Are Afe Babalola, SAN, the founder and chancellor of Afe Babalola University in Ado Ekiti (ABUAD), has stated that Nigeria needs true patriots and not ethnic or religious warriors to realise its glory.
During the open presentation of a book honouring Nigerian columnists and their services to nation-building in Lagos, Babalola made this statement.
Award-winning journalist and author O'Femi Kolawole's book, THE PATRIOTS: Conversations with Nigerian Columnists and Public Intellectuals on Dividends of Democracy, Governance, Leadership, and Nation-Building, is available from POSTERITY MEDIA.
Speaking at the event, Babalola remarked that everyone in Nigeria has a part to play in improving the country. He was represented by Barrister Gboyega Oyewole SAN, a former attorney general and commissioner of justice for the state of Ekiti.
He commended Kolawole for playing his role well by reaching out to the array of veteran and respected columnists featured in THE PATRIOTS like Mr. Ray Ekpu, Dan Agbese, Yakubu Mohammed, Owei Lakemfa, Ikechukwu Amaechi, Eniola Bello, and Ijeoma Nwogwugwu among others, adding that the book contains unique ideas and insights which can help in actualizing Nigeria’s greatness as a true giant of the Black race.
Speaking further, the veteran lawyer and columnist bemoaned the state of education in the country and lambasted the government for perennially failing to prioritize and devote significant resources to education.
He appealed to the federal government to pay all outstanding salaries to university teachers and fund education adequately.
Babalola also urged private businesses in the country to set up more Journalism endowments, fellowships, prizes and awards as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, adding that these must not be one-off initiatives but sustainable ones for the long term towards improving professionalism in Nigeria’s media industry.