Founder and Chancellor of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Aare Afe Babalola, has renewed his call on the Federal Government to urgently rehabilitate the deplorable roads linking Ekiti State with other parts of the country.
Babalola, who described the roads leading to the state as “virtually impassable,” made the call on Thursday while addressing fresh students of the university during the general orientation programme for the 2026/2027 academic session.
The legal luminary said he had repeatedly appealed to the Federal Government to address the condition of the roads, expressing hope that the authorities would heed the calls.
“I thank the Almighty God for bringing you safely to ABUAD. I say this because it is a notorious fact that all the roads leading to Ekiti State are virtually impassable,” he said.
Babalola also used the occasion to assure parents who enrolled their children and wards at the university that the institution would provide them with academic, leadership and entrepreneurial training.
He said ABUAD was established partly in response to what he described as the decline in the quality and infrastructure of some Nigerian universities.
According to him, inadequate funding, infrastructural decay, insufficient practical training and difficulties in attracting quality teaching personnel have contributed to the challenges confronting the nation’s university system.
He said his objective in establishing ABUAD was to create an institution that would serve as an example of what a university should be.
Babalola said the university had distinguished itself through its infrastructure, learning environment, teaching facilities and residential education system.
He also highlighted ABUAD’s reported academic achievements, including 100 per cent accreditation of its 47 academic programmes.
The founder cited the institution’s performance in the 2018 Bar Examination, when, according to him, ABUAD recorded a 100 per cent pass rate and produced the overall best student, Uwem Naomi Ekop.
He also recalled other achievements by students and graduates in professional examinations, debates and international academic pursuits.
Babalola said the university had established collaborations with international institutions, including Johns Hopkins Hospital in the United States, King’s College, University of London, and Trinity Western University, Canada.
He urged the new students to emulate the achievements of their predecessors, stressing that discipline was essential to academic success.
“Learn to dream big. It is not a crime to dream big, but it is an unpardonable sin not to dream at all,” he told the students.
He further urged them to obey the university’s rules and regulations, saying the measures were designed to help them achieve their academic and personal goals.
Babalola also sought feedback from the fresh students on their experiences since joining the university, saying their responses would help the institution assess its effectiveness and identify areas for improvement.
He wished the students a successful and rewarding academic experience at ABUAD.
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