University of London honours Afe Babalola with LLD

SOME three months after he was conferred with his 11th honorary doctorate degree by the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), in appreciation of his remarkable works as a legal practitioner of 52 years standing and as an educationist and for his selflessness in seeing to the establishment of the university, the Founder and Chancellor of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Aare Afe Babalola, SAN, will on March 11, 2015 be conferred with honorary LLD of the University of London.

 According to a statement signed by  the Head, Public Relations, Tunde Olofintila, the   news came vide a January 16, 2015 letter by the vice chancellor of the University of London, Prof.  Sir Adrian Smith  who wrote inter alia “Each year, the University of London international academy is eligible to award honorary degrees on persons of eminence and distinction”, adding that the Collegiate Council of the university would very much like Babalola to accept the award of the degree of doctor of law honoris causa at the university of london international academy graduation ceremony on march 11, 2015.

With this award, the frontline legal icon becomes the first African to be so honoured with an LLD in the 179-year history of the University of London bearing in mind that   former South African President Nelson Mandela received the honorary doctorate degree in Economics of the University in 1996 while Archbishop Desmond Tutu was conferred with the Honorary Degree in Divinity at a ceremony held in the Senate House on December 2, 2008 .

According to Smith, the University of London confers its honorary degrees on individuals who have met some identified requirements of being “a person of conspicuous merit”, and/or “who is outstanding in the field”, “commands international recognition”,  “has given exceptional service to the community”, and/or has made an important contribution to the university”.  

Reacting to the award, which is an international icing on his cake of honorary doctorate degrees, an elated Babalola said he is of the firm view that this international honour apart from his successful practice as a legal practitioner, is in large measure due to the unprecedented and monumental educational landmarks achieved by his five-year old university, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti a pace setter in qualitative and functional education which President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, NUC, UNESCO and other stakeholders have publicly acknowledged.