Former President Olusegun
Obasanjo has charged the citizens not to lose hope in the face of insecurity
and socio-economic crises in the land.
Obasanjo spoke on Monday shortly
after being conferred with the honourary Doctoral Degree of Science during the
maiden convocation of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti.
The private university commenced
operation in January, 2010.
Obasanjo, who said the founder
of the University, Chief Afe Babalola, demonstrated the fact that education was
the most veritable weapon for sustaining good governance and democracy, said
the hope of a better tomorrow was not lost.
He said, “I know that those who
are thinking that Nigeria has no future will today have a change of heart. This
is because one person, Chief Afe Babalola, has been able to make a difference
in the field of education. This is an indication that hope is not lost on
Nigeria.
“The other time, I heard Chief
Afe Babalola saying that education is the best instrument to fight poverty. But
I want to add that it remains the best instrument to sustain good governance
and democracy”.
He charged the graduating
students to be good ambassadors of the university.
“You have had a good beginning,
having graduated from a good university. But this is not enough; you have to
build on it. If you don’t, the good beginning becomes nothing,” he told the
graduands.
Babalola said, “Throughout the
three and half years of the University, there was nothing like public holiday
in this school because Nigerians are used to holiday.
“Students were not allowed to
use telephone because it is a distraction.
“We set a standard and everybody
complies. I marvelled when I heard that some people in the National University
Commission were murmuring”.
Dignitaries at the event
included former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Alfa Belgore; ex-Ekiti State
governors, Segun Oni and Ayo Fayose; the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi;
and deputy governor of Ekiti State, Prof. Modupe Adelabu.(PUNCH)
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