NOUN CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP (NCF) STORY

by Prof Iyabode Nwabueze

Today, I want to tell you the story of NOUN Christian Fellowship (NCF).

Some of you are in the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) but may not be conversant with this story. However, you should if you are a Christian and interested in the advancement of the Kingdom of God in your workplace.

I hear some of you say that the place of work you be only for work. However, I tell you the truth that this is botne out of your ignorance. If your place of work goes south, it is because the spiritual atmosphere around it is very wrong and toxic. If it has a right spiritual atmosphere, you should experience progress and prosperity there. And one day, when you leave the environment, what will you report to God as your contribution to the spiritual well being of that place He granted you the privilege of working at.

I also ask you, if other people can pray many times a day in the same workplace, why do you think yours is wrong for having fellowship with the brethren to share the scriptures and encourage one another in the Christian race in one hour once a week? The morning prayers of 8am every working day are before the work day starts. It is a good way to start your day for it to be a resounding success for me, I assure you.

Anyway, I was going to tell you about the story of NOUN Christian Fellowship.

This fellowship started when we were still in Lagos. I was still mulling over the idea of how to start a workplace prayer meeting when another brother approached me about the idea. I just knew it was God speaking. We got a space and were allowed to use the Model Study Centre hall in our Lagos headquarters to commence the fellowship, after hanging around some other spots like a people without a head for some time. Anyway, God made a way and we started having a meeting place.

Then came the move to Abuja. Of course, before this sudden move, I remember that before I went on my sabbatical leave, which I spent with the University of Ghana, Legon between 2015 and 2016, a brother raised a prayer point against the move to Abuja, that is how much people fear the unknown. I was wondering what he was talking about. Nonetheless, in 2016, when a new VC came on board, the movement became a compulsion for all. I was carefully rounding off my stay in Ghana when my HOD at the time told me that our Faculty was one of the ones mandated to move to Abuja HQ immediately and they had started moving. She asked me if they could move my things along with those of the other people being moved in the office. I told her to go ahead. After all, would I stay back if my Department moved. So, on my return from Ghana, I went to resume at Abuja.

The issue then was how do we reconvene the fellowship. I hope you remember that this story is about the fellowship and not me or my Department. We started at the groud floor of the Senate Building, now Vincent Ado Tenebe Senate Building. We commenced the fellowship. Mind you, the space was also serving as the Senate Chamber at the time. Most meetings of the University were taking place in the same hall. It was just a matter of time that we were asked to quit using the place, especially, when we sometimes had a clash of the use of time with other university programmes. We would be milling around and trying to see what to do. We tried one or two other locations. But all these were temporary. It was such that we would need to have to inform one another of where we would be meeting at any point in time.

So, it was sensible to ask the university for the allocated land that was in the master plan for the university chapel. The President of the NCF, Dr (now Prof) Miracle Ajah, played a pivotal role in this. Through a former DVC (Academics), we were able to approach the university for consideration. A place was allocated to us. We were ready to see how to start off. However, a powerful interest also determined that it should be shared into Protestant and Catholic. That is okay. It is still the church of Jesus Christ. We have always been an interdenominational body as a fellowship. So, everyone was always welcome.

So, we now have a place. What next?

A makeshift place of worship was constructed there. A shed to keep us from the sun and rain. Nonetheless, the sun and rain ensure they follow us to worship many a time. However, one sure thing was that we now had a Rehoboth. We now had a place of rest. We would sometimes be stuck in the place after the fellowship when the rain decides to fellowship with us. People will be totally soaked, but we would be raising our voices in praise to God for the privilege of being part of the glorious story of building His Kingdom on the NOUN soil. At times, it is the sun forcing us to move our chairs in order to adjust and move people from being scorched from teh such. You know, this was actually progress. We were once without any covering at all. But all glory remains God’s.

Then came the foundation of the chapel. We had a design, a hope, a prophecy.

When Dr Olusegun Obasanjo graduated from NOUN, the Building Committee, headed by Prof Isaac Butswat, worked with the former VC, Prof Olugbemiro Jegede, to use the occasion to commence building of the chapel. God granted us favour and some money and pledges raised. The chapel building commenced in earnest.

There was a stalling for some time after this phase. The Fellowship leadership sent fundraising envelopes to the Christian community in the university. We got some responses and the work continued. We did the decking of the part that will serve as a gallery and the block raising was complete. With this, we were able to move to that section the chapel. It provided more covering than the wooden shed we were using for years as our meeting place. Yes, it was a much better space but the rain still sometimes comes to fellowship with us seriously. The floor would be flooded and the beating of the rain would sometims make us huddle together while we try to hear the preacher above the deen. It was always awesome to see God come down it His power during our meetings. It is a privilege always.

Then came the time to roof. We were always doing strategic discussion about this after the morning prayers, those of us that were elders in the Fellowship, along with the exco. Our dear Chair of the Building Committee was always giving us updates. The Principal Officers who always make this time are totally committed to our achieving this.

So, it was no surprise when we did the iron frame for the roofing within a short time. Gof is the owner of all earthly resources after all. I then went for my sabbatical leave at the University of Benin. I ensured that I sent in what I could whenever I could. When I came for an extended visit, I was able to attend a Fellowship meeting and found that the roofing had been done. I was ecstatic. Indeed, our nakedness was finally covered.

Before this time, we used that vestry as the store for our chairs and meeting equipment. So, the doors were fixed and the windows were boarded up for safety. Next came the plastering of the building. We were able to do this with the resources we had. We have started fixing the burglary-proofing for the windows now. We now have a place of worship that is a far cry from the headless chicken situation we started with.

Nevertheless, I must say that we are a far cry from where we need to be. We still need to fix the doors and windows, tile the floors and walls as applicable, put in electricity, connect water, fix the bathroom furniture, the hall furniture, etc. So, many things still remain to take the building to where it should be.

More than a month ago, I asked the NCF president to do a blog post about the Fellowship in order to ask the Christian public for help in completing the building. He told me to go ahead. I had been praying and asking God to show me how to approach this matter. However, I recently thought to ask that you support us by using your birthday gift to me for my 2026 birthday celebration as a support seed to the NCF chapel building. God rewards a cheerful giver. It is also God that gives bread to the eater and seed to the sower.

My birthday is exactly a week from today. So, I choose to celebrate it in this manner. Join me and let us join hands to build the house of God together. It does not matter where you fellowship now. What matters is that as you support God’s work, He will never forget your labour of love among us to make our fellowship time in NOUN more conducive and impactful.

I am putting below the account number for NCF. You can indicate in your narration when you make your transfer as your support to the NCF building or Prof Iyabode Nwabueze birthday gift support for NCF building. As we have shown you above, your money will be judiciously used towards its purpose of supporting the building project.

Note that I am not a signatory to the account. Only the President of NCF and his Executive Committee have access. As elders, we only guide and give advice once we know what is available in the account and what the next phase of the project it can help to execute.

If you are supporting the work of God in this project, just simply send your evidence of payment ot the President, NCF. Pastor Samuel Fatele through his WhatsApp number (+234-8035314281). You may not bother to send it to me. However, if you decide to send it to me too, you can use my WhatsApp number: +234-8035984870 or simply send it as part of your comment on this post.

God bless you real good as you advance God’s Kingdom on earth with your resources.

NCF Account Details:

DISCLAIMER

The story, as written above, is from my perspective and all I know about the growth of NCF. In case I left out anyone whose contribution to the growth of the Fellowship should have been acknowledged, do reach out to me to update the records here. It is not out of disrespect or malicious intent. It is likely an omission due to an information gap and not my commission. I will be glad to update this content if you will oblige me with the necessary information, and it is confirmed. Indeed, only God can duly reward everyone for the part they have played to bring us this far. God bless you ALL abundantly.

Prof Iyabode Nwabueze