Our History

Mother Florence Crawford (1872 – 1936)

The Apostolic Faith Mission (of Portland Oregon) was founded by the late Rev. (Mrs) Florence Louise Crawford (1872 – 1936) in 1906 in the city of Portland Oregon, USA. A branch of the church was founded in Nigeria in 1944 by the late Rev. Timothy Gbadebo Oshokoya. The church has its international headquarters in Portland Oregon, U.S.A. with regional headquarters in Europe, Asia and Africa.

In Africa, the church is headed by the Africa Overseer (or Superintendent for Africa) who is based in Lagos, Nigeria. The Africa Overseer, late Rev. Paul Oge Akazue (1942 – 2010), the proprietor of the University, succeeded Rev. Josiah Soyinka (1930 -1999)who himself succeeded Rev. Timothy Gbadebo Oshokoya.


Rev. Timothy Gbadebo Osokoya ( 19….- 1983

The Africa headquarters situated at Anthony Village, Lagos, is responsible for the administration of all branch churches in the continent. Each country, where the church exists, is headed by a country overseer (or district superintendent). Any country or branch church within the country is financially self supporting.

The Apostolic Faith is a fundamental, trinitarian and evangelistic church. The church’s mission is to pray, preach and publish and thereby enable millions of lost humanity know Christ and His redemptive power. The church is a non-profit organization run through voluntary tithes and offerings from members. THE EVOLUTION OF CRAWFORD UNIVERSITY The Church believes that the tripod of righteousness, resourcefulness and prayerfulness is a time-tested platform on which the true greatness of many nations had been built. The mooring for this notion is the eternal verity – “Righteousness exalts a nation”.


Rev. Josiah Olubode Soyinka (1930 -1999)

The ministry of Apostolic faith considers the Nigerian Government’s deregulation of education policy as a golden opportunity for the Church to participate in the upgrading of educational standards in the country, by establishing her own educational institutions. The Church realizes that education is a social service which cannot be financed purely on a sustainable basis with students’ fees.

Furthermore, the Church is undertaking the venture, simply because the Church believes that she has a sacred and patriotic duty to lend a helping hand to alleviate the ills which plague all the tiers of educational delivery in the country.


Rev. Paul Ogechukwu Akazue (1942 – 2010)

Crawford University is, therefore, a bold attempt by the Church to diversify into the third tier of education. The  effort is geared towards producing graduates with moral excellence, self-confidence, inventive dynamism, and creativity. The Church believes that such graduates will be able to generate for themselves and the society in general, meaningful solutions to unemployment and other pressing manpower needs of the nation.

The West and Central Africa Headquarters situated at Anthony Village, Lagos, is responsible for the administration of all branch churches in the region. Each country, where the church exists, is headed by a country overseer (or District Superintendent). Any country or branch church within the country is financially self supporting.

Apostolic Faith Logo

The Apostolic Faith is a fundamental, Trinitarian and Evangelistic Church. The church’s mission is to pray, preach and publish and thereby enable millions of lost humanity know Christ and His redemptive power. The Church is a non-profit organization, run through voluntary tithes and offerings from members.

The Church believes that the tripod of righteousness, resourcefulness and prayerfulness is a time-tested platform on which the true greatness of many nations had been built. The mooring for this notion is the eternal verity – “Righteousness exalts a nation”.


The ministry of the Apostolic Faith responded to the government policy of opening up the education window to private providers by establishing her own educational institutions. More importantly within this context, she desires to set the pace in the delivery of quality education at all levels through Apostolic Faith Schools – primary, secondary (basic) and higher education institutions.

Crawford University is a bold attempt by the Church at diversifying into the third tier of education. The University is involved in producing graduates with moral excellence, inbuilt self-confidence, and the dynamism, inventiveness and creativity to generate for themselves and others, meaningful employment that will solve pressing manpower needs of Nigeria, indeed Africa.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE….CHRONICLES OF THE HISTORY OF THE APOSTOLIC FAITH IN NIGERIA


A BRIEF ON CRAWFORD UNIVERSITY

Crawford University received the operating license from the Federal Government on 9th June, 2005.

Through the help of God, the University was opened to the first batch of students on 30th September, 2005. After one week of orientation, lectures commenced on Monday, 10th October, 2005. An impressive Matriculation Ceremony was held for the two hundred and thirty five pioneer students on 20th December, 2005.

Our Vision is to be a Centre of Excellence; producing graduates with a well-balanced education.

Our Mission is to be an International Institution of Higher Learning with enviable standards of teaching and research.

Our Philosophy is to develop individuals to the point of self-actualization, thereby equipping them intellectually and morally to contribute meaningfully to the development of Nigeria and by proxy, the world at large.


OUR CORE VALUES

  1. Godliness
  2. Intellectualism
  3. Integrity
  4. Community
  5. Entrepreneurship

Our overriding aim is to translate Crawford University into a world class tertiary educational institution in the shortest time.

…CLICK HERE TO READ MORE


Other goals include:

  • Provision of relevant courses of instruction and knowledge in an environment of world class conducive learning facilities;
  • Promotion of scholarship and advancement of learning;
  • Facilitation and pursuit of relevant research into human problems and their alleviation;
  • Contribution to academic, social, cultural and economic development of Nigeria, and the world in general; and
  • Undertaking general activities appropriate for a University of high repute in quest to produce well-rounded graduates, who are creative, academically sound, with good morals and the fear of God.

Crawford University Logo

Crawford University Logo

The logo of the University is an open book, on an oval pedestal with a torch enclosed in a blue circle. A banner strip ties all the symbols together. The open book symbolizes knowledge. The torch depicts light for spiritual guidance. The oval represents the divine presence of God. The green banner symbolizes the fertile land of Nigeria, the hope of the future and prosperity.

There are three main colours: Blue, Gold and Green. “Blue” symbolizes the love of God. “Gold” represents the preciousness of knowledge while Green represents Agriculture and Industry which is typical in the geographical location of the University.


Our Programmes

The University presently runs eighteen (18) programmes housed in two Colleges. It is gratifying to note that by the grace of the living God, all the programmes are accredited by the National Universities Commission.

Sequel to the approval of the National Universities Commission to commence Postgraduate programmes, especially in the Management Sciences, it is noteworthy that at the close of this convocation programme, the third set of the programme would have been conferred with higher degrees. It is expected that in no distant future, the University will commence Postgraduate programmes in the College of Natural and Applied Sciences.