MOSOBALAJE OLOWUDE LIBRARY (MOL), BAPTIST COLLEGE OF THEOLOGY,M. B. 1088, ISOKUN – OYO, OYO STATE, NIGERIA

‘The journey of a thousand miles begins with just one step, goes the Chinese proverb.’ When the Baptist College of Theology, Oyo was established by the five South – West Baptist Conferences viz. Oyo West, Oyo East, Ondo, Ogun and Kwara (Lagos, Osun and Kogi later joined) on the 30^th of September, 1977 like the glittering ships on the waters of life, she doubtless had an unshakeable belief in the inevitability of success in her endeavour, having imbibed the wisdom in the biblical aphorism which teaches that a house built on mere sand at the seaside will eventually be swept away. But that which is built on the Solid ROCK will stand irrespective of turbulent torrents that may threaten to uproot it.

‘Beautiful Rome,’ our elders says, ‘was not built in a day.’ At first glance, it seemed nothing could survive in that bleak mountainous site. Apparently no theological institution had been in Isokun since the beginning of time itself. The sun of progress kept shinning from a blue cloudless sky and the atmosphere of friendliness was marked. Nothing seemed to be too much trouble except for the threat of academic impediments.

With infinite toil and determination, which cannot be described in the language of this three-dimensional world, the School staggered to her feet, mounted on the bicycle of progress, and rode off in the direction of success.

Baptist College of Theology (BCT), Oyo is an academic institution that provides theological and Christian education cum professional training for God – called men and women to help meet the need for effective leadership in the work of local churches, schools and areas of denominational life. The School offers curricula in the areas of theology, Christian education and church music.

The three levels of instructions are Bachelor of Theology/Bachelor of Religious Education, Diploma in Theology/Diploma in Religious Education and Certificate in Theology/Certificate in Religious Education. These programmes of study are designed to offer a comprehensive theological education of quality for the development of Christian leaders cum lay leaders, and to provide specialized training in professional skills demanded by the various church-related ministries.

The advantages of Library use at all levels of education cannot be over-eemphasised and even more so in a fast-growing theological institution.

As a matter of fact, a good understanding of library use by a teacher will definitely enhance the creative ingenuity of his imaginative students.

“The true university, these days,” as Carlyle aptly put it, “is a collection of books.”

It is in the understanding of the profitability of the library to learning that necessitated the College to fashion out an ultra-modern library for her imaginative students. Thanks are due to the ‘Knight of BCT Oyo’, Sir Remi Mosobalaje Olowude who donated this ultra-modern library.

The College library, like any other library in higher institutions of academic learning, provides cheap access to a wide spectrum of human knowledge from local and international sources.

Like the ‘Gregorian Cantata’ of the Middle Ages, Baptist College of Theology, Oyo ensures unrestricted access to rare and up-to-date information in diverse subjects. The College library does this by selecting, acquiring, collecting and oorganising information resources and thereafter disseminates information to the College Community as well as to outside users of the library. Students are open to books and journals on their courses and projects while research and private studies are encouraged.

In Baptist College of Theology, Oyo’s pain-staking effort to give the library a professional touch, she employed well qualified librarians and four other permanent members of staff to manage the affairs of the College library and this ism makes it stand tall in the sunlight of theological education.