ABUAD showers N120m on outstanding students, others

Outstanding graduating students and workers of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD) were among beneficiaries of N120 million cash reward at the university’s sixth convocation yesterday.

A parent was also among the beneficiaries of the cash largesse by ABUAD Founder/Chancellor, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN).

The cash reward for this year was N30 million higher than the N90 million doled out at last year’s convocation.

Two distinguished Nigerians: President of Africa Development Bank (AfDB), Dr. Akinwumi Adesina and Chairman of Channels Media Group, Mr. John Momoh, got honorary doctorate degrees at the convocation.

Babalola said Adesina and Momoh were rewarded for their contributions to the development of the country, particularly the youth.

The university graduated 1,042 students for Bachelor’s and postgraduate degrees with 72 getting First Class honours in different departments.

Award recipients of various cash sums under the Founder’s Special Awards are: Overall Best Graduating Student, Azom, Esther Adaobi, who bagged three distinctions in Medicine; the Best Alumnus of the Year is Makanju Aderonke and the Best Parent of the Year is Bayo Olowookere.

The Best Teacher of the Year is Prof. Smaranda Olarinde of the Faculty of Law, while Prof Sylvester Ojo bagged Utility Teacher of the Year award.

The College of Law won the Best College of the Year Award.

Other graduating students won awards at departmental levels.

Identifying funding as the greatest scourge afflicting the country’s Education sector, Babalola noted that many of the states’ and Federal Government’s budgets allocate as low as seven per cent to the sector.

The eminent lawyer slammed the Federal Government for allegedly ignoring the directive by the United Nations Education and Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) that 26 per cent of the budgetary allocation should go to education.

He said: “The quality of education is most desirable, but it is also an expensive enterprise. It is no news that the Education sector is in crisis due to poor funding.

“Whereas, UNESCO recommended that at least 26 per cent of national budget should be dedicated to education, but Nigeria budgets less than seven per cent.”

Babalola regretted that “Nigeria has one of the most poorly funded universities globally,” saying this caused the low ranking the country’s citadels of learning were accorded on webometrics rating.

He said: “I urge the Federal Government to revisit the moribund Education Bank to enable students access loans at reduced rates to finance their education and to start their own businesses after graduation.

“This is the surest way to end the rising unemployment, particularly among graduates after leaving universities.”

Babalola also urged the Federal Government to establish an Airport in Ado-Ekiti and rebuild Ado-Ijan-Ikare Road for easy access to the university.

He said: “The federal road leading to this university, Ado-Ikare road, is in bad condition. Of course, there is no rail line and there is also no airport.

“With the provision of the two in Ekiti, Nigerians will benefit from the 400-bed multi-system hospital which has the latest equipment here in this university.

“The Federal Government approved an airport for this state in 2009 for the benefit of all Nigerians who can benefit from our quality healthcare delivery and functional education we are offering in ABUAD.”

Adesina, who spoke on behalf of the awardees, noted that the future of Africa should not depend on population and natural resources but how best they can use the available resources to convert their visions to reality.