between the pulpit and the boardroom, proving that academic excellence and a fiery devotion to God can easily coexist in the same vessel.
The strict discipline, mandatory chapel services, and rigorous standards of Covenant University ultimately acted as a spiritual crucible. Just as the historic campus of Great Ife birthed a legendary wave of revivalists in decades past, the manicured lawns of Canaanland are doing the same today. Hebron has ultimately become a spiritual womb, launching dynamic voices that are shaking nations and rewriting the story of the modern global church.
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