NIGERIAN televangelist, Bishop David Oyedepo and the owner of the Covenant University run by the Living Faith Church Worldwide (Winners Chapel) is in the eye storm over the sudden death of Prof Joseph Olugbuyiro.
Prof Olugbuyiro who dies of heart attack on Sunday May 11, 2025, had his employment with the institution terminated unceremoniously and unjustifiably while the church management refused to pay his terminal benefits of about N4 million.
Bishop Oyedepo has been facing scrutiny over his numerous organizations’ gratuity payment practices and bond agreements that impoverished those working for him, from cleaners to the management members of staff.
Sources reveal the university’s condition of service stipulates gratuity calculation ends at December 2018, potentially leaving staff who exited after this date without full entitlement
“The death of Prof Joseph Olugbuyiro is a testament to the wickedness of Bishop Oyedepo because the termination of his employment is not because he violated any regulations, but there was need to bring down the wage bill and few had to go.
“The real shock came when months after months, Covenant University refused to pay him his terminal benefit.
“It is now over 8 months and the organization he spent almost half of his lifetime to serve didn’t care if he die”, a family member Prof Olugbuyiro told Trojaninsights.com.
More traumatizing, according to sources in Covenant University is how the church management deducts pension contributions from gratuity payments, despite an Industrial Court ruling in 2021, deeming this practice illegal. A 22-year staff member corroborated these claims, citing financial burdens on departing employees.
Another source told Trojaninsights.com that the university’s bond agreements for postgraduate studies is the most slavish and wicked workers/employees agreement policy in modern history.
Some staff members allege unfair treatment and excessive financial penalties when leaving the institution. Some claim they were asked to pay significant amounts to collect certificates after termination.
Covenant University has been advised address its gratuity calculation cutoff at December 2018, stop illegal deduction of pension contributions, restructure the controversial bond agreements and soften the financial burdens on departing staff.
