Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, on Monday officially turned out 1,662 graduates from the institution.
They comprised 1,485 first degree graduates and 177 postgraduate degree recipients.
Three eminent Nigerians, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN); legal practitioner, Mr Damian Dodo (SAN); and the Serving Overseer of Citadel Global Community Church, Pastor Tunde Bakare, bagged honorary doctorates on the occasion.
Speaking at ABUAD’s 12th convocation ceremony, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Smaranda Olarinde, bemoaned the challenges facing Nigerian tertiary institutions and urged the Federal Government to urgently find solutions to them.
Olarinde said the country’s dwindling economy and naira devaluation had greatly impacted tertiary institutions.
“The exchange rate has plummeted. This economic downturn has caused a sharp rise in the cost of living, making it difficult for families to afford education and for institutions to sustain their operations.
“At ABUAD, we are aware of the financial burden this places on our students and their families.
“While we strive to maintain our standards and provide the best possible education, we call on the government to implement economic reforms that will stabilise the currency and ease the pressure on Nigerian households and educational institutions,” she said.
The vice-chancellor also faulted the exclusion of private universities from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund and the student loan.
She said the developments deprived private universities of benefiting from TETFund projects and as well their students from government loans, thus “creating unequal access to education.”
She also bemoaned the parlous state of the road leading to ABUAD, which she said posed a significant challenge to students and staff.
“I use this opportunity once again to appeal to the Federal Government to address the infrastructural deficit in Ekiti State, particularly the Ado-Ijan Road and other federal roads,” the vice-chancellor added.
Olarinde, who congratulated the fresh graduates, told them, “The whole world looks up to you as graduates of this globally ranked university to be at the vanguard of providing innovative and entrepreneurial solutions to the complex problems facing our world today.”
ABUAD Founder, Aare Afe Babalola, congratulated the graduates on the feat and advised them to be good ambassadors and always strive for excellence.
The AGF, Fagbemi, who spoke on behalf of the honorary awardees, expressed appreciation to the university for the honour.
He lauded the impact of ABUAD and its “commitment to developing young minds and equipping them with the tools to navigate and transform the world.”
Fagbemi said, “We are deeply honoured to be recognised by an institution that has been rated as number one in Africa and one which competes with the best in the world.
“I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the founder, my mentor, for this recognition. I congratulate the graduating students and their parents. I wish the graduating students the very best for the future.”
Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, in his goodwill message, lauded the contributions of ABUAD to the human capital development of the country.
“This institution has, in its 15 years of existence, changed the face of education in the country,” he said.
Aiyedatiwa said, “It is exciting to be part of the 12th convocation ceremonies and 15th Founder’s Day celebration of this great institution. Let me congratulate this institution for this day and also thank God for the founder that he is alive and in good health to witness this day.
“I want to commend our own Aare Afe Babalola for the huge investment he has put into the building of this great citadel of learning, a huge investment that is driven by a vision to offer to the world and humanity a world-class and reformative education of great standard.”
