Secessionist groups in Nigeria should learn from China — Afe Babalola

A renowned lawyer and founder of Afe Babalola University Ado Ekiti (ABUAD), Aare Afe Babalola, SAN has called on different groups calling for secession in Nigeria to learn how China utilised its diversity for greatness and retrace their steps.

Babalola stated this on Monday at the 1st Inter-Continental Universities Conference, hosted by the 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 campus in Ado Ekiti.

According to the legal icon, most people believed that the size of China, coupled with the 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.

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According to him, “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 and one of the first 3 civilized countries in the world.

“Those who are advocating that Nigeria should be balkanized should learn from how China took advantage of its size, population and manpower to become one of the leading civilized and industrialised country in the world.”

In her remarks, the Consul General of the People’s Republic of China, Ms Yan Yuqing, said that China is willing to cooperate more with Nigeria in the field of higher education, explore support for more outstanding Nigerian students to study in China and Chinese students to come to Nigeria for exchanges, and support more joint scientific research among universities.

She said that Nigeria as the largest economy in Africa, as well as, the whole African continent, has great potential for development in terms of 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 two countries through cooperation in education, science and technology and employment empowerment, and thus creating an example for cooperation in other areas,” she said.

The Consul General of the People’s Republic of China noted that presently, numerous Chinese companies are investing in Nigeria, creating a large number of jobs while promoting the development of Nigerian society. 

On his part, the Ekiti state governor Biodun Oyebanji, said his administration is fully ready to support private initiatives by individuals or groups working with locals or the international community towards lifting the state towards further growth and development.

According to him, Ekiti under him, would do everything humanly possible to continue to attract collaborations and partnerships with people and institutions, including foreign countries, that shared his vision and mission, towards taking the state to its place of dreams.

He commended the legal luminary and proprietor of the University, Afe Babalola for always using his university to advance the course of the state, and urged others to emulate him.

In his keynote address, the Acting Executive Secretary of the National University Commission (NUC), Mr Chris Maiyaki noted that the Africa-Asia Inter-Continental Universities Conference represents a significant opportunity to build bridges across our continents, by bringing together academics, researchers, diplomats, and other experts from Africa and China, including students.

According to him, the Conference also provides a unique platform for sharing knowledge and developing innovative solutions to common challenges. The focus on scientific collaboration, technology transfer, and cultural exchange.