Founder and Chancellor of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD), Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), has reiterated the need for increased focus on agriculture and sustainable food production as a first step in boosting intercontinental trade in goods and services across Africa.

He also emphasised the importance of entrepreneurial education and urgently need to accelerate Nigeria’s path towards sustainable development.

Babalola stated this after he was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award, by the International Law Association, (ILA), Nigerian Branch.

The award night was organised as part of the 8th Annual International Law Conference of the association held at Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti.

He said that increased investment and education in agriculture will not only boost domestic food security, making Africa the food basket of the world, but will also unlock foreign exchange earnings and foreign direct investments.
The event was moderated by the Chairperson of the Conference Planning Committee, Dr. Adenike Akinsemolu, and had in attendance several dignitaries and leading international law experts, including the President of the Association, Prof. Damilola Olawuyi (SAN).

And also, the Minister of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment of Gambia, who was special guest of honour at the event, Hon. Baboucarr Ousmaila Joof; the Gambia Ambassador to Nigeria, Ambassador Muhamadou Musa Njie; and the Director of Trade, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission, Mr. Kolawole Sofola.

Others in at the event included the President of the Africa Agenda Network, Ambassador Saul Frazer; the Gambia National Chair of the African Union Women Network, Muna Jallow; the Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice of Ogun State, Oluwasina Ogungbade, (SAN); Partner, Aluko & Oyebode, Mark Mordi (SAN); Chief Kayode Aderemi, Head of Chambers, Kayode Aderemi & Co; and the Vice Chancellor of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, Professor Elisabeta Smaranda Olarinde, amongst other dignitaries.

The event reflected on the extraordinary career of Babalola who rose from humble beginnings to become a renowned lawyer, university administrator, farmer, philanthropist, winner of the African Man of the Year in Food Security (2014 and 2024), and the Founder of the prestigious Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD).

Speaking on his foray into law, education and development, Babalola noted that his passion for transforming lives through high quality education spurred in him a desire to contribute his own quota by establishing ABUAD to serve as a benchmark and model for world class education.

Similarly, the ILA Emerging Star Award for an Outstanding Young Professional was presented to Emmanuel Latona Adedeji, an emerging international law scholar and member of the Young Members’ Committee of the ILA, while the ILA Service Award was presented to Ayodeji Asala, the president of the ABUAD chapter of the ILA.

While presenting the awards, the President of ILA Nigeria, Prof. Olawuyi (SAN) noted that the ILA Outstanding Achievement Medal is the highest and most prestigious award of the ILA, which is presented for outstanding lifetime contributions in the field of international law and diplomacy.

Olawuyi, who is also an independent expert of the United Nations Working Group on Business and Human Rights, noted, “Recipients of this prestigious award represent Nigeria’s finest in terms of education, foreign policy and diplomacy.

“Aare Afe Babalola’s remarkable contributions to food security, education, law and nation building is truly remarkable and an inspirational example of everything we strive to do as international lawyers: to educate, to empower and to give back.

“We are greatly inspired by his exemplary dedication to international law and diplomacy as well as his consistent track record of mentoring the next generation.”

Olawuyi, therefore, disclosed that ILA was founded in Brussels in 1873. “The ILA now has some 4,500 members in 45 national and regional branches around the world.

“It is headquartered in London under the leadership of Professor Christine Chinkin. ILA’s objective, under its constitution, is to promote the ‘study, clarification and development of international law.

“ILA has consultative status with a number of the United Nations specialized agencies. Membership of the ILA is open to anyone, including lawyers and non-lawyers, interested in international law,” he said.