1,662 graduates of Afe Babalola University, located in Ado Ekiti, the capital of Ekiti State, were announced on Monday.

There were 177 winners of postgraduate degrees and 1,485 first-degree graduates among the graduates.

Furthermore, on this occasion, honorary doctorates were also awarded to Mr. Damian Dodo, a lawyer, Tunde Bakare, a serving overseer of Citadel Global Community Church, and Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi.

During the 12th convocation ceremony of the university, Prof. Smaranda Olarinde, the Vice Chancellor, lamented the difficulties that Nigerian tertiary institutions were facing and asked the Federal Government to promptly find answers.

The currency rate has crashed, Olarinde stated, citing the country’s collapsing economy and the depreciation of the naira as major causes impacting higher institutions. The cost of living has increased significantly as a result of the economic slump, making it more difficult for families to pay for education and for institutions to continue operating.

The financial strain this takes on our students and their families is something we at ABUAD are aware of. As we work to uphold our standards and deliver the greatest education possible, we urge the government to enact economic changes that would stable the value of the Naira and lessen the strain on Nigerian families and educational establishments.

The VC also took issue with the exclusion of private universities from government loans and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), arguing that this “creates unequal access to education” and depriving them of funding for initiatives funded by the TETFund.

“I use this opportunity once again to appeal to the Federal Government to address the infrastructural deficit in Ekiti State, particularly the Ado-Ijan Road and other federal roads,” she lamented, adding that the poor condition of the road leading to ABUAD posed a serious challenge to students and staff.

“The whole world looks up to you as graduates of this globally-ranked university to be at the vanguard of providing innovative and entrepreneurial solutions to the complex problems facing our world today,” Olarinde said, congratulating the recent graduates.

Afe Babalola, the founder of ABUAD, congratulated the graduates on their accomplishment and gave them advice on how to be excellent ambassadors who pursue greatness.

The governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, praised ABUAD’s contributions to the nation’s human capital development in his message of goodwill, noting that “this institution has, in its 15 years of existence, changed the face of education in the country.” Being a part of this wonderful institution’s 12th convocation ceremony and 15th Founder’s Day celebration is exhilarating. Allow me to thank God for the founder’s survival and good health in seeing this day, as well as to congratulate the institution on its anniversary.

“I would like to express my gratitude to our very own Aare Afe Babalola for his enormous contribution to the construction of this magnificent bastion of learning. a substantial investment motivated by the goal of providing humankind and the rest of the world with high-quality, transformative education.