A BRIEF HISTORY OF WESLEY UNIVERSITY, ONDO.
The proprietor of Wesley University, Ondo is the Methodist Church Nigeria. Methodist Church Nigeria was established in the Country in 1842 by the Methodist Society from Britain. While engaging in their main goal of evangelizing and converting the people, the Methodists recognized the need to train a number of people who can read the Bible and serve as assistants to the Missionaries. The Methodists therefore ventured into education of the people and set up the first “Nursery of the Infant Church” in Badagry in 1843. This marked the first initiative at establishing schools in Nigeria.
Over the years of its existence, the Methodist Church has shown interest and (had in fact) participated in the development of Education, Health and Agriculture in the country with the establishment of Primary and Secondary Schools, Teacher Training Colleges, Theological Institutions, Hospitals, Leprosy Centres and various agricultural projects.
From the historical viewpoint, the Church was regarded as a preserver of knowledge. In the world today, education is viewed as a vocational training for the young, an education which disciplines the mind, develops the reasoning power and enables the young graduate to find employment and be of good service to the Church and the community.
To this effect, following the decision of the Federal Government of Nigeria to permit the establishment and running of private Universities by individuals or organizations based on Federal Government’s criteria through the National Universities Commission, the Church decided to establish Wesley University of Science and Technology, expected to be a centre of excellence, committed to regeneration of good moral standards among the youths. MCN also observed the need to provide improved standard of delivery as well as provide additional places for the teeming population of young people who cannot be reasonably accommodated in the existing institutions.
The University was granted official license by the National Universities Commission (NUC) on May 17, 2007. Consequently, the official opening ceremony took place on May 14, 2008, at the University site in Ondo town, while full academic activities commenced in October, 2008, with the admission and resumption of the University’s pioneer students.
We strive to provide the enabling environment for effective teaching and research in cutting-edge science and technology for sustainable development. The Wesley University of our dream is not just a university that provides facilities for teaching and research but one in which moral regeneration of our children would be approached through formal and informal means, so as to ensure stimulation of interest in national development from moral, cultural and religious perspectives.