2013 International Students’ Day and Triple Honors for ABUAD By Maxwell Adeyemi Adeleye

November 17th of every year is known as the International Students Day of action. It is a day known for observance of students activism across the world. It is the day Students across the world do come together amidst unity and solidarity to commemorates the anniversary of 1939 Nazi’s cruel, satanic, irresponsible and reckless storming of the University of Prague after students demonstrations against the killing of Egalitarian Jan Opletal, and the execution of Nine other Students Leaders, leading to the unfortunate sending of over 1, 000 students to concentration camps and the barbaric closing of all Czech Universities and Colleges. November 17th, 1939 was a day Students can never erase from their memory.

In Nigeria, West Africa, the day was carefully observed by all conscious students.  The National Association of Nigerian Students ( NANS), being the umbrella of all students in Nigeria, organized this year’s edition across the 36 states of the federation, with the grand finale at Sheraton Hotels and Towers, Abuja, the federal capital city of the nation of Nigeria. The event at Sheraton Hotels was full of emotion, suspense, encomiums, revolutionary speeches and a never-seen-before initiative.

Flagging off the web of history at this year edition of international Students day is one of the guest speakers at the event, High Chief Sandra Duru, the Executive Director of Pre-adult affairs organization, Lagos, Nigeria, (PAAO). The 32 years old young woman, out of frustration, lampooned Nigerian leaders for the cruel abandonment of Nigerian Students. Duru, an Owerri born human rights crusader, after her emotion-provoked speech, announced that she will be supporting NANS Support Trust Fund, a Non-governmental organization initiated by the Yinka Gbadebo led National Executive Committee of NANS to ameliorate the suffering of Nigerian students. The serious-minded Duru concluded her emotion-provoked speech by donating a whooping sum of five million Naira (N5million) to the project.

However, this year edition of the international student’s day may have come and gone, but the highlights of the event cannot complete without mentioning the historical honors bestowed on Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD) by the National Leadership of NANS.

ABUAD is owned by a legal luminary and an elder statesman, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN). The varsity was founded in the year 2009. At this year edition of international students day, ABUAD was named the BEST PRIVATE UNIVERSITY in Nigeria, a honour that no one could counter. As if that was not enough, the varsity vice- chancellor, Professor Sidi Osho bagged an award as  the MOST OUTSTANDING VICE-CHANCELLOR in Nigeria. Expectedly, no one could counter the nomination. The mother of all honor was bestowed on the founder of ABUAD, Chief Afe Babalola, the Aare Bamofin of Oyo Kingdom. Babalola was decorated as THE MOST OUTSTANDING PILLAR OF EDUCATION IN NIGERIA. All the three awards were collected by Professor (Mrs) Sidi Osho.

In her acceptance speech, Osho, who was full of happiness as she thanked the leadership of NANS for the unsolicited honours bestowed on her, her institution and her principal. She said the award will make her to continue exhibiting professionalism and decency at her duty post. She also urged NANS to consider honouring excellent students in the next edition of international students’ day.

ABUAD is a citadel of learning known for character and learning across the west Africa sub-region. It has within the four years it was founded, witnessed tremendous and revolutionary breakthrough that an ordinary mouth could not tell. The infrastructures in the varsity are world-class. The management members of the varsity are embodiments of professionalism and most importantly, the students of ABUAD are embedded with learning and character as no one could trace any act of immorality or absurdity to them.

The event at Sheraton Hotel, Abuja, was graced by many movers and shakers of the nation of Nigeria. Amongst them were the Inspector General of Police, MD Abubaka who was represented by an Assistant Inspector General  of Police, Sulaimon Fakkai,  Chief Mrs Ngozi Olejeme, the Director General of the Nigerian Social Insurance Scheme, Otunba Abimbola Davis, Chairman, Capital 3 Limited, Ibadan, Engineer Hemba John, Special Adviser on evaluation and monitoring to the vice president of Nigeria, High chief Sandra Duru, Executive Director, Pre-Adult Affairs Organisation, Lagos, Honourable Salen Hassan, member, federal house of representatives, Abuja, Dr. Ibrahim Bello, Rector,  kaduna Polytechnic, Kaduna, Frank Idoko, Chairman, Sunshine Star Football Club, Akure, the Representative of Etsu Nupe and many others that space will not permit me to mention.

Country men and women, permit me to congratulate the initiator of Afe Babalola University, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), the Vice-chancellor, Professor (Mrs) Sidi Osho and the entirety of the students and management members of the four years old institution for the historical awards bestowed on them. I urge them to build on these legacies as I will be glad seeing them winning more honors in 2014 edition of the international students day. The latest honours should inspire them to put more effort at ensuring that ABUAD emerge as the best varsity in Africa.

As an indigene of Ekiti State, let me assert with a sense of responsibility that I am proud of ABUAD and its initiator,  Aare Afe Babalola.

Maxwell Adeyemi Adeleye, Magodo, Lagos.
Maxwell_adeleye@yahoo.com

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