By Ayodele Abere
In realisation of the fact that education is the surest ladder to success, the founder of Afe Babalola University (ABUAD), Ado-Ekiti, Aare Afe Babalola, said he has established the Afe Babalola Centre for Transnational Education in conjunction with King’s College, London, where the underprivileged but brilliant young people in Africa and beyond will be trained and obtain university degrees without going to college or university.
Afe Babalola disclosed this at the maiden edition of Aare Afe Babalola Day, held on Friday, 18th October, 2024 at Ewi’s palace in Ado-Ekiti, the State capital.
The decision according to Afe Babalola was to promote the underprivileged young people to learn from how he was able to study on his own and obtained university degrees without attending any secondary school or university.
While describing the personality of Afe Babalola, a renowned human rights activist and a lawyer, Barr. Femi Falana, said he’s a man of destiny having rose from lonely place in the society to the highest.
According to Falana, he has reached the apogee of his legal career and that, being a philanthropist who has assisted many poor people, he said he has attained a special place for himself in the area of education. Stressing that Afe is a man of achievements who means to be celebrated not just by the Ado community but by Ekiti people as a whole.
Falana appreciated the people of Ado-Ekiti for giving honour to whom it is due, and thanked the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti specially for tremendous cooperation that Aare Afe Babalola has enjoyed.
In his word, “The Bible says a prophet has no honour in his community, but in the case of Afe, it’s a difference. Hence, he’s been honoured, and in the royal proclamation by the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, we have been told that this will be a yearly event till eternity.
“That’s the best honour anybody can get. To be honoured in one’s life time is what has happened to Chief Afe Babalola”. Falana said.
In his remarks, the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adeyemo Adejugbe, who described Afe, the Fiwajoye of Ado-Ekiti as a staunch supporter of his reign and a faithful servant of the community, said his contributions to the growth and development of Ado-Ekiti are indeed worthy of emulation. He said he’s particularly honoured to have the privilege of working with him.
The royal father noted that, Aare Afe Babalola enjoys global respect and that his legacies would keep him alive in human memory.
“Nonetheless, knowing how our society celebrates the dead over the living, and being deeply appreciative of what Afe Babalola represents in the our town, our state, our nation and humanity generally, we are compelled to institute a unique thing for this unique man”. Ewi of Ado-Ekiti remarked.
Recall that the royal father on Wednesday, August 21, 2024 at this year’s Udiroko festival in his palace announced that 18th October has been dedicated to Afe Babalola’s Day.In attendance at the occasion are dignitaries from all walks of life including sons and daughters of Ado-Ekiti, home and abroad.