The 1st Vice-President of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Dr Benjamin Olowojebutu, has declared that Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), is on course to rank among the world’s top ten universities within the lifetime of its founder, Aare Afe Babalola.

Dr Olowojebutu asserted during a visit to the university, describing ABUAD not merely as a centre of learning but as a living testament to vision, sacrifice and disciplined execution.

The NMA Vice-President’s visit was not just a tour; it was a reconnection with the proud heritage of Èkìtì State. Stepping onto the soil of a rapidly modernising Ekiti, Dr Olowojebutu felt the deep sense of belonging that only one’s ancestral home can give.

His journey across the University reaffirmed his commitment to educational excellence, innovative healthcare, and the overall development of his home state.

His visit to the Afe Babalola Multi-System Hospital (AMSH) was both inspiring and humbling. He toured facilities equipped with some of the most sophisticated medical technologies available in Nigeria today, including the 64-slice and 128-slice CT Scanners, state-of-the-art MRI machines, and an intelligent pneumatic tube transport system that eases the movement of laboratory samples with astonishing speed and precision.

He saw patients who had travelled from far beyond Ekiti State, a clear testament to the hospital’s national reputation for excellence.

He also witnessed the University’s oxygen production plant, the well-established dialysis centre, and received the impressive record of over 40 successful kidney transplant surgeries, achievements that place AMSH among the best medical hubs in Africa.

For Dr Olowojebutu, this experience underscored ABUAD’s unwavering vision: raising the standard of healthcare delivery in Nigeria.

His tour continued to the ABUAD Industrial Park, where he was amazed by the University’s commitment to agro-processing and industrial innovation.

He saw firsthand how products are produced from start to finish within the facility, which includes odourless fufu, high-quality garri, ogi, locally milled rice, and even carbonated drinks bottled with international-standard precision.

This full-cycle production system, driven by professionals, reflects ABUAD’s mission to equip Nigerians with skills that strengthen food security and industrial self-reliance.

Worthy of note is the Independent Power Plant (IPP) at the University that generates reliable and low-carbon electricity for the institution.

Dr. Olowojebutu was also deeply impressed by the University’s global ranking among the first 100 universities in the world. Standing on Ekiti soil and witnessing a dream that has taken shape through years of vision, sacrifice, and dedication, he offered a heartfelt prayer: _”that in the lifetime of Aare Afe Babalola, ABUAD will rise to be counted among the first ten universities globally.”

The visit was beautifully rounded off with a courtesy call to the Founder and Chancellor, Aare Afe Babalola, CON, OFR, SAN, whom Dr Olowojebutu described as a national treasure and an enduring source of inspiration.

On behalf of all doctors who live and work in Nigeria, he presented Aare with a huge, symbolic painting, a token of honour, gratitude, and admiration for a man whose investments have transformed education, healthcare, agriculture, industry, and the global image of Èkìtì State.

Indeed, the investments and legacy of Aare Afe Babalola remain a monumental blessing, not only to Ekiti State but to Nigeria as a whole.

His life’s work continues to shape generations, uplift communities, and redefine what is possible within our nation.