By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Tribune OnlineTribune OnlineTribune Online
  • Home
  • News
  • Columns
  • Editorial
  • VIDEOS
  • Entertainment
  • Politics
  • Health
  • Opinions
  • SPORTING TRIBUNE
Reading: Aare Afe Babalola: In honour of elder statesman, legal luminary, educationist, philanthropist par excellence
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Tribune OnlineTribune Online
Font ResizerAa
  • Home
  • News
  • Columns
  • Editorial
  • VIDEOS
  • Entertainment
  • Politics
  • Health
  • Opinions
  • SPORTING TRIBUNE
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy
  • Advertise
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
© 2025 African Newspapers of Nigeria Plc.. All Rights Reserved.
Features

Aare Afe Babalola: In honour of elder statesman, legal luminary, educationist, philanthropist par excellence

Tribune Online
October 18, 2025
Share
Aare Afe Babalola
SHARE

By Gbenga Ashaolu

Today, the 18th of October, 2025, is the Second Edition of Aare Afe Babalola Day. We recall that last year, the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, His Royal Majesty, Oba Dr. Rufus Adeyemo Adejugbe, Aladesanmi III, CON, JP, on behalf of all the sons and daughters of Ado-Ekiti, declared October 18 of every Year as Aare Afe Babalola Day.

The rare honour, according to the revered traditional ruler, was and still is, in appreciation of what His Royal Majesty described as Aare Afe’s ” unalloyed commitment to public service with regard to Law, Education, Health, Community Development, Agriculture and display of generosity to those that might be fortunate to come across him in life”.

From a lowly, humble roots, Afe Babalola, the child of a peasant farmer, who worked for several days on ends, at times for three months on the farm with his father and labourers ever before he could start primary school later in the 1930s, has seen it all: from the travails of childhood, to the challenges of adolescence and youth, right up to the vicissitudes of life in his old age. Having experienced poverty and lack of cash to further his education after completing the First School Leaving Certificate, while in Standard Six at Emmanuel Primary School, Ado-Ekiti, he registered at Wolsey Hall, Oxford, United Kingdom for the Correspondence Course. For 5 years, the young Afe burnt the midnight oil before he passed the Cambridge School Certificate Examinations, with exemption from London Matriculation (equivalent to our West African School Certificate Examinations now). The rest, as we say, have become history, as he also enrolled through correspondence courses, to prepare for and sit for the GCE Advanced Level, studying at home, and passed four Subjects at one sitting, which was a great feat in those days. AFE BABALOLA never passed through the walls of a Secondary School or University as he couldn’t afford to pay the high tuition fees in those early days. But through dint of hardwork, determination and God’s abiding grace, he surmounted all storms. After working for some years, he also enrolled in the same manner, through correspondence courses, for his BSc Economics with Honours at the London University, U.K.

This is a classical example of a resolute young man, who was highly focused and it is a lesson to learn from him, that when we make sacrifices right now, later in life, we shall reap the rewards.. He is not a mediocre as he always aims for the very best. He later pursued and enrolled for the LL.B Honours in Law at the University of London, U.K, through the same correspondence course and travelled overseas to finish his Law program in London and was called to the England Bar, in 1963, the same year he became a Member of Lincoln’s Inn, London.

He started work with Olu Ayoola & Co., in Ibadan, Western Region on returning home with the golden fleece, working with the Ayoola Brothers who had qualified as lawyers earlier before him. He later set up in 1965, Afe Babalola & Co (Emmanuel Chambers) in Ekotedo axis, Ibadan. He has handled a lot of cases for individuals, families, royalty, companies and multinational corporations, federal government of Nigeria as well as leading Politicians across Nigeria. It is to his credit that his law chambers has churned out the highest numbers of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN) amongst all the chambers practicing law in Nigeria and it is on record that two of his mentees rose through the ranks to become Attorney General and Ministers of Justice, of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

For his meritorious services to humanity, spanning over sixty years in the areas of law, jurisprudence, education, health, agriculture, community development and philanthropy, as well as for his ingenuity and innovative approach to establish the Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), he truly deserves to be celebrated in his lifetime. ABUAD was recently ranked by Times Higher Education Impact Rankings as one of the best 100 Universities in the world ( No. 84 ), No. 3 in Africa and No.1 in Nigeria for four consecutive years: 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025.

The maiden edition was celebrated on October 18, 2024 in Ado-Ekiti, during which Aare Afe Babalola donated #200 Million for the incorporation of two Cooperative Societies, one for men and one for women, to enable their registered Members to apply for loans at 5% interest rate to start his or her business…

From all walks of life, all roads lead to Ado-Ekiti, the serene capital of Ekiti-kete (Ekiti State) today as kindreds, family members, friends, associates and admirers of Aare Afe troop to his hometown to honour this Nonagenarian as he is being celebrated in his lifetime, with pomp and pageantry. I wish you many more fruitful years in sound health, joy, peace of mind and prosperity on earth, Baba Afe, as you have brought succour, life and hope to several people from the nooks and crannies in Nigeria and beyond through the establishment of Emmanuel Chambers, ABUAD as well as the ABUAD MULTI-SYSTEMS TEACHING HOSPITAL, both in Ado-Ekiti, that is ranked as one of the best Hospitals on the African continent.

Congratulations, Aare Afe Babalola on this epochal event. Akuu oriire, ekuu aseye!


WATCH TOP VIDEOS FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE TV

  • Back to School, Back to Business A Fresh Start

  • Relationship Hangout: Public vs Private Proposals – Which Truly Wins in Love?

  • “No” Is a Complete Sentence: Why You Should Stop Feeling Guilty

  • Relationship Hangout: Friendship Talk 2025 – How to Be a Good Friend & Big Questions on Friendship

  • Police Overpower Armed Robbers in Ibadan After Fierce Struggle


    Get real-time news updates from Tribune Online! Follow us on WhatsApp for breaking news, exclusive stories and interviews, and much more.
    Join our WhatsApp Channel now


TAGGED:Aare Afe BabalolaEducationiststatesman
Share This Article
Facebook Email Print
Previous Article CPN inducts 47 Wellspring graduates, seven staff members
Next Article Stitched head of victim Cars snatched in South-West Cars snatched in S/West, sold in Abuja: How Osun robbers were trailed, nabbed in FCT

Frontpage Today

Subscribe to e-Paper

E-Vending, e paper, pdf, e-paper, Tribune
WOMEN

Xquisite
Xquisite Food
Xquisite Style
Wondrous World of Women

MORE

Business Coach
Education
Event Digest
Crime & Court
Do It Yourself
Ecoscope
Property & Environment
Energy
Maritime
Aviation
Brands & Marketing
Agriculture
Info Tech
Labour
Leadership & Management
Achievers
Arewa Live
Arts & Culture
Arts & Reviews
Campus Beat
Politics
Health News
MORE

Mum & Child
Natural Health
Sexuality & Health
Special Report
Sports
Tourism
Travelpulse & MICE
Tribune Business
Weekend Lagos
Youth Speak
Book Review
Thursday Tales
EDITORIAL

Editorial
Opinion
Letters
News Extra

BUSINESS

Capital Market
Money Market
Economy

ENTERTAINMENT

Friday Treat
Entertainment
Razzmattaz

REGIONS

South West
Niger Delta
Arewa

RELIGION

Tribune Church
Church News
Muslim Sermon
Eye of Islam
Islamic News

COLUMNS

Anike's Diary
Aplomb
Ask The Doctor
Autoclinic With The Mechanic
Awo's Thought
Borderless
Crucial Moment
Empowered For Life
Festus Adebayo's Flickers
Financewise
Gibbers
Intimacy
Language & Style
Leaders' Forum
Leadership & Management
Lynx Eye
Monday Lines
Mum & Child
Natural Health
Notes from Atlanta with Farooq Kperogi
On The Lord's Day
PENtagon
Political Panorama
Veritatem With Obadiah Mailafia
Voice of Courage
Whatsapp Conversation
You and Eye
Your Life Counts

© 2025 African Newspapers of Nigeria Plc. All Rights Reserved.
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?