Written by By Tajudeen Kareem on Saturday, 15 October, 2011 || Published by Saturday Tribune
If the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, can be described as the philosopher and visioner of universal access to education in Nigeria, legal icon, Aare Afe Babalola is undoubtedly its actualiser and modern architect.
Is it sheer passion, the pursuit of excellence or giving back to the society? What, among these, can drive a septuagenarian to stake all his earnings and work himself to near frenzy, striving to leave a legacy for humanity?
A visit to Ado-Ekiti will reveal breathtaking strides of an individual who, by sheer dint of hard work and determination, has become a colossus recognised at home and abroad.
The Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, has been described in superlative terms in academic circles, especially in this country where standards and quality have gone to the dogs.
Built on 130 hectares of land on the outskirts of Ado-Ekiti, the Afe Babalola University, ABUAD, was constructed within eight months. It admitted its pioneer students, 240 of them, in January, last year.
Quite imposing, fully air-conditioned with state-of-the-art facilities, the university has residence for all students and teachers. Currently, there are three college buildings equipped with modern teaching facilities, including e-learning platform, electronic boards, virtual library and ICT centre with 300 desktop computers, all connected to the Internet. The institution offers academic programmes in Law, Social and Management Sciences, Sciences, Engineering, Education, Arts and Humanities, Agriculture, and recently Medicine, Nursing, Medical Laboratory Science and Geology. There are two huge hostels, each on four floors. They can accommodate 850 students. The institution has a modern cafeteria, a 500-capacity auditorium, a virtual library and a sports complex.
The university is just two years old but has won laurels at home and abroad. This year alone, ABUAD was adjudged the safest campus of the year by the Association of Heads of Security of Tertiary Institutions and the Centre of Sporting Excellence in Nigeria by the University Sports League.
Penultimate Friday in Abuja, the institution received a merit award as the most progressive, dynamic and fastest growing university in Nigeria. It was so pronounced by the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).
The occasion was the inauguration of a new executive council of the umbrella students’ body led by Mallam Mohammed Dauda of the University of Jos, held at the Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja.
The Chief Servant of Niger State, Dr Babangida Aliyu, chairman at the event, described the award given to ABUAD as well-deserved and noted that the association had given awards to wrong people in the past.
“This one is well-deserved and commendable. Chief Afe Babalola, the founder of the university is known for his philanthropy and passionate commitment to quality education. I take note of the fact that the university is run by a trustee and is a not-for-profit entity,” he emphasised.
Police Affairs Minister, Navy Captain (rtd) Caleb Olubolade, said as an Ekiti man, he is proud of “the giant strides of ABUAD and the commitment of its founder to quality education.”
In an acceptance speech presented by Vice Chancellor, ABUAD, Professor Sidi Osho, Aare Babalola praised NANS for putting its house in order by holding a credible election recently in Yenagoa to choose the new executive committee.
He re-stated his support for the involvement of youths in national development and noted that “the recent convention and unanimous election of the leader is a confirmation of my stand and also an assurance that youths are indeed capable of making useful contributions to the development of this country at all levels.”
In a citation, ABUAD was described as “a fast-growing institution that is establishing an enviable model for quality, all–round education in the country.”
In fulfillment of the humanitarian philosophy of its founder, no fewer than 48 students of ABUAD are presently enjoying some form of bursary at the institution. All indigent and very brilliant students registered in the university are eligible for this rare gesture from a man who knows the value of education.
It is remarkable that the new but fast-growing institution is establishing an enviable model to ensure that no child is denied education on account of his or her parental status.
Besides awarding full scholarship to brilliant students, loans and bursaries are available for the underprivileged and physically challenged students. All these are possible, thanks to the success of the Endowment Fund established last year by the institution. Apart from the endowments of structures, equipments, facilities, books and laboratories, ABUAD is desirous of using that platform to attract and retain first class professors and researchers who will lead academic programmes, discover new knowledge and make breakthroughs in research and development.
There is no gainsaying the fact that the new university is riding on the reputation of its founder to gain fast recognition at home and internationally. While presenting its license in November, 2009, the National Universities Commission described ABUAD as a “reference point.” To quote the Chairman, Screening Committee on Private Universities, Professor Jibril Aminu: “The Afe Babalola University has now become a reference point for the NUC. They helped us to raise the quality bar for private universities. Those coming after Afe Babalola University will have a higher hurdle to scale.”
The European Business Assembly, in March, last year, appointed Aare Babalola an honorary professor of International University and invited him to attend the Oxford Summit of Leaders. Its Director General, Mr John Netting, in a letter, said “It will be a pleasure to highlight your remarkable reputation and successful professional achievements which are shown by our research. For EBA and its national committees, the determining factors for your nomination were: initiatives for education development in Nigeria, promoting of education among young people and active implementation of best international practices.”
In February, last year, the All-Africa Students Union (AASU) bestowed on Aare Babalola the 2010 Kwame Nkrumah Leadership Award and also inducted him into the AASU Hall of Fame for his passion to uplift higher education in Nigeria.
In the estimation of AASU, represented by delegates from Ghana, South Africa, the Gambia, Cameroun, Chad Republic, Uganda and Nigeria, Aare Babalola has distinguished himself “as a strong advocate of youth empowerment, grassroots development, educational advancement and egalitarianism.”