A Nigerian-born pastor who has been here for the past seven years says he finds great pleasure in ministering to Jamaicans, especially his students at Northern Caribbean University’s (NCU) School of Religion and Theology (SRT).

“I am enjoying my ministry experience here in Jamaica,” said Dr Ikechukwu Michael Oluikpe, an assistant professor at the school .

“I primarily minister by teaching ministerial students and preparing them for pastoral work. I love this opportunity to shape minds for future ministry. My classroom is my church, and my students are my members. I pray with them, support and care for them as I can,” he said, adding that he is even more pleased when he sees his students graduate and do well in the field as pastors and even conference directors.

Oluikpe was among seven pastors ordained at Mandeville Seventh-day Adventist Church on February 1.

He was born in Maryland, Lagos state, Nigeria, and baptised on April 24, 1993. Since then, he has participated actively in Children’s Sabbath School, Adventurers, and Pathfinder Club activities, as well as in music ministry at various churches.

He began formal ministry as a high school chaplain and youth pastor at Babcock University High School in Ogun State, Nigeria, where he served from October 2000 to April 2007.

During his doctoral studies he continued informal ministry as a volunteer pastor and evangelist in The Philippines from 2007 to 2012. He also taught and ministered as a lecturer at the School of Theology and Religious Studies at Bugema University in Uganda from 2013 to 2016.

In February 2018 Oluikpe arrived in Jamaica and began teaching at NCU’s School of Religion and Theology, and has impressed his colleagues.

“He has provided a calm spirit and instilled in his students a desire for spiritual maturity and intellectual acumen,” said Dr Milton Gregory, acting dean of the SRT.

Feona Gordon-Miller, a church member at NCU, agreed.

“Dr Oluikpe is a remarkably humble and compassionate individual. He is warm, welcoming and non-judgemental, consistently demonstrating a self-sacrificial attitude. His genuine interest in people extends beyond just members as he deeply cares about the spiritual well-being of everyone he encounters,” Gordon-Miller said.

“His nurturing nature and unwavering commitment to encouragement create an atmosphere of care and support for students, the larger community, and members alike. His dedication to prayer strengthens the faith of those around him, and his ability to offer timely and meaningful prayers makes the NCU family feel genuinely connected,” Gordon-Miller added.

The respect Oluikpe has earned over the years has led to him being invited to minister across the island.

“I get invitations to preach in churches around the island and occasionally to engage in evangelistic series,” he said.

“It is always a joy to see people decide to follow Jesus, and get baptised into Him, and to see the present truth of the everlasting gospel of the Three Angels’ messages of Revelation 14:6-12, which many Protestant Christian churches are not teaching people about. It’s a joy to share this special message for the time, preparing people for the second coming of Jesus Christ,” added Oluikpe who said he enjoys his work in Jamaica so much that he plans to become a citizen.

“I intend to apply for that this year, by God’s grace, and wait for the process,” he said.

When asked about the difference in ministry between Jamaica and Nigeria, Oluikpe responded, “The major difference is that Nigeria is geographically larger and more culturally diverse than Jamaica. While Jamaicans are mostly Protestant Christians and speak the patois, Nigerians have a significant number of Muslims and tribes that speak other languages apart from English. So, I can say ministry is much easier here than in Nigeria.”

He also said that, “Jamaicans are more open to God and the teachings of Jesus, for the most part. However, the challenges of sin and worldliness — the attraction of and hustle for money and material prosperity — are the same everywhere.”

Oluikpe is married to Maria Criselda, his ministry partner. She was born in The Philippines and is a professional teacher with a Master of Science in Counselling Psychology. They have been married for 14 years and have two daughters — Jemimah, a second-year high school student, and Joanna, a first-grade student in primary school.