Overview and History of Precious Cornerstone Universty, Oyo

 
In the heart of Ibadan, Oyo State, lies a relatively new but ambitious institution: Precious Cornerstone University (PCU). Founded in 2017 and rooted in a faith-based educational vision, PCU is geared toward delivering not only academic excellence but also character formation, spiritual grounding and entrepreneurial readiness for its students. In an era where higher education in Nigeria is increasingly scrutinised for relevance, graduate readiness and alignment with global standards, PCU presents itself as a university that seeks to bridge theory and practice — to produce graduates who are not just credentialed but genuinely prepared to contribute, innovate and lead.

What sets PCU apart is its articulation of values: the university is positioned as a project of people of vision, in partnership with God, aimed at the emancipation and beautification of Africa through teaching, learning, research and community service. The campus, though still in the growth phase, has made deliberate investments in infrastructure, accreditation of new programmes, scholarships, and linkages that support digital readiness and student employability. For a prospective student or parent seeking a university that blends faith, modernity and purpose, PCU offers a compelling option — particularly in southwestern Nigeria.In this blog post, we’ll walk through the full profile of PCU: its official website, motto, founder, history, chancellor (and leadership), accreditation and recognition, academic structure and facilities, campus life and facilities, and any available information on notable alumni. The aim is to provide a humanised, professional and informative overview to help you assess whether PCU might align with your educational goals.

##Official Website
The official website for Precious Cornerstone University is https://pcu.edu.ng/ On the site, you’ll find admission requirements, programme listings, announcements for new sessions, scholarship information, academic calendars, contact details, and news of infrastructural developments. It serves as the primary portal for prospective students, current students and stakeholders to stay informed about PCU’s evolving offerings.

##Motto
While PCU does not prominently publish a separate tagline labelled “motto” on its website, its vision statement provides insight into its guiding ethos: “To be a University of Excellence in character building, promotion of harmony with the Creator and enhancement of human dignity and self-discovery through quality education.” 
This vision encapsulates three core themes: excellence (in academics and facilities), character/faith (grounding in spiritual values) and human dignity/self-discovery (holistic student development). In that sense, one might summarise its “motto” in practice as “Excellence, Faith & Human Dignity through Quality Education.”

##Founder
Precious Cornerstone University was founded by Francis Olubowale Aderibigbe Oke (commonly referred to as Bishop Francis Wale Oke), the presiding Bishop of the Sword of the Spirit Ministries (SOTSM) in Ibadan. His vision for the university emerged through the ministry’s educational and evangelical initiatives, and PCU is one of the major tertiary-education projects tied to the SOTSM. Bishop Oke’s educational background and leadership in Christian ministry inform the faith-based character of the university.

##History
PCU’s history begins with its conceptualisation by the SOTSM under Bishop Wale Oke. The idea of establishing the university reportedly dates back to around 2005, when the ministry envisioned a world-class university built on faith and academic excellence. The formal licensing of the university to operate as a private tertiary institution came in 2017. On the “About Us” section of their website, it states: “After a long awaited period of time for approval, the university was licensed to operate in the year 2017.” 

The university took off its academic activities shortly thereafter. For example, by 2019 the pioneer matriculation occurred with 78 students. 
Over the subsequent years, PCU focused on expanding its programme offerings, enhancing infrastructural capacity, securing accreditation for more programmes, and attracting students from multiple states of Nigeria. Its infrastructure has grown to include modern hostels (including a female hostel unveiled in 2025) and other campus amenities. 

In terms of programme accreditation, by 2021 PCU had secured accreditation for additional courses including Mass Communication, Procurement Management, International Relations, Cybersecurity and Software Engineering. Moreover, in July 2025, PCU received approval from the National Universities Commission (NUC) to commence full-time postgraduate programmes in Microbiology, Accounting, Business Administration and MBA. Thus, PCU’s trajectory can be summarised as: vision by a faith-based ministry ? licensing in 2017 ? initial programmes and small student intake ? accreditation of additional programmes and infrastructure build-up ? move toward postgraduate offerings. The university emphasises the ambition to become a world-class institution grounded in character and industry relevance.

##Chancellor 
The Chancellor of PCU is Bishop Francis Wale Oke — the same figure who founded the institution. 
Brief biography:

Full name: Francis Olubowale Aderibigbe Oke (born 8 September 1956) in Oyo State, Nigeria. 

Education: A graduate of the University of Lagos (Survey Engineering) and earlier studied at The Polytechnic, Ibadan. 

Ministry: He founded the Sword of the Spirit Ministries in 1983, and has held leadership positions within the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN). 

Role at PCU: As Chancellor, Bishop Oke provides overarching vision, spiritual oversight, and strategic direction. In public addresses he emphasises the growth of the university toward global standards, infrastructure development, and moral formation of students. 

As Chancellor, his involvement gives PCU a faith-based identity, aligning academic aims with ethical and spiritual commitments.

##Accreditation and Recognition
Accreditation is a critical benchmark for any university. For PCU, key accreditation highlights are:

PCU was licensed by the NUC in 2017 to operate as a university. 

In 2021 the NUC granted full accreditation for all its undergraduate academic programmes (including Business Administration, Accounting, Biochemistry, Computer Science, Microbiology, Physics with Electronics, Economics) according to some reports. 

Additional accreditation in June 2024: The NUC awarded full accreditation status to four new programmes — Software Engineering, Cybersecurity, Mass Communication, International Relations — expanding the university’s recognised academic offerings. 

By July 2025, PCU obtained NUC approval to commence full-time postgraduate studies in Microbiology, Accounting, Business Administration, and MB

These accreditation milestones indicate that PCU is increasingly aligning its academic programmes with national standards, which bolsters credibility. Prospective students should still verify the current accreditation status of specific departments, as this can evolve.

##Academic Structure and Facilities
PCU offers a range of academic structures and facilities designed to support teaching, learning, research and student development. Here are six key components:

Faculty of Pure & Applied Sciences

Faculty of Social and Management Sciences


##Campus Life and Facilities
ife on campus at PCU offers a blend of urban convenience (Ibadan location) and a nurturing, value-infused environment. Some of the notable campus amenities and aspects of student life include:

Urban location in Ibadan, Oyo State: The campus is situated at The Garden of Victory, Olaogun Street, Off Old Ife Road, Agodi 200223, Ibadan. The urban setting facilitates connectivity to city resources, internships, and lifestyle amenities.

Accommodation and Hostel Life: The Temitayo Felix Owolabi Female Hostel is a state-of-the-art residence for female students, inaugurated in 2025. Male hostel facilities are also being upgraded. 
Comfortable lodging is important for students from outside Ibadan and contributes to campus community building.

Health, ICT, Library & Support Services: The university offers health service centres, ICT centre, sport centre, chaplaincy, student affairs and a library system. 
These support services contribute to student welfare, campus engagement and holistic development.

Extracurricular and Research-Driven Activities: PCU encourages innovation, research and entrepreneurship. As quoted in a Tribune interview, the former VC emphasised creating opportunities for robotics, data mining and software engineering training. Students pursuing computer science or applied sciences can expect exposure beyond standard lectures.

Faith-Based Community Life: As a religious-affiliated institution, PCU integrates spiritual life, value formation and community service into campus culture. The chaplaincy office underlines this dimension. 

Student Diversity and Access: Even in its early years, PCU attracted students from 21 states of Nigeria for the 100-level intake. This diversity helps create a broader peer experience and cross-cultural engagement.

For students seeking an institution where campus life is structured, supportive, modern and shaped by both faith and ambition, PCU offers viable experiences.