•as management seeks reconstruction of deplorable Ado-Ijan road
The globally acknowledged Times Higher Education Ranking has ranked the iconic Afe Babalola University Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD) as the best in Nigeria for the fourth consecutive times and number 84th in the world.
The institution is also ranked 1st in Africa in (SDG 7 – Affordable & Clean Energy), 1st in Africa (SDG 13 -Climate Change), 2nd in Africa (SDG 1 – No Poverty), 3rd in Africa (SDG 17 – Partnership for Goals).
The body aside also ranking the institution first in Nigeria (2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025), 1st in Nigeria (SDG 1 – No Poverty), 1st in Nigeria ( SDG 7 – Affordable & Clean Energy), 1st in Nigeria (SDG 13 – Climate Change) and 1st in Nigeria (SDG 17 – Partnership for Goals).
Addressing journalists at the weekend in Ado-Ekiti, the acting Vice Chancellor of ABUAD, Professor Olasupo Ijabadeniyi who made the disclosure said the dream of the founder, Aare Afe Babalola to see the university listed among the best 100 in the world in his lifetime has been achieved.
He noted that the institution in the last fifteen years of its existence has made significant impacts in the nation’s education sector with cutting edge research, innovation and quality of graduates produced across all the colleges in the university.
He said, “Today, with the cooperation of and quality advice from Regulatory Bodies such as the NUC, Council for Legal Education, Ministry of Education, Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), the Medical & Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), ICAN, CPN, PCN, and NMCN among others, the cooperation of parents and the commitment of our staff, the university has recorded spectacular achievements in Law, Medicine, Engineering, Nursing, Pharmacy, Sciences and Accounting among several others.”
Ijabadeniyi who represented the Vice Chancellor, Professor Smaranda Olarinde, expressed the happiness of the founder and Chancellor, Aare Babalola on the new ranking of ABUAD.
Alluding to the fulfillment of the vision of Babalola, the Acting VC quoted his(Babalola) interaction in 2015 with the former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Ibrahim Tanko Mohammed when he visited the university.
He said: “After touring the length and breadth of the university, he came to the ultra-modern College of Law building. Looking round the massive building, the learned Jurist took a deep breath and asked rather rhetorically: “Aare Afe Babalola, what else do you want? If it is money, you have it. If it is goodwill, you have it in quantum. If it is success in your career, you are by any means successful. I don’t know what else you want to become.
“Replying the learned Jurist, the Founder said: I thank God for what he has enabled me to achieve. My wish, my hope and prayer is that this university must, in my lifetime, be recognized by the international body as one of the best 100 in the world. So, I still have a lot of work to do to bring this dream into fruition.
“And that is the whole essence of our being here today. That wish, that hope, and prayer as expressed by Aare Afe Babalola to Hon. Justice Tanko Mohammed in 2015 has become a stark reality before our very eyes.”
Ijabadeniyi however called on the federal and state governments for immediate reconstruction of Ado-Ijan road, which he said, has become a nightmare for motorists.
He recounted the founder’s intervention on the road from 2009 to 2019, saying further support has gone beyond his capacity as a result of the quantum of projects he has embarked upon across the state.
He said, “The role played by Aare Afe Babalola in the maintenance of the stretch of Ado-ljan Road from St. Paul’s Church to this university between 2009 and 2019 is in the public domain.
“The same goes for the Ado-Ekiti Cargo Airport where he has invested billions of naira to make it functional.
“The maintenance of Ado-ljan Road and the functionality of the Ado-Ekiti Cargo Airport is certainly beyond his capacity bearing in mind the quantum of projects he has embarked upon in the overall interest of the state.
“Because of this, the time has come for both the Federal and Ekiti State Governments to see to the immediate re-construction of the Ado-ljan Road and the completion of the Ado-Ekiti Cargo Airport.
“It is very sad the condition of the road. These leaders always come to Baba Afe during election but now we didn’t see them again. This road must be attended to as a matter of urgency.
“If the university is more accessible, it will attract patronage from both local and international audience as a result of which it would win more laurels for the state and the nation at large.”
ALSO READ TOP STORIES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
and then