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Tag: ABUAD

  • ABUAD seeks to end medical tourism

    •Signs MoU with Dubai hospital 

    Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Aster Group of Hospitals in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) to halt medical tourism by Nigerians abroad.

    ABUAD Founder, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), said the partnership will see the Afe Babalola University Teaching Hospital (ABUADTH) and Aster collaborating in the areas of training, consultancy, and technical expertise and in medical administration.

    The MoU was signed on Tuesday, where it was agreed that Aster will offer short and long terms as well as permanent partnership for smooth take off of ABUADTH.

    Speaking after the signing, Dr. Navin Pascal, who spoke on behalf of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Aster, said Aster had subsidiaries in nine countries and had been receiving patients from over 90 countries across the world.

    He said it was sad that Nigeria loses over 35,000 doctors to advanced countries due to poor remuneration, saying the trend has been affecting healthcare service in the country.

    “Aster has become a referral centre in the middle East. Our partnership with ABUAD will be in the areas of training, technical and administration.

    “What we will do is to train the doctors here so that ABUAD can be self sufficient in having experts that can perform critical operations that can make the rich and middle class Nigerians to see the hospitals as a better alternative.

    “We appreciate the fact that ABUAD is working hard for humanity and Aster partnering with it will bring a paradigm shift in Nigeria’s health sector”, he said.

    ABUAD Founder disclosed that a delegation will leave for Dubai in January 26 to perfect the MoU for enforcement.

    Babalola said: “In this partnership, ABUADTH and Aster are equal partners. Though, we agreed for long and short terms, but the memorandum may be forever depending on its workability.

    “Nigerians can’t afford to be spending so much on medical tourism and I have faith that this partnership will make the country a leading nation in healthcare services”.

    He said the breakdown of medical equipment in critical areas like dialysis, oncology and cardiology was becoming embarrassing,  urging Aster to bring in experts in biomedical engineering to train the experts in ABUADTH to prevent such from occurring in the hospital.

     

  • Afe Babalola University goes tough on criminals

    Afe Babalola University goes tough on criminals

    The management of the Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD) on Tuesday warned its newly matriculated 1,980 students that those with tendencies for drug abuse, cultism and rape would have no room to operate in the institution.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the ABUAD’s Vice- Chancellor (VC), Prof. Michael Ajisafe, said this during the 9th matriculation of the institution held in Ado Ekiti.

    Ajisafe said that the institution had zero tolerance for all forms of social vices. He said the university had got accreditation for all
    its courses and that there would not be any reason for students to be afraid of the future.

    He advised the students not to abuse the academic independence they would enjoy on campus, saying any decision they take at this moment would either truncate or enhance their future’s glories. He added that ABUAD was ranked in 2017 as the second best private university in

    Nigeria and 13 on the Webometric ranking among the 268 universities in the country, describing the feat as novel in the history of education in the country.

    “Hard work as is being practised by our founder, Chief Afe Babalola, (SAN) doesn’t kill. ”But let me say this, there will be avalanche of influences and pressures in the university from which you are not insulated. You must be resolute, stand firm and toe the path of rectitude.

    “You must be able to say no when you need to say no. You must appreciate the fact that there is a thin line between sublime and
    ridiculous. “You must make the right choices always and know that in ABUAD, we have zero tolerance for rascality and other forms of
    anti-social behaviour. “Remember that the university has its code of conduct with appropriate and commensurate sanctions for infractions for those who breach them”, he said. He added, “I must not forget to tell you that good money awaits you if you do well in your academics.

    The university gives scholarships to very bright students and also students who are indigent but bright. “ Our founder, Chief Afe Babalola has graciously put in place a programme whereby those with good CGPA go home with between N100,000 and N500, 000 of his own personal money every year”, he said. He told the students to “cultivate good personalities, learn the value of time management, remain focused and be visionary as well as have positive attitudes to life and situations for theirs not to be shattered”.

  • ABUAD to inaugurate world-class teaching hospital

    ABUAD to inaugurate world-class teaching hospital

    •Varsity produces 83 First-Class graduates at fifth convocation

    The Afe Babalola University in Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Ekiti State capital, will, on Friday, inaugurate a 400-bed teaching hospital as part of activities marking its fifth convocation.

    Vice Chancellor Prof. Michael Ajisafe, who addressed reporters yesterday to herald the Convocation Week, said 869 students will graduate with Bachelor’s degree and 42 with postgraduate degrees.

    He said 83 students will graduate with First-Class Honours; 386 with Second-Class Upper; 289, Second-Class Lower and 110, Third-Class.

    The ABUAD acting vice chancellor said a former Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Peter Okebukola, will deliver the convocation lecture, titled: The Place and Continued Relevance of Private Universities.

    According to him, Okebukola and Dr. Douglas Jackson, president of Project CURE, an American humanitarian organisation, will receive honorary doctorate degrees.

    Ajisafe said ABUAD Teaching Hospital is equipped with world-class facilities to stop medical tourism abroad among Nigerians and to give the best training for students.

    The vice chancellor said the university, also yesterday, started free health services, including surgery for 2,000 people with various ailments, as part of its corporate social responsibilities (CSR).

    He added that the free medical mission, which ends on Friday, will be carried out by health experts from Nigeria, Asia and Europe on the premises of the teaching hospital complex.

    Ajisafe said: “The experts will treat any patient free and they will perform surgery, if it is required on any patient. This is on the bill of ABUAD and it is going to be on first-come, first-served basis.”

    He justified the high First-Class graduates produced by the university, saying it confirmed the quality education offered by the university, which he said was a function of uninterrupted power supply and full-residential policy for students adopted by the Founder, Chief Afe Babalola.

    “Since we began, ABUAD has proved to be a trail-blazer. In order to add international flavour to the nation’s healthcare delivery, the 400-bed hospital built on 60 hectares of land has entered into partnership with some reputable players in the global health industry, such as Abbot Laboratories, Aster Hospital, Dubai, Project CURE, U. S. A.

    “Others include Narula foundation, India, JNC international, Trigenesis, India, Protech Gas, Adler of England, College of Pharmacy, Howard University in the U.S. and Bridge of Life, USA as well as Care4you Association in Denmark”, he explained.

    Ajisafe noted that the university has received half of the funds promised by the African Development Bank (AfDB) to fast-track development in the institution.

    Ajisafe argued that the degrees being awarded by ABUAD can compete with those from Howard and Harvard universities, saying “certificates being offered here are scrutinised by external bodies and institutions within and outside the country…”

    The vice chancellor promised that the institution will continue to strive hard until it realises the dream of becoming one of the 100 best universities globally.

     

     

  • Odu’a group, ABUAD to revive Ado-Ekiti textile mill with N12b

    One of Nigeria’s biggest conglomerates, Odu’a Investments Limited, and Afe Babalola University at Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD) have sealed an agreement to invest N12 billion for the conversion of the moribund Odu’a Textile Mills to an industrial park/vocational centre.

    The two partners said part of the deal is to establish a centre where unemployed school leavers and graduates would be trained and awarded diplomas and advanced level certificates in vocation, engineering and enterprise.

    ABUAD holds 60 per cent stake in the deal while Odu’a has the remaining 40 per cent.

    The project is expected to revive the centre while its graduates could be admitted to the university through direct entry.

    At the presentation of the project design for effective utilisation of the moribund textile mills, ABUAD Founder, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), regretted that former hitherto Third World countries, like Brazil and India, had overtaken Nigeria in industrialisation because of their commitment to vocational skills and development of cottage industries.

    Babalola said: “The British said that Nigeria, India and Brazil would join the league of advanced countries in the 1960s. But today, when the two other countries got it right and joined them, Nigeria didn’t. This is worrisome and disturbing.

    “We shouldn’t allow such a textile mill, which was the hub of Ekiti economy, to die. But with this plan, the factory will bounce to life by becoming an employment generation, vocational and academic centre where people can benefit.”

    The Group Managing Director of Odu’a Investment Limited, Mr. Adewale Raji, expressed confidence that the project would be sustained.

    The company chief described the abandoned company as “dangerous to the survival of Southwest region’s economy”.

    He recalled that the factory was converted into a skilled and vocational centre under former Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi.

    According to him, the module adopted then could not sustain the centre as a veritable training ground for graduates and artisans.

    Raji said N200 million was expended at that time on a builder mart, comprising 50 lockup shops and the vocational centre, which he said are no longer economically sustainable.

    He said: “In this partnership, ABUAD is 60 per cent shareholder while Odu’a 40 per cent. We are very optimistic about the sustainability of the centre.”

  • ABUAD plans ‘Industrial Park’

    Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), is to establish an Industrial Park to propel entrepreneurship and turn researches into industrial products.

    Founder of ABUAD Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), who disclosed this at an entrepreneurship sensitisation forum at the university premises, said ABUAD is collaborating with government and private sector to make the project a reality.

    Babalola said: “The Industrial Park will contain 60 small scale, 40 medium scale and 21 large scale units, and the purpose is to translate our research findings to industrial products that will be of tremendous benefit to the economy.

    “We are liaising with the government and private investors to partner with us in bringing the dream to reality. Our dream is to churn out graduates that won’t be servants or employees, but job creators regardless of their background or the economic situation of this country,” the legal luminary added.

    Provost, College of Social and Management Science Prof Adeolu Durotoye, described the youth as the pivot of socio-economic and political developments of any society serious about productive ventures.

    Two budding entrepreneurs Mr Yinka Olugbodi and Mrs Roseline Aadun, urged ABUAD students to be innovative in thinking, describing creativity as the ‘greatest asset that can stand them out under this suffocating economy’.

  • ABUAD hosts NUC chiefs

    ABUAD hosts NUC chiefs

    Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD) will host the National Universities Commission’s (NUC’s) immediate past Executive Secretary (ES), Prof. Julius Okojie, and his successor, Prof. Abubakar Adamu Rasheed, at a grand reception in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State capital, on April 26.

    The reception, according to statement by the university’s Head of Corporate Affairs, Tunde Olofintila, is in appreciation of the duo’s stellar contributions to the entrenchment of quality education in the country.

    The grand reception, the statement said, will be attended by governors, National and Houses of Assembly members, members of the Bar and the Bench, legal academics, the royalty, the clergy and captains of industries as well as members of the diplomatic community. The event will hold at ABUAD’s 7,000-seater Alfa Belgore Multi-Purpose Hall.

    The statement said the reception will be preceded by a comprehensive tour of the seven-year old university, its expansive ABUAD Farm and the new 400-bed teaching hospital.

    It “will perhaps be the first time any institution of higher education in Nigeria is hosting a past and present ES of NUC together at the same event,” the statement added.

  • Xenophobia: FG urged to review Nigeria’s foreign policy

    Xenophobia: FG urged to review Nigeria’s foreign policy

    The Federal Government has been advised to review the nation’s foreign policy to protect Nigerians resident in foreign countries against attacks by nationals of their host countries.

    A foreign relations expert, Prof. Adeolu Durotoye, said the failure to review Nigeria’s foreign policy in the last 30 years is jeopardizing its interest in the international community.

    He spoke on Wednesday at a forum, Hard Talk on Africa organized by the Department of International Relations and Diplomacy, Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD). The topic for discussion was “Africa and the Tragedy of Xenophobia.”

    Durotoye, who is also the Provost of College of Social and Management Sciences in ABUAD, argued that the ongoing review of the country’s foreign policy by the President Muhammadu Buhari administration will halt the racial attacks and correct injustices suffered by Nigerians living abroad.

    Head of Department, International Relations and Diplomacy, ABUAD, Dr. Ajinde Oluwasakin, noted that the late appointment of ambassadors by Buhari must have had negative effect on the country’s economic and commercial relations with other nations.

    Oluwasakin condemned the xenophobic attacks describing it as the highest level of racial discrimination.

     

  • ABUAD matriculates 1,491

    ABUAD matriculates 1,491

    Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD) has matriculated 1,491 students for the 2016/2017 academic session.

    Vice Chancellor Prof Michael Ajisafe said the university has made giant strides since its opening on January 4, 2010.

    He said the National Universities Commission (NUC) described ABUAD as “the pride of education system in Nigeria”.

    The VC urged the freshmen to have vision, remain focused and take their studies “like a long distance runner who starts his race early”.

    The highlight of the ceremony was the administration of the matriculation oath by the Registrar, Lady Christie Oluborode.

    Former House of Representatives member Patrick Obahiagbon, popularly known as Igodomigodo, was among parents who attended the ceremony.

    The former lawmaker, who is renowned for his expression in English language, was resplendent in an outlandish Benin traditional dress complemented with a long bead.

    Many parents, students and other admirers took pictures with Obahiagbon, whose son, Oghogho Patrick, was admitted to study International Relations and Diplomacy.

    Obahiagbon said he was attracted to ABUAD by quality education on offer and that the university has raised the bar in tertiary education in Nigeria.

  • Royalty’s kudos for ABUAD, Babalola

    Royalty’s kudos for ABUAD, Babalola

    Exactly one week after the world congregated at Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), to celebrate its 7th Founder’s Day and 4th Convocation ceremonies, it was another celebration on Friday, October 28, when the Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, with other royal fathers, including the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adeyemo Aladesanmi III, visited the six-year-old university.

    Dressed in immaculate white apparel with a golden crown and a golden staff of office, the Ooni, a man of royalty who is interested in the unity of the Yoruba nation, strolled into Alfa Belgore Hall amid tumultuous and rousing welcome. People from different strata of the ABUAD community and who wore their sartorial best were there to welcome his majesty.

    After the pleasantries and the razzmatazz associated with such high profile event, the frontline royal father, who said he was more than impressed with what he saw in the six-year-old university, described Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD) as a typical example of “something growing out of nothing and becoming great within a very short time of its existence”.

    Oba Ogunwusi commended the founder and Chancellor of ABUAD, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), whom he described as straightforward personality for his vision in establishing the university and taking it to a very high pedestal in six years and for the rousing welcome the Babalolas and the entire university community organised in his honour.

    He said: “I have been reading about Aare Afe Babalola in the newspapers for many years now, but today, I will tell him something he doesn’t know. He has been one of my mentors. He is a very forthright and straightforward Ekiti man. Future leaders should take a study on what Ekiti is and what makes it what it is today, the Fountain of Knowledge”

    He added: “I have equally noticed that it is not money that drives this great man’s vision. Rather, it is passion and a clear vision; passion for excellence and a clear vision that cannot be mistaken. I then asked him why this vision and he told me somebody has to do it; someone has to bell the cat.

    “Aare Afe Babalola told me how he planted a tree 25 years ago and how he has now begun to reap a bountiful harvest thereof”.

    He thanked Yeye Aare Modupe Babalola for her support for the vision, stressing that her name which has already been etched in letters of gold can never be erased.

    Addressing the students who turned out in their thousands to catch a glimpse of him, the Ooni, who said his visit to ABUAD was another memorable day for him and a great honour to address “great leaders of tomorrow”, urged them to plant a tree now, like Babalola did 25 years ago and nurture it into fruition, stressing that there is no short cut to success.

    Affirming that the students have what it takes to have their destinies shaped and nurtured in ABUAD, Oba Ogunwusi said: “Your founder planted a tree 25 years ago and he is reaping the harvest today. Each of you should plant a tree today and nurture it because there is no short cut to success. There is a process for everything. Just look at the way the sun rises and sets. Look at the way the moon shines. Look at the way the rain falls. There is a process that cannot be short circuited”.

    He urged the students to identify people who can shape their lives and have plans of what they want to grow in their souls, how happy they want to become in future and how fulfilled they want to become in future and work assiduously towards attaining those goals.

    The Oba, who opted to to stand up while addressing the students because of his philosophy of life and his love and respect for the younger ones said: “I have a very simple philosophy of life and that is the fact that I have a lot of respect and love for people coming behind me. I accord them greater respect and honour than those in front of me because only God knows what those coming behind me will become.

    “There is only one Supreme Being who knows tomorrow. Nobody, but God Himself, knows the future of the beautiful and handsome faces I am seeing here. But I know that future Presidents, Governors, wives of Presidents and great Engineers that will transform this country abound here; future leaders that will turn around the future of this country.”

    He, therefore, advised them to put themselves together, conduct themselves very well, be of good character and put up very clear action plans because people will look up to them as leaders in future.

    In his remarks, Oba Adejugbe described the Ooni as “the Ooni of our dream, who has been visiting the hot spots in Yoruba land in search of peace and unity”. No wonder then that on January 17, this year, Oba Ogunwusi visited the Alaafin of Oyo, embraced the Alaafin, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III, the first of such in 79 years; thus dousing the near-four decades cold “war” between the two powerful and leading thrones in Yoruba land. He has equally visited the Owa Obokun of Ijesa land, Oba Adekunle Aromolaran, the Ogunsua of Modakeke and many others preaching the gospel of peace and unity.

    Responding, Babalola, who donned his trademark hat and flashing his ubiquitous smile, described Ooni’s visit as an important day in the life of his university, the life of the nation and in his own life as he was receiving in audience a royalty who believes in oneness and unity of the Yoruba nation and demonstrating it in action and not in mere words.

    He commended the Ooni for choosing to visit the Alaafin, embracing him, thus resolving the supremacy tussle between the two frontline Obas which no one, including the courts, has been able to resolve in decades.

    “This is the type of leader this country needs. When a man thinks about how to change the world and he demonstrates it through the way he relates with others, including students, such indeed is a true leader. I salute you sir”, Babalola said.

    He thanked the royal father for his words of commendation and encouragement for his family and the university, stressing that he will continue to strive to raise a new generation of leaders and build a new Nigeria.

    • Olofintila wrote from Ado-Ekiti
  • ABUAD graduates get founder’s N30m largesse

    ABUAD graduates get founder’s N30m largesse

    In a rather unprecedented manner, the Founder/Chancellor of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD), Aare Afe Babalola, rewarded 402 students with N30 million for their academic excellence at the university’s fourth convocation on Friday.

    Sixty-one of the graduands had First Class honours, with five of them graduating with 5.0 Cumulative Grade Points Average (CGPA). They were all smiles as each received a N500,000 cheque from the Founder.

    Fifty-six others, whose CGPA fell within 4.85 and 4.99, got N11.2 million from the Founder, while 341  with CGPA of between 3.50 and 4.84 received N17 million.

    Aside graduating with 5.00 CGPA Ariyibi Olawale Emmanuel from the Department of Geology also emerged the Best Graduating Student, winning a N1million prize from the Founder.

    Twelve graduands got N500,000 each from Babalola’s generosity for winning various categories under the  Founder’s Merit Award category.

    All the awardees received cash in addition to handshakes from Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), who called on universities and other tertiary institutions nationwide to key into the anti-corruption crusade of the Federal Government.

    In his address Prof Osinbajo, who was the Special Guest of Honour, noted that tertiary institutions as moulders of future generations, should spearhead a national orientation against corruption which he described as a cankerworm too endemic to be overlooked.

    President, Central State University, Wilberforce Island, Ohio, United States, Prof. Cynthia Jackson-Hammond; President, Coscharis Group, Mr. Cosmas Maduka; and Ibadan-based industrialist, Chief Raymond Zard, were conferred with honorary doctorate degrees at the convocation.

    Responding to an earlier request by the Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose for an airport, Osinbajo said the state deserves such a project considering its importance to an institution like ABUAD.

    Osinbajo added: “Ekiti State deserves an airport but I have discussed what we need in return with His Excellency (Fayose).

    “The Federal Government will continue to give support to every project that will fast-track development in each of the states of the federation. We know how important this airport is to Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD).”

    The nation’s number two man also had words of admonition for graduands.

    He said: “You must appreciate that this is the age of multi-tasking and multi-skilling is crucial today. One must learn to be a master of himself and you must be technology savvy in whatever you choose to do.’’

    Osinbajo said he never had misgiving for Babalola’s competence to run an all-inclusive university on the strength of his achievements as the Pro-Chancellor/Chairman of Council of the University of Lagos between 2001 and 2008.

    Fayose urged the Federal Government to replicate all the good virtues ABUAD represents in the federal universities, describing the only private university in the state as a reference point to other universities not only in the country, but in Africa at large.

    In his address, Aare Babalola said he was fulfilled that the university had achieved unprecedented feats within its six years of existence with its students and graduates making waves all over the world.

    He is also happy that the campus, which was a virgin forest six years ago is standing as “the most beautiful university in Nigeria” and ‘’the fastest growing private university in Africa.”

    Babalola said the university is building a new set of young Nigerians and, indeed, a new Nigeria.

    He said: “In the last six years, the university has emerged the best College of Law in West Africa. Our students in the last bar examinations recorded two first class and 16 second class upper division with a total of 94 per cent.

    “We are the first university to secure full accreditation for Medicine within five years, the first university to secure 100 per cent success in its nursing examination, 100 per cent  in Medical Laboratory Science and as well as  94 per cent in MBBS examinations.

    “The Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) described our engineering programme as a ‘Template for engineering education in Nigeria.’ No wonder, our engineering students have been carting home national and international awards.”

    ABUAD Vice Chancellor, Prof. Michael Ajisafe, said the university has graduated 1,209 students since its maiden convocation on October 21, 2013.

    He congratulated the honorary recipients on being found worthy, adding that the varsity adhered with the Keffi Declaration in arriving at their choice.

    Eminent traditional rulers at the event were the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi; the Olugbo of Ugboland, Oba Enitiolorunda Obateru Akinruntan; and the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adeyemo Adejugbe.