Former Head of State and Chairman, Board of Trustee, Obafemi Awolowo Foundation, General Yakubu Gowon, awardee, Aare Afe Babalola, his wife, Yeye Aare Modupe Babalola and former Secretary General to Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, at the ceremony in Lagos, on Wednesday, March 6, 2019
The former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, on Wednesday, in Lagos, made a formal presentation of the 2018 Obafemi Awolowo Leadership Prize Award to the founder of Afe Babalola University (ABUAD), Ado- Ekiti, Aare Afe Babalola, as the latest recipient of the prestigious award.
The Obi of Onitsha, His Royal Highness Naemeka Achebe, award recipient, Aare Afe Babalola, his wife Yeye Aare Modupe Babalola, a guest and Chairman, ANN Plc and Executive Director, Obafemi Awolowo Foundation, Dr. Olatokunbo Awolowo Dosumu
Aare Babalola, a legal icon, farmer and philanthropist, was presented with the award at exactly 6:45 pm at the Harbour Point, in Victoria Island, Lagos, the venue of the award ceremony with many eminent personalities including Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State; Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi; former Governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel; Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba (Dr) Adeyemo Aladesanmi; Obi of Onitsha, HRH Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe; former Commonwealth Secretary-General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku,and numerous others in attendance.
Afe Babalola worked much same path as Awo to educate self, Fayemi says
Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi has said that the Obafemi Awolowo Prize for Leadership Award given to Aare Afe Babalola is one the recipient truly deserved.
Fayemi said this in his remark, saying Aare Babalola valued education and happened to have walked much same path like the sage to educate himself, declaring that Ekiti, where the recipient hailed from, being a fountain of knowledge, equally prepared him for what was being witnessed today about him.
According to the governor, “Aare Babalola went through the same experience Papa (Awolowo) went through to go to school and get educated, that is why they have both given much to education.”
“For those who recognise that education is an antidote to poverty, you cannot but recognise the efforts of Aare Afe Babalola in the field of education,” Fayemi said, even as he went further to acknowledge the Afe Babalola Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti, as the best ever in the country to be put in place by an individual.
“Papa, we are proud of you,” he declared, describing Babalola, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), as an exempler, a passionate believer in hard work, among others kind words used to describe him.
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