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The Chairman, Board of Trustees of the West Africa Theological Seminary (WATS), Rt. Rev. (Prof.) Dapo Asaju, has warned graduating students of the seminary to beware of pastors and teachers who “rewrite the gospel to suit their lifestyle.”
Prof. Asaju gave the warning on Saturday, November 29, 2025, during the 34th and 35th convocation ceremony and the conferment of honorary doctorate degrees held at the school’s main hall, Ipaja, Lagos.
Delivering his keynote address titled “Contending for the Christian Faith: The Challenges of Christian Education,” the former Vice Chancellor condemned what he described as growing wrong doctrines in the church. He urged Christian leaders to stop promoting prosperity messages and return to preaching salvation, holiness, humility and repentance.
According to him, Christianity in Nigeria is facing several challenges including the rise of fake pastors and prophets, shallow impact of churches on their host communities, cultural practices creeping into the church, commercialization of the gospel, lack of succession planning, political irrelevance, and the dominance of prosperity theology.
“We can no longer boast of Christian leadership and voice in national politics,” he said. “Once they give them money, they keep quiet… Prosperity theology is worse than preaching. Enough of prosperity theology. Teach the theology that can save: salvation, repentance, judgment, heaven.”
Speaking directly to about 200 graduating students, Asaju reminded them that their training was a call to Christian service, not a badge of personal achievement.
“You have been enlisted into the army of Christ to make a difference,” he told them. “Your primary purpose is to go back to the basics and do things the way Jesus and the apostles did. Your knowledge is to make an impact on society.”
Touching on national issues, Asaju raised concerns about insecurity in Nigeria, alleging that Christians were facing ongoing persecution. He criticized political and church leaders for their silence.
“Is it not a shame that our leaders are still building empires and buying aeroplanes while Christians are being slaughtered?” he asked. “When there is serious injustice in society, God Himself will step in and scatter everything. But the leaders who should talk are not talking.”
He urged the seminary to produce Christians who are willing to stand boldly for their faith, adding that their training was only a foundation: “What we give you here is raw material. What you do with it depends on you.”
The convocation ceremony featured the presentation of degrees, awards, fundraising for the new WATS campus, and the induction of new alumni. Prayers were also offered for the graduands.
The event drew notable personalities including the founders of WATS, Rev. Prof. Gary S. Maxey and Dr. Emma Lou Maxey; Chairman of the Governing Council, Major Gen. S. Kayode (Rtd); the Provost, Dr. Olugemi Emmanuel; and the Registrar, Mrs. Modupe Adenuga, among others. Traditional rulers, government officials, pioneers of the seminary and past executives were also present.
WATS is affiliated with the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and Asbury Seminary in the United States.
