Afe Babalola Links Nigeria’s Rising Criminality to Poor Education

• … VC calls for more female representation in key leadership position

The Founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Aare Afe Emmanuel Babalola, OFR, CON, SAN, has attributed the surge in criminal activities across Nigeria to the nation’s poor standard of education.

Speaking on Wednesday during a courtesy visit by a high-powered delegation from Ekiti State University (EKSU), led by its Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Joseph Babatola Ayodele, the revered legal luminary and education icon declared:

“Half education is more dangerous than no education, and most people who engage in crimes today are products of poor educational backgrounds.”

Aare Babalola urged institutions and stakeholders to be more intentional in rewriting Nigeria’s educational narrative for the benefit of humanity and national development. He also challenged leaders to attract research grants that would foster innovation and drive academic excellence.

In her welcome address, ABUAD’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. E. Smaranda Olarinde, FCArb, FCAI, commended the Founder, Funder, and Chancellor for his visionary leadership, describing him as a legend who has positioned ABUAD as a trailblazer in agriculture, pharmaceuticals, health, and medicine.

She highlighted the world-class facilities at the ABUAD Multi-System Hospital, describing it as one of the best in sub-Saharan Africa.

“The hospital operates a paperless system and, just recently, successfully managed the delivery of a 60-year-old woman who gave birth to twins. I witnessed the hope, joy, and satisfaction on the faces of the couple,” she said.

Prof. Olarinde also made a strong case for greater gender balance in leadership positions, noting that only two women were among the 21 representatives from EKSU.

Responding, EKSU’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Babatola, described Aare Babalola as an “unrepentant philanthropist” and proud EKSU alumnus who “is not just an addition to value but one who constantly adds value.”

He praised the infrastructural strides visible across ABUAD’s campus and called for stronger collaboration between the two institutions through exchange programmes and agricultural initiatives.

“We have so much to learn from you, especially from ABUAD Farm. The Dean of Agriculture and his team will be visiting the farm. In EKSU, we boast of 14 hectares of tomato farm, now due for harvest, but agriculture remains a sector where we must deepen our expertise,” he remarked.

While delivering the vote of thanks, ABUAD’s Registrar, Lady Christie Oluborode, expressed heartfelt gratitude to Prof. Babatola for being the first Vice-Chancellor to lead an EKSU delegation to ABUAD since the university’s establishment 42 years ago.

This landmark visit underscored ABUAD’s role as a model of academic excellence, innovation, and social responsibility, reaffirming Aare Afe Babalola’s relentless commitment to transforming education as the surest path to building a prosperous Nigeria.

As captured by Punch Newspaper:

https://punchng.com/half-education-dangerous-says-afe-babalola