Tag: Afe Babalola

Founder of the Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Chief Afe Babalola, has called on the Federal Government to shut down all tertiary institutions operating below the minimum standard.

Aare Babalola made the call yesterday in Ado-Ekiti while being conferred with the Fellow of King’s College, London, for his contributions to the development of education and humanity.

The legal luminary said the National Universities Commission (NUC) must beam its searchlight on substandard institutions in the country to ensure quality of teaching and learning, as well as curb poor educational output.

He said: “The biggest menace confronting education today, especially in Nigeria and Africa, is the proliferation of mushroom, satellite institutions and campuses, including study centers that have long deviated from their original conceptualisation and intent.

“What we expect is for the National NUC to close down mushroom universities. There are many of such institutions that had been pronounced illegal by authorities, but which are still operating, allegedly, and which began operations even without NUC’s permission.

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“I recall that the NUC, once published their names. But why don’t they arrest owners of such illegal universities, why don’t they close them down? Why can’t they make the staffs of such universities face punishment, and put them before the court of law, and yet, they are even building new ones every day.”

Babalola further asked the NUC to ensure that any would-be tertiary institution meets up with the standardised requirements before it is granted approval for operation.

Vice President of the King’s College, International Engagement and Service, Prof. Funmi Olonisakin, said the award conferred on Babalola was in recognition of his transformative contributions to education advancement and the society.

She said: “We are here to award the fellowship of King’s College, London, to Aare Afe Babalola. This fellowship is given to people who have made transformative contributions to the society at large or King’s College, London.”

The founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Afe Babalola, has called on the federal government to shut down all tertiary institutions across the country operating below the minimum standard.

Babalola made the call on Thursday, July 18, in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital while being conferred with a fellow of King’s College, London, for his superlative and immense contributions to the development of education and humanity.

The legal luminary said that the National Universities Commission (NUC) must beam its searchlight on substandard institutions in the country to ensure the quality of teaching and learning as well as curb the problem of poor educational output.

He said: “The biggest menace, facing quality education today, especially in Nigeria and across Africa, is the proliferation of mushroom, satellite institutions and campuses, including study centres that have long deviated from their original conceptualization and intent.

“What we expect is for the National University Commission (NUC) to close down mushroom universities. There are many such institutions that had been pronounced illegal by authorities, but which are still operating, allegedly, and which commenced operations, even, without the permission of NUC.

“I recall that the NUC once published their names. But why don’t they arrest owners of such illegal universities, why don’t they close them down?

“Why can’t they make the staffs of such universities, face punishment, and put them before the court of law, and yet, they are even building new ones every day.”

He further asked the NUC to ensure that any would-be tertiary institutions meet up with the standardized requirements before they are granted approvals for operation.

Earlier, the King’s College Vice President of International Engagement and Service, Professor Funmi Olonisakin said that the fellowship award, conferred on Babalola, was in recognition of his transformative contributions to education advancement and society.

Read Also: Afe Babalola flays rising corruption, indolence in civil service

“We are here to award the fellowship of King’s College, London to Aare Afe Babalola, whose fellowship is typically given to people who have made transformative contributions to the society at large or King’s College, London”, she said

The ABUAD Vice Chancellor, Professor Smaranda Olarinde, appreciates the King’s College management for the outstanding honour bestowed on the renowned legal colossus.

Olarinde added that the investiture bore an eloquent testimony that Babalola was an “uncommon exemplar of the power of transformative and purposeful education in Nigeria, Africa, and the World at large.

Founder of the Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Chief Afe Babalola (SAN), has flayed the rising cases of corruption and indolence in the country’s civil service. He described the trend as ‘alarming and dangerous’.

Aare Babalola spoke at the opening of a two-day capacity training for officers on special cadres in the Ekiti State Ministry of Capacity Development and Training. The training was themed ‘Public Policy and Administration’.

Babalola called for improved remuneration for government workers to discourage the trend.

He said: “Corruption has eaten deep into Nigeria’s civil service. The civil service of today is riddled with corruption, indolence and eye-service. I am a victim myself, and some of my key staff can testify to this.

“It is so bad that if you write ordinary letter to the minister, you have to do ‘follow-ups’, and I think you understand what I mean by that, without which the letter will not get to its destination, talk more of allowing action on it.”

Read Also: Military incursion cause of Nigeria’s woes, says Afe Babalola

The legal luminary also noted that the civil service in the old western region was formidable, ‘but the current civil servants in many parts of the country, who should be the eyes and ears of the government’, have usurped power.

“In the old western region, the civil servants were feared and respected, but later when they realised the enormous power they wielded, they virtually usurped power from the government,” he said.

Babalola added that sufficient payment of remuneration was expedient in the civil service, to bypass the parlous state of the country’s economy.

“Special attention must be paid to the salaries and emoluments of civil servants, having regard to the parlous state of the country’s economy.

“As things are today, the monthly take-home of an average civil servant can’t take him to the next bus stop. To make them productive, civil servants must be properly remunerated,” he said.

Commissioner for Capacity Development and Training Prof .Patrick Tedela hailed the ABUAD for partnering the ministry to organise the training.

Founder of the Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Ekiti State, Chief Afe Babalola (SAN), has blamed military incursion into Nigeria’s politics for the socio-economic and political problems afflicting the country.

Babalola said the ‘inglorious intervention’ of military apparatchik in politics laid the ‘disastrous foundation of the pummeling inflation and untold hardship Nigerians are currently facing’.

The legal luminary spoke in Ado-Ekiti when the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ekiti State council, led by Comrade Kayode Babatuyi, visited his office.

According to him, Nigeria was witnessing geometric growth and development on all fronts because its journey to nationhood was imbued with high hopes and prospects for national unity, peace and development, until the military seized power on January 15, 1966, and disrupted the development process.

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He claimed that the military ‘plundered the country’s economy, weakened the national institutions and institutionalised corruption through the implementation of disastrous policies before exiting the political firmament’.

The elder statesman lamented that consequences of decisions made by the military rulers still influence socio-economic events in contemporary Nigeria, adding that the outcome of the juntas’ bad governance and poor management of the economy is what Nigerians are currently facing.

Aare Babalola also absolved President Bola Tinubu of blame over current economic situation and attendant hardship, saying the situation predated his ascendancy to office.

He admonished the president to brace up and fashion out workable economic blueprints to salvage the harsh situation so that Nigerians can begin to experience improved living standards while the country also begins fast-paced journey to greatness.

Emphasising the importance of media in nation-building, the legal luminary urged journalists to step up their constitutional responsibility of holding the government accountable.

Babalola urged them to expose the ills of government without any fear of intimidation and make Nigeria a better place for all. He described the profession as ‘the most powerful weapon to sensitise and advise, as well as make suggestions to political office holders on how best the country can move forward’.

The founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti state capital, Chief Afe Babalola (SAN) has blamed military incursion into Nigeria’s politics for the myriads of socio-economic and political problems afflicting the country. 

Babalola said the ‘inglorious intervention’ of military apparatchik in politics laid the disastrous foundation of the pummeling inflation and untold hardship Nigerians are currently facing. 

The legal luminary spoke in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital when the leadership of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, Ekiti State Council led by Comrade Kayode Babatuyi paid him a courtesy visit in his office. 

Babalola noted Nigeria was witnessing geometric growth and development on all fronts because the country’s journey to nationhood was imbued with high hopes and prospects for national unity, peace, and development until the military seized levers of power on January 15, 1966, and disrupted the developmental process.

He claimed that the military plundered the country’s economy, weakened the national institutions, and institutionalised corruption through the implementation of disastrous policies before exiting the political firmament. 

The elder statesman the consequences of decisions made by the military rulers still influence socio-economic events in contemporary Nigeria, adding that the outcome of the juntas’ bad governance and poor management of the economy was what Nigerians are currently facing. 

Babalola who absolved President Bola Tinubu of blame over the current economic situation and attendant hardship in the country, said the situation predated his ascendancy to office.

He admonished the president to brace up and fashion out workable economic blueprints to salvage the harsh situation so that Nigerians would quickly put the present hardship behind them and begin to experience improved living standards while the country itself begins the fast-paced journey to greatness.

Emphasising the importance of media in nation-building, the legal luminary tasked journalists to step up its constitutional responsibility of holding the government accountable to the citizenry. 

Babalola urged them to expose the ills of government at all levels without any fear of intimidation and make Nigeria a better place for all.

He described the profession as the most powerful weapon to sensitise and advise as well as make suggestions to political officeholders on how best the country can move forward.

The Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti ABUAD) has emerged the best university in Nigeria for the third consecutive year, according to 2024 Times Higher Education Impact World universities ranking.

The Founder, Chief Afe Babalola SAN disclosed this on Sunday, June 23, while briefing journalists in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital on the recent ranking of the university as the best university in the country.

Babalola said that the 15-year-old private university emerged the best amongst all the 264 Nigeian universities and ranked 4th in Africa as well as 142nd among all the 2,152 ranked universities in the world.

According to him, the institution was also rated first in the world in the Social Development Goal 7 (Affordable and Clean energy), overall best in Outreach Programmes and Stewardship with a score of 98.2% in the impact ranking.

Babalola attributed the rise in ranking of ABUAD to its quality curriculum, stable and predictable academic calendar as well as the unwavering commitment of the university community to academic excellence.

He said: “We are here today to share good news for the third consecutive year. Part of it is that our 15-year-old university has again been ranked as No. 1 University in Nigeria, and Number 142 in education generally, the world.

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“The above notwithstanding, our ranking position has changed significantly. The reason is because this year, our ranking has gone beyond the shores of Nigeria and, now gone global.

“This result constitutes a challenge to all Nigerians, particularly our universities. We are all aware of the economic doldrum that the country is battling with. I must stress that education is the panacea to all the ignorance, extremism, poverty, religious bigotry and tribalism among other problems, confronting the country.

“It is my conviction that if people can emulate the type of complete, and innovative education system, hardwork, honesty and faith, being exhibited in ABUAD, Nigeria would have been better for it”, he said.

Babalola thanked staff of the university community for their relentless efforts in making sure that ABUAD was reckoned with, in the educational sector, and urged them not to rest on their oars.

“I encourage all members of staff to see our current ranking as a call to duty, so that apart from remaining number next year, we will be number one in other areas, and number one globally in everything”, he said.

Eminent lawyer and Founder of Afe Babalola University at Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), has presented N12 million to scholars of the university for their research outputs and publications in journals across the globe.

Presenting the cash gifts to the scholars during the 2023/2024 edition, Babalola recalled that since 2015, he had spent over N350 million on the publication of research outputs in SCOPUS-indexed journals.

The legal luminary said this was in line with the institution mandates to change Nigeria’s education system.

He said ABUAD had developed its platform, which now has the same status with the SCOPUS, to give more opportunities to scholars for the publication of journal articles and relieve them the payment burden.

Read Also: Afe Babalola showers N12m on ABUAD scholars for outstanding research

“The good news I have for you today is the fact that you need not pay SCOPUS-indexed publication fees anymore. Why? This is because ABUAD/OGEES journal of Sustainable Development Law and Policy (JSDLP) has now acquired the same status as SCOPUS.

“This has brought respite from the present challenges of paying for journal articles in the university and you are therefore encouraged to publish in this our own journal,” Aare Babalola said.

On what to expect from the next award presentation, the ABUAD founder promised that any worker with not less than 75 publications would get a brand new car; the first runner-up with not less than 60 would get N1 million, and the second runner-up with not less than 55 publications would get N750,000.

He advised scholars in the institution to live up to expectations in publishing their research outputs, promising to continue to provide the necessary financial and moral supports towards sustaining ABUAD’s status as a leading university across the world.

Founder of Afe Babalola University Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD) Chief Afe Babalola, has showered N12 million on scholars of the university for their research outputs and publications in journals across the globe.

Presenting the cash gifts to the scholars during the 2023/2024 edition, Babalola
saud that since 2015, he has spent over N350 million for publication of research output in Scopus-indexed journals in line with the institution mandates to change the Nigeria’s education system.

He disclosed that ABUAD has developed its platform which now has same status with the Scopus as a way of giving more opportunities to scholars for publication of journal articles and remove the payment challenges,

” The good news I have for you today is the fact that you need not pay SCOPUS-Indexed publication fees anymore. Why ? This is because ABUAD/OGEES journal of Sustainable Development Law and Policy (JSDLP) has now acquired the same status as SCOPUS.

“This has brought respite from the present challenges of paying for journal articles in the university and you are therefore encouraged to publish in this our own journal, ” he said.

On what to expect from the next award presentation, Babalola said any staff member with the highest publications not less than 75 would be given brand new car, the first runner-up with not less than 60 would receive N1 million and the next would got N750,000 for publishing not less than 55.

The renowned legal icon advised scholars in the institution to live up to expectations in publishing their research outputs, adding that he would continue to provide the necessary financial and moral supports towards sustaining the university status as a leading light across the world.

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According to him, “I urge you not to only publish but all translate your research output into marketable products, which I am willing to fund; this is one of the reasons why I established the university, the Multi-system hospital, the industrial park and the Agro-tourist farm.

“By doing this, ABUAD will continue to retain its world-class status in the comity of World Ivy League Universities. All hands must be on deck to take the university to another glorious level in the coming years.

“I wish to remind you that this a private university established principally to change the attitude of Nigerians towards how a university properly so called should be run.

“To achieve our goals , each teacher must recognize that quality education includes amongst others, quality teaching, impactful research, community service, grant, learning and character. Therefore, before anyone enjoys any promotion in this university, he or she must have satisfied virtually all of the parameters.”

The Founder of Afe Babalola University in Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Chief Afe Babalola (SAN), has urged those seeking to secede from Nigeria to have a rethink.
The legal luminary advised the secessionists to learn from China how the Asian nation utilised its diversity for development and greatness.
Babalola spoke yesterday at the maiden Inter-Continental Universities Conference hosted by ABUAD in collaboration with China-Africa Discourse Studies (CECADS) with the theme: Building Bridges for Advancing the SDG: Enhancing Inter-University Scientific Collaboration between Africa and China, at the university’s campus in Ekiti State.

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The foremost lawyer noted that most people believed that the size of China, couple with the country’s large number of tribes and languages, were responsible for its underdevelopment, just as many Nigerians also believed that the large number of tribes and languages is also responsible for her underdevelopment.
“However, China, which is like an elephant to an ordinary sheep or dog, has today taken advantage of the population and made the country a huge success, one of the first three civilised countries in the world.
“Those who are advocating that Nigeria should be balkanised should learn from how China took advantage of its size, population, and manpower to become one of the leading civilised and industrialised country in the world.”
The Consul General of the People’s Republic of China, Ms. Yan Yuqing, assured Nigerians that her country was willing to cooperate more with Nigeria in the field of higher education, among others.

The envoy said her country would also explore support for more outstanding Nigerian students to study in China while Chinese students would come to Nigeria for exchanges, and support more joint scientific research among both countries’ universities.

She said Nigeria, being the largest economy in Africa, has great potential for development in science, technology and innovation, talent development and technology-driven innovation.

“I believe that Afe Babalola University is the key facilitator of China-Nigeria cooperation in education and science and technology for sustainable development.

“China and Nigeria are important strategic partners. I look forward to deepening the friendship and mutual understanding between our countries through cooperation in education, science and technology and employment empowerment, and thus creating an example for cooperation in other areas.”