Professor Emmanuel Oyemomi is the Rector, Baptist College of Theology, Lagos. The college is set to celebrate 25 years of its existence. In this interview with reporters, Oyemoni talked about the impact of Theological Education as well as the role of the Baptist College of Theology in raising competent leaders in Nigeria. Excerpts: 
What would you consider the impact of Theological Education on governance and leadership in Nigeria?
Apart from impacting churches, theological education has impacted schools and to a large extent impacted the way the government is being run. But public officers are not taking full advantage of this. By extension, it has helped the education sector. The quality of education we had back then is a function of the theological education that school handlers were exposed to.
The establishment of mission schools across the country where students were trained about the right way of living and the need to reverence God in all their pursuits is a consequence of theological education. To a large extent, the principles of governance are drawn from the Bible. Most of our laws are what had already been stipulated in the Bible. There are leaders in the Bible that those in government can emulate. If public office holders and politicians create the time, they will gain a lot from being exposed to theology.
In specific terms, how can Theological Education help our leaders?
We need to watch the track records of our leaders and create a template whereby godly values will be impacted in their lives. What theology simply means is the study of God. it won’t be out of place if there is a leadership school where theology is a course. In theology, the student is taught how to have concern for fellow human beings. When utilized, the impact is huge. Most people with theological education act right. Theology has helped people to be versatile. Unfortunately, we don’t give a premium to it in our polity
What is The Role of Baptist College of Theology, Lagos since its inception in shaping lives and impacting society?
The impact of BCT Lagos has been enormous. The goal is to produce people with sound character and spiritual formation for Christian ministry. The College also provides sound spirituality to mold people’s lives. We have been doing that for 25 years and still counting.
The seminary has continued to raise giants for the Lord. We have trained a lot of people around the world not only in Nigeria. Some of our products have become prominent persons within the denominations and also in government. Several of our products are using their GOD-given training to help the government. Most of them are in key organizations across the world. This shows that the training we provide is first class.
BCT Lagos has been accredited by Association for Christian Education in Africa. in Nigeria. It has also been a campus for Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary, Ogbomosho. We secured full accreditation. We have secured full accreditation and have partnerships with several global bodies. Our focus is to train people to know more about God. The college has a 360O impartation credential. We have trained over 1,500 graduates since inception. Our calendar of activities is stable and is not disrupted in any way. This year alone, 72 students graduated from the school to join the workforce and continue to make impact. We have also planted almost 20 churches since inception.
Some of our graduands in the public sector/private sectors develop skills for others and equip them. We also train the working class who after graduation are advancing the kingdom of God and contributing to the nation’s growth. Our graduates are the salt of the earth. We also have our trained Pastors working with Federal Government and contributing their quota.
