In 2009, A Certificate Was Issued To Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), By The Federal Government For The Establishment Of The Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti. On January 4, 2010, Lectures Began In Earnest. As A Quintessential Legal Luminary Of International Repute, The College Of Law, Was Among The Pioneer Colleges That Started Their Various Academic Programmes. Ever Since Then, The College Has Been Securing 100 Per Cent Accreditation From The Council Of Legal Education. Recently, ABUAD Law Programme Became The First University College Of Law Ever To Get Its Quota Increased By NUC From 80 To 180 Because Of Its Academic Excellence. Two of the graduands of Afe Babalola University bagged FIRST CLASS at the LAw School both in Lagos and Abuja while Sixteen (16) bagged Second Class Upper in 2016. Science Writer, STANLEY CHIBUIHEM AMALAHA, In An Interview With Prof. Michael Ajisafe, Vice Chancellor Of The University, Reports
A visit to Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria, without visiting Afe Babalola University’s College of Law, is like travelling to the city of New York, without having a glimpse of the famous Statue of Liberty.
Words hardly suffice when the subject of discussion is the revered Aare Afe Babalola because his record of achievement stands out like a lighthouse in the dark.
Considering the legal sphere alone, which is his major area of endeavour, how would one describe a man whose formal education terminated at the then Standard Six, but the law programme of his university is currently adjudged the best in West Africa by the National Universities (NUC).
How would you describe a man whose six-year-old university (ABUAD), is now the second best, out of 68 private universities in Nigeria?. How would you describe Aare Afe Babalola who obtained the rest of his academic achievements through correspondence? Today, he is one of Africa’s foremost Legal luminaries and has produced about 30 Senior Advocates of Nigeria.
His arrays of degrees including that of the University of London, – the mother of the University of Ibadan, and the grandmother of all the universities in Nigeria, speak volumes. Aare Afe Babalola SAN, OFR, CON, FNIALS, LL.D, Chancellor, and Founder, Afe Babalola University Ado- Ekiti, may not be the most educated person in Nigeria, but his reformatory ideas and philosophies, have made him champion the most impressive cause in the nation’s academia more than any Nigerian man or woman, living or dead.
For example, the establishment of ABUAD’s College of Law, presently regarded as the best in West Africa by NUC, is one of the most genuine industrial beacons of hope for the Nigerian child in obtaining qualitative legal education.
In an interview with Prof. Michael Ajisafe, Vice Chancellor of the university on the establishment of ABUAD’s College of Law, he said: “ABUAD is a vision in motion. It is founded by foremost educationist, renowned philanthropist and legal Icon, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), in 2009. Great institutions of learning worldwide have been shaped largely by the vision and foresight of their founders.
Aare Afe Babalola is a sticker for standards and discipline. During his tenure as the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council at the University of Lagos, (UNILAG), (2000-2007), he wrote his name in gold and made UNILAG the cynosure of all eyes and the best university in Nigeria.
When his tenure ended, he replicated what he did in UNILAG by establishing Afe Babalola University with its law programme” On the philosophy for establishing the law programme, the Vice Chancellor, who is a Professor of Sports Science, a Curriculum Expert in Sports Sciences, and a member of several accredited bodies and professional Associations in Sports Science all over the world, stated:
“Aare Afe Baba-lola is a great Legal education reformer and international scholar. He strongly believes in the production of qualitative Law graduates who will appreciate the value of the dignity of labour, become problem solvers, self reliant, employers of labour, highly productive and globally relevant on every sphere of human endeavour.
Ajisafe, further highlighted that the Law College is a beauty to behold and a true reflection of our founder’s impeccable personality. “Verbal expression is too flimsy to express the achievements of our law programme.
For example, the National Universities Commission (NUC) through its Executive Secretary, Prof. Julius Okojie, recently said that: ‘ABUAD’s University’s College of Law, is certainly the best in West Africa’. It is a model for other universities to emulate.
The setting is superlative and impressive with nothing of its kind in West Africa. It is equipped with the state – of – the – Art facilities comparable with any law college of high repute in the world,” he said.
In another highlight, Associate Prof. Elisabeta Smaranda Olarinde, (FCAI), Provost, College of Law, and Deputy Vice Chancellor Administration, ABUAD stated: “The College of Law was among the pioneering Colleges that started their various academic programmes in January, 2010. Full Accreditation of the LL.B Programme by both the NUC and Council of Legal Education (CLE) was given in 2013.
The Council of Legal Education specially recognized the excellent team work, innovative and modern undergraduate curriculum, the infrastructural facilities, most conducive, serene learning environment and modern teaching facilities coupled with the state-of-the art law library of the college and as a result, increased her admission quota from 80 to 180.
“The previous year, the Institute for Government Research and Leadership Technology awarded the Best University Law Faculty 2012 award for African Governance and Cooperate Leadership to ABUAD College of Law. In April 2016, the NUC‘s Verification and Accreditation panel, approved the commencement of our Postgraduate Programme in Law which will commence in October, this year.
Our students also won the Moot and Mock Trial competition organised by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Ibadan Branch 2015, held in Ibadan comprising ABUAD, and other first generation public universities law students in South West Nigeria.”
Culled from New Telegraph