D.K. Olukoya: Raising a Prayer Army, Breaking Yokes, and Delivering Millions

 

Daniel Kolawole Olukoya, popularly known as D.K. Olukoya, is a pastor, an author, and the General Overseer of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM). His ministry and teachings are centered on spiritual warfare, deliverance, holiness, and breakthrough prayers. Millions of people have experienced deliverance through his various services.

He was born on July 15, 1957, in Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria. His father was a police officer and a pastor at the Christ Apostolic Church. His mother was a trader who also attended Christ Apostolic Church alongside her husband. Both were devoted Christians and laid the foundation for Olukoya's strong spiritual values and commitment to God.

He began his early education at St. John's CAC Primary School in Akure. After his family relocated to Lagos, he continued at St. Jude's Primary School, Ebute Metta, where he graduated.

Olukoya then attended Methodist Boys' High School on Broad Street, Lagos, for his secondary education. It was during this period that he became born again. He graduated as the best student in his set.

Due to his excellent academic record, in 1976, he was awarded a scholarship to the University of Lagos (UNILAG), where he studied Microbiology. He graduated with first-class honors in 1980, becoming one of the very few to achieve such in that course at the university. His GPA remains one of the highest recorded in the department.

Soon after graduation, he won another scholarship to pursue a Ph.D. in Molecular Genetics at the University of Reading, United Kingdom. He completed the program in three years and returned to Nigeria.

Upon his return, he joined the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Yaba, where he became the first Nigerian to clone genes, distinguishing himself as an outstanding geneticist. He emerged as an authority in the study of genetics, publishing over 70 scientific papers in a relatively short period.

He also taught genetics and served as an external examiner in several universities. He has attended and presented papers at scientific conferences across many countries. He continues to contribute to the fields of genetics and biotechnology through the Daniel and Fola Biotechnology Foundation, an NGO established to empower Nigerian citizens with modern laboratory skills in molecular biology and biotechnology.

While working at NIMR, he was known as a man of deep prayer and commitment to God's work. He was recognized as a prayer warrior, often spending hours in fasting, prayer, and Bible study. On a Wednesday in 1989, he summoned a prayer meeting which was held in his living room in Yaba, with 24 people in attendance.

Following that meeting, subsequent prayer gatherings were held, accompanied by extraordinary manifestations of God's power. Attendees witnessed miracles, deliverances, signs, and wonders. As more people joined, the venue became too small.

The meeting was moved to 60, Old Yaba Road, Yaba. As the group continued to grow, it was relocated again to 13 Olasimbo Street, Onike, Yaba, an abandoned slum that was purchased and developed into a worship space.

During a prayer session, Olukoya revealed that the prayer ministry would become a church and the name would be Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries. On April 24, 1994, the first church service was held. That former slum has since been transformed into the international headquarters of MFM.

Today, Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries is one of Nigeria’s largest churches, with over 300 branches in Nigeria and many others in the United States, United Kingdom, Europe, and Africa. The church is known for its emphasis on deliverance, spiritual warfare, fervent prayer, holiness, and personal righteousness. It also organizes the popular "70 Days Fasting and Prayer" program—an annual spiritual exercise involving intense fasting and prayer for divine intervention.

Pastor Daniel Olukoya is also a prolific author. He has written over 250 books, many of which focus on prayer, deliverance, and spiritual growth. Some of his best-selling titles include Prayer Rain, The Power of Midnight Prayer, Praying to Mount Zion, and Dealing with Hidden Curses, among others.

He is deeply committed to education and intellectual development. He founded Mountain Top University in Ogun State, Nigeria, as part of his mission to raise well-rounded individuals grounded in both academic and spiritual principles. The university is recognized for offering quality education while fostering spiritual growth.

Through various philanthropic initiatives, Pastor Olukoya supports widows, orphans, and the less privileged. His ministry also runs empowerment programs, providing thousands of Nigerian youths with vocational training and life skills to promote self-reliance.

He has received several academic honors. In 2012, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from Joseph Ayo Babalola University in Osun State for his contributions to religion. In 2019, he received an honorary Doctor of Science degree from the University of Lagos. Most recently, on December 1, 2024, he was conferred with an honorary degree in Management Science by the Federal University of Technology, Akure, in recognition of his contributions to science, education, and spirituality in Nigeria.

He is married to Elizabeth Folasade Olukoya. They were married on November 11, 1989, and have a son, Elijah Toluwami Olukoya.

Pastor D.K. Olukoya’s life is one set apart for the liberation of others. Through Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries, he has built a spiritual fortress where countless lives have been delivered from bondage, oppression, and generational curses through the power of aggressive prayer. His ministry continues to grow, transforming lives, restoring destinies, and raising an army that confronts darkness and enforces divine victory through prayer.