ABUAD tasks FG on policies to ease hardship

Fagbemi, Dodo, Bakare receive honourary degrees
The management of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), yesterday, urged the Federal Government to implement economic reforms that would stabilise currency and ease pressure on Nigerian households and educational institutions.

Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Smaranda Olarinde, stated this in her address during the 12th convocation ceremony of the institution in Ado-Ekiti.

Olarinde said that the devaluation of the Naira and the resultant economic downturn had caused a sharp rise in the cost of living, making it difficult for families to afford education and for institutions to sustain their operations.

Meanwhile, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), who spoke on behalf of Pastor Tunde Bakare and Damian Dodo (SAN) as doctorate degree honorees, said that within one year in office, he had dived headlong in tackling the myriad of issues affecting the justice system.

“Many of the issues that are of priority to the Federal Ministry of Justice are those that have been subject of write-ups and public statements by the founder and other legal luminaries who have been relentless in their insistence that for Nigeria to attain the dreams of our founding fathers, we need to get our law and justice system right.

“This is the essential reasoning behind some of the issues that have received priority intervention of the ministry under my watch and with the support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”

“The President has also expressed similar concerns with Aare Afe Babalola on the matter of our laws and the need to ensure that the laws of the federation respond to the daily needs of Nigeria and Nigerians. It is for this reason that we are now about to commence the most holistic review of the laws of the federation ever seen in the history of Nigeria.”

Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, who also spoke at the event, lauded the contributions of ABUAD to the human and capital development of the country.

Aiyedatiwa said that the institution in the last 15 years of its existence had changed the face of education in the country with its quality education as evident in the exploits of its graduates across all sectors of the economy.

He said: “It is exciting to be part of the 12th convocation ceremony and 15th Founder’s Day celebration of this great institution. Let me congratulate this institution for this day and also thank God for the founder that he is alive and in good health to witness this day.

“I want to commend our own Aare Afe Babalola for the huge investment he has put into the building of this great citadel of learning. This is a huge investment that is driven by a vision to offer to the world and humanity a world-class and reformative education of great standard.

“No doubt, this institution has contributed in no small measure to the human capital development of this nation by the quality of education that it offers to the people. Let me congratulate the chairman and other members of the Governing Council and other management team for a job well done.”