Renowned legal luminary and founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Aare Afe Babalola, has been conferred with an Honorary Fellowship Award by the Nigerian Academy of Education (NAE) in recognition of his outstanding contributions to education and national development.
The announcement was contained in a letter signed by the Academy’s Secretary-General, Prof. Elizabeth Okeke, which commended Babalola’s immense impact on the growth of education in Nigeria. According to the letter, the decision to confer the award was approved on July 9, 2025, with the formal induction scheduled for November 6, 2025, at the NCCE Conference Hall, Abuja, during the opening ceremony of the NAE’s 40th Anniversary Celebration.
The letter further noted that the award entitles Babalola to use the title “FNAE” and participate in the Academy’s activities as a friend and honorary fellow, describing his recognition as a “clarion call for all who are called to the service of humanity.”
In his remarks after receiving the honour in Ado-Ekiti, Babalola reaffirmed his commitment to sustaining ABUAD as a non-profit, world-class institution focused on quality education and nation-building. He emphasized that every profit generated by the university is reinvested into development projects to strengthen its sustainability and impact.
According to him, ABUAD remains debt-free and financially stable, with growing endowment funds dedicated to scholarships and international exchange opportunities. He revealed plans to soon extend scholarships to international students, noting that ABUAD continues to attract applicants from across Nigeria and abroad, including China, the United States, and Pakistan.
Expressing gratitude to the Academy, Babalola dedicated the award to the collective effort, discipline, and moral excellence of ABUAD’s staff and students.
He said, “When I established this university, my goal was to build a non-profit institution where every kobo made would be reinvested for growth. We have remained debt-free, disciplined, and committed to excellence. My dream is that ABUAD will continue to stand among the world’s leading universities long after I am gone.”
Babalola also urged Nigerians to embrace discipline and moral integrity, stressing that lack of discipline remains a major obstacle to national progress.
