.Says only access to education can guarantee peace in Nigeria

The Founder and Chancellor of the Afe Babalola University (ABUAD), Aare Afe Babalola has said that his personal aspiration and commitment is to continue to do all that is humanly possible to make the Nigerian university system one of the very best in the world.

According to Babalola, education remains the surest passport out of hunger, poverty, and despair, noting that Nigeria, Africa and indeed the world, would become more peaceful, more prosperous, and more progressive when quality and affordable education is made accessible to all.

The legal icon spoke yesterday during the presentation of the award of the Icon Man of the Year 2026, by the Triangle News International Magazine, which was earlier received on his behalf in London by the Vice Chancellor, Prof Smeranda Olarinde.

Babalola said:

“As my personal story clearly shows, education remains the surest passport out of hunger, poverty, and despair. It has therefore been my lifelong desire and commitment to provide the same opportunity for transformative education, which Wolsey Hall gave to me and to millions of underprivileged people in Nigeria and across the globe.

“It was this conviction that inspired the wide-ranging reform programmes I initiated during my two tenures as Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of the University of Lagos.

“Many of the achievements recorded during that period have been celebrated internationally and continue to serve as reference points to this day. The same vision also led to the establishment of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, in 2009.

“As many of you already know, since its establishment in 2009, ABUAD has grown remarkably in reputation and impact. The University has received several national and international recognitions, including being ranked in the 2025 Times Higher Education Impact Rankings as 84th in the world, 3rd in Africa, and 1 in Nigeria for four consecutive years from 2022 to 2025.

“Highly respected organizers, fellow awardees and distinguished guests, I wish to use the occasion of this milestone recognition to assure you that our story of redefining education in Nigeria has only just begun.

“Nigeria, Africa, and indeed the world, will become more peaceful, more prosperous, and more progressive when quality and affordable education is made accessible to all.

“My personal aspiration and commitment, therefore, is to continue to do all that is humanly possible to make the Nigerian university system one of the very best in the world. I am confident that, with determination together with Nigerians in Diaspora and God’s grace, we shall get there.

“Receiving this award today in the historic city of London is, to me, a fitting testimony to the transforming power of quality and impactful education. It is no secret that I share a special bond with London, particularly with the University of London.

“As many of you may already know, my Standard Six certificate from Emmanuel Primary School in my hometown of Ado-Ekiti was the highest level of formal education my parents could afford for me.”

Continuing, the ABUAD Chancellor noted that “but for Wolsey Hall, Oxford, one of the oldest institutions offering correspondence education in over 120 countries, I would never have gone beyond primary education. The opportunity it gave to a farm boy from a remote part of Ado-Ekiti became the turning point in my life.