Senior Military Officers under the tutelage of the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON) were on Thursday, June 16, 2011, in Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD) on a Study Tour premised on Executive Management Course (EMC. 01/2011). The hosting exercise which lasted for two days started with the tour of Afe Babalola University Farms, the Fish Pond ceded to the University by the Founder, Aare Afe Babalola, and the tour of University facilities on Thursday, June 16 and ended on Friday, June 17, 2011, with comprehensive briefing on Afe Babalola University.
The hosting event which the Founder, Aare Afe Babalola, described as historic in the history of the University and Ekiti State as a whole had the presence of 14 Participants, namely Major Generals Umo Godwin George, the Team Leader, and Abidoye Olayemi Lasisi. Others were Brigadier Generals Shola Femi Charles, Linus Lot Tanko, Sho-silva Olusegun Michael, Wukari Daina Angyo, Tijani Saidu Aliyu, Aremu Peter Olusegun, Ekpo Edward Antai Loius, Kachallah Garba, Adewinmbi Biodun Birshir, Nyiam Mannix Abang, Komolafe Joseph Ojo and Colonel Dabiri Abayomi Alade. The officials from ASCON were Gayya Cecilia Gayya (Mrs), Ayuba John Yila, Ladipo Olanrewaju Olumide and Udo Etim.
On Thursday, June 16, 2011, which was the day set aside for the tour, the Founder and President Emeritus, Aare Afe Babalola, in company of the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Prof. M.O. Ajisafe; Registrar, Lady Christie Oluborode, University Bursar, Pastor Modupe Babalola; Dean of Students, Prof. A.A. Alalade, Director, Research and Extension, Prof. Afolabi Osho and other officers took the Generals and Officials from ASCON around the farms. The tour traversed the mammoth maize, mango (the unique specie from Yola), and cassava farms. While on tour, Aare Afe Babalola who led the team took time to explain how the expansive land was acquired and its boundaries.
Having gone through the farms on campus, the team proceeded to the Fish Pond, Tick and Honey Farms along Ikere road, ceded to the University by Aare Afe Babalola. According to Aare, the Fish Pond comprises 75 thousand fish.
After the memorable tour of farms, the team made their way to the Palace of Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adeyemo Adejugbe, where they paid him a courtesy visit. Welcoming the team and Aare Afe Babalola, Oba Adejugbe said that, no doubt, today is a great day in the history of Ado Ekiti and Ekiti State at large. He eulogized the Founder, Aare Afe Babalola saying that he is a gift to this generation and that he has laid a university foundation that encompasses all. In his address, Ewi implored the Generals on study tour to ABUAD to use their reports of the tour to make changes in the country.
While responding, the Team Leader of the Participants, General Umo Godwin, thanked the Ewi of Ado Ekiti and Ewi in Council on behalf of other Participants. He said that, it was the plan of the Nigerian Army to send superiors in the Army to Administrative Staff College (ASCON), on a nine month course on administration; that coming on a study tour to ABUAD was part of the course work.
Commenting on the visit of the Generals, Aare Afe Babalola disclosed that it was historic. He said, with the calibre of these great men, it was honourable paying tribute to the monarch, Oba Adejugbe.
Giving the vote of thanks at the Ewi’s Palace, the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Professor M.O. Ajisafe, added that, the Generals were in a State that has the greatest number of professors. The university Don stressed that ABUAD has the best brains in Nigeria; that it is a university set up to revolutionize the state of education in Nigeria.
Successively, the facility tour started on campus after the courtesy call on the Ewi of Ado Ekiti. On campus, Prof. I.O. Orubuloye who served as the facility Tour Guard conducted the Participants and Officials from ASCON in all directions of ABUAD facilities. With the wealth of ABUAD well traversed, the Team Leader, Major General Umo rated ABUAD high. According to him in an interview, “the development is quite unprecedented with the general infrastructure. I rate the University very high. Any student that has been able to go through this University should be self reliant”.
On Friday, June 17, 2011, the second face of the study tour, that is, briefing on Afe Babalola University, came up. Present at the event were the Founder and President Emeritus, Aare Afe Babalola; the Vice Chancellor, ABUAD, Prof. Sidi Osho; Deputy Vice Chancellor, ABUAD, Prof. M.O. Ajisafe; Registrar, Lady Christie Oluborode; Prof. I.O. Orubuloye; Dean, Students’ Affairs, Prof. A.A. Alalade; Provost, College of Law, Prof. A.O. Muzan and Provost, College of Engineering, Prof. I.E. Owolabi. Others present were the Generals and the officials from ASCON.
At the briefing, highlights covered: Historical Background, Vision and Mission, solely handled by the Founder, Aare Afe Babalola; Ownership and Management Structure, taken by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Sidi Osho; Project Conception and Implementation, anchored by Prof. I.O. Orubuloye; Academic Programmes and Sports Activities, delivered by the Deputy Vice Chancellor and Sports Director, Prof. M.O. Ajisafe; Food Security was justified by the Vice Chancellor; Relationship with Stakeholders was presented by Dean, Students’ Affairs, Prof. A.A. Alalade; Cost and Funding of the University Activities was taken by Aare himself; Problems Encountered was made a general discussion among the Principal Officers and lastly, the Lessons Gained to guide future Proprietors and Conclusion was also done by the Founder, Aare Afe Babalola.
While reacting, the Team Leader, Major General George Umo thanked the Management on the briefing on Afe Babalola University. He commended the Founder, Aare Afe Babalola for the giant stride in the history of Nigeria. In his words, “I see Afe Babalola University as a form of integrating education in Nigeria. The pattern you have set for yourself must be emulated by other organizations”