ABUAD Founder, Afe Babalola Calls For National Confab, Donates N50m

THE Founder, Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, Aare Afe Babalola, said on Tuesday that he would convene and sponsor a national conference, christened ‘Summit of Hope’ as a way to find solution to the myriads of problems confronting Nigeria.

Babalola, who announced a donation of N50m for the confab, which he said was billed to hold soon at ABUAD hall and ABUAD Inn, said eminent Nigerians, including former Presidents and leading traditional rulers, would be attended to the confab to proffer solutions to the country’s problems.

 The ABUAD founder spoke in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, during the 10th Aare Afe Babalola Annual Public Lecture organised by the Ado Ekiti branch of the Nigerian Bar Association.

He said, “The situation in Nigeria today is gruesome and all hands must be on the deck to save it from total collapse. I am proposing ABUAD as venue of the summit because it is safe, has a Federal Ministry of Aviation-certified helipad, well equipped 400-bed multi-system hospital, among others.

Among personalities that Babalola said would be invited included the Sultan of Sokoto; Alhaji Saad Abubakar; Alaafin of Oyo; Oba Lamidi Adeyemi; Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi; Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adejugbe and Obi Of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe; Bishop David Oyedepo; Bishop Mathew Hassan Kukah; Pastor Enoch Adeboye; Gen. Theophilus Danjuma; Bola Ahmed Tinubu; Prof. Wole Soyinka; and Chief Ayo Adebanjo.

Oba Ogunwusi, who chaired the programme, hailed Babalola’s decision, describing it as a patriotic decision targeted at restoring normalcy to the polity.

The monarch added that he would, in his capacity as Co-Chaiman of National Traditional Council of Nigeria, report the development to fellow rulers to seek support.