Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), on Saturday conferred honorary doctorate degrees on three eminent Nigerians in recognition of their exceptional contributions to national development and service to humanity.
The honourees were the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, Governing Council, University of Lagos (UNILAG), and former Chairman, Body of Benchers, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), who received the Doctor of Laws (LL.D); the Chairperson, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa; and a business mogul, Mrs Rosemary Mku-Atu, who were both conferred with the Doctor of Letters (D.Litt).
The investiture was one of the highlights of the university’s 13th convocation ceremony, which also marked ABUAD’s 16th Founder’s Day anniversary.
The event drew dignitaries from across the country, including the Minister of State for Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, who described ABUAD as “a beacon of hope and a model for private university education in Nigeria and Africa.”
Represented by the Vice Chancellor, University of Ibadan, Prof. Olukayode Adebowale, the minister commended the founder and chancellor, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), for his visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to educational excellence and nation-building.
Alausa said Babalola’s commitment to building a world-class institution founded on integrity, discipline, innovation and service had continued to stand as a shining example across the African continent.
He noted that ABUAD’s unbroken academic calendar, quality teaching and international partnerships were testaments to the discipline and innovation needed to reposition Nigeria’s education sector.
The minister also applauded the university’s growing global profile, noting its consistent appearance among the top 100 universities worldwide and its ranking as Nigeria’s number one university in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings for four consecutive years.
“These achievements underscore the university’s sustained dedication to academic excellence, impactful research and the advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals,” he said.
In her convocation address, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Smaranda Olarinde, announced that 1,841 students graduated across various disciplines. She said 229 bagged First Class honours, 625 Second Class Upper, 262 Second Class Lower and 33 Third Class degrees.
Olarinde gave a breakdown of the First Class graduates as follows: 52 from Engineering, 58 from Law, 33 from Medical and Health Sciences, 37 from Sciences, 35 from Social and Management Sciences, one from Open and Distance Learning and 13 from Part-Time programmes.
She also announced the graduation of the university’s pioneer set of Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D) students, with 25 earning distinctions.
In his goodwill message, the founder and chancellor, Aare Afe Babalola, urged the graduates to uphold the university’s core values of integrity, discipline and innovation, and to remain worthy ambassadors of ABUAD in their future endeavours.
The ceremony climaxed with the presentation of a N10 million cash award to the overall best graduating student, Iradat Sanya. The prize was donated by Sunbeth Global Concept in recognition of her outstanding academic performance.
