Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), the fastest growing university in Africa, has been accorded the right to participate in the Fulbright Exchange Programmes.
Announcing this through a letter dated January 3, 2013, the American Consul-General in Nigeria, Mr. Jeffrey Hawkins, noted that the automatic right of participation granted the university is as a result of the mind boggling achievements and the impressive infrastructure he saw during his recent visit to the university.
According to Hawkins,”the comments made by visitors to the campus do reflect what we saw and we congratulate you on your leadership and success in education”.
Normally, universities apply to enjoy participation in this high-brow exchange programme, with only a few being given the opportunity, but ABUAD was accorded the singular honour of automatic participation on account of its accomplishments in less than four years in existence.
The diplomat reiterated that it is one of the core goals of the U.S. Mission in Nigeria to partner with ABUAD and other like-institutions that seek to develop the country like Babalola is doing in the country’s educational sector.
Through the exchange programme, and particularly through the American Consulate’s Public Affairs Section, Hawkins said the United States of America would educate, empower and engage the Nigerian public about the United States on issues of mutual concern.
Like most other visitors to ABUAD, Hawkins commended Babalola on the superlative works being done in the three-and-half year old university and congratulated him on what he described as Babalola’s ‘leadership and success in education’.
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