•Varsity produces 83 First-Class graduates at fifth convocation
The Afe Babalola University in Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Ekiti State capital, will, on Friday, inaugurate a 400-bed teaching hospital as part of activities marking its fifth convocation.
Vice Chancellor Prof. Michael Ajisafe, who addressed reporters yesterday to herald the Convocation Week, said 869 students will graduate with Bachelor’s degree and 42 with postgraduate degrees.
He said 83 students will graduate with First-Class Honours; 386 with Second-Class Upper; 289, Second-Class Lower and 110, Third-Class.
The ABUAD acting vice chancellor said a former Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Peter Okebukola, will deliver the convocation lecture, titled: The Place and Continued Relevance of Private Universities.
According to him, Okebukola and Dr. Douglas Jackson, president of Project CURE, an American humanitarian organisation, will receive honorary doctorate degrees.
Ajisafe said ABUAD Teaching Hospital is equipped with world-class facilities to stop medical tourism abroad among Nigerians and to give the best training for students.
The vice chancellor said the university, also yesterday, started free health services, including surgery for 2,000 people with various ailments, as part of its corporate social responsibilities (CSR).
He added that the free medical mission, which ends on Friday, will be carried out by health experts from Nigeria, Asia and Europe on the premises of the teaching hospital complex.
Ajisafe said: “The experts will treat any patient free and they will perform surgery, if it is required on any patient. This is on the bill of ABUAD and it is going to be on first-come, first-served basis.”
He justified the high First-Class graduates produced by the university, saying it confirmed the quality education offered by the university, which he said was a function of uninterrupted power supply and full-residential policy for students adopted by the Founder, Chief Afe Babalola.
“Since we began, ABUAD has proved to be a trail-blazer. In order to add international flavour to the nation’s healthcare delivery, the 400-bed hospital built on 60 hectares of land has entered into partnership with some reputable players in the global health industry, such as Abbot Laboratories, Aster Hospital, Dubai, Project CURE, U. S. A.
“Others include Narula foundation, India, JNC international, Trigenesis, India, Protech Gas, Adler of England, College of Pharmacy, Howard University in the U.S. and Bridge of Life, USA as well as Care4you Association in Denmark”, he explained.
Ajisafe noted that the university has received half of the funds promised by the African Development Bank (AfDB) to fast-track development in the institution.
Ajisafe argued that the degrees being awarded by ABUAD can compete with those from Howard and Harvard universities, saying “certificates being offered here are scrutinised by external bodies and institutions within and outside the country…”
The vice chancellor promised that the institution will continue to strive hard until it realises the dream of becoming one of the 100 best universities globally.