END OF THE YEAR DINNER TALK

END OF THE YEAR DINNER TALK

BY

AARE AFE BABALOLA,OFR,CON,SAN, FCI.ARB.,FNIALS,LL.D

FOUNDER, AFE BABALOLA UNIVERSITY, ADO-EKITI

AT A JOINT SESSION OF THE STUDENTS, PARENTS AND STAFF OF THE UNIVERSITY ON TUESDAY 14^TH DECEMBER, 2010 AT THE UNIVERSITY’S PERMANENT SITE

ROAD TO SUCCESS – INDUSTRY

I recall my first address to you on the surest and the purest Road to Success. The title was TheUse of Time. On this founder’s end of the year free dinner, I want to address you on Road to Success – Industry. God the creator of all things knows what is good for you. Hence in his bountiful mercy He gave you responsible and loving parents who are in position to send you to a prestigious private School like ABUAD. ABUAD is recognized by the NUC and many other agencies and individuals as the benchmark and reference point for other Universities.

ABUAD is the envy of many Universities, many parents and many students. It was established primarily to bring quality education to the door steps of Nigerians who otherwise would have sent their children to more expensive school overseas where they would pay between seventeen (17) and twenty (20) million naira a year or average Nigerians who cannot afford to send their children to overseas.

For your information, the fees in ABUAD is about N500,000 per session. This is because fees in ABUAD is heavily subsidized by the proprietor to enable the wealthy and average Nigerians to benefit from the quality education in ABUAD. The real cost of maintenance of every child in this University is about N15 million.

In spite of the relatively cheap fees, not too many Nigerians can afford to send their children to this institution. Very many want to, but regrettably they could not.

This is why you must count yourselves very fortunate that your parents are able to do so. But one may ask why your parents are spending so much on you instead of sending you to cheaper state or federal universities. The answer is that they want you to have quality education and respectable degrees that would be acknowledged anywhere in the world and qualify you for employment and make you proud and self-sustaining.

The only thing expected by your parents in return is to work hard and come out of this university with high grade degrees. To make the dream come true, all you have to do is to follow the philosophy of the founder as enshrined in the school anthem.

The school anthem was composed by the founder. It was based on his philosophy of industry, service and integrity. The belief and religious practice of the philosophy of industry, service and integrity has seen him through problems of early life and enabled him to read privately from Standard Six and passed all his examination of Cambridge and London Universities and obtained all his degrees in Economics and Law. Therefore today, I am focusing on industry. Industry is an essential element of success. God has endowed you with energy, good health and the brain to succeed.

Everybody knows what is good. Everybody wants to earn good salary, hold good position in society, live well, have money to do whatever he or she wants to do. But very few appreciate that God does not want one to pray for success alone. He prays most who works hardest. God in the book of Genesis decreed that people should work. In the book of Corinthians, Paul admonished people that prayer alone without work is a sure way to failure. Your parents and older generation appreciate that there is dignity in labour and self pride in what one achieves through his sweat.

In your case, you are fortunate to have parents who are spending a lot of money on you by sending you to a 21^st Century University. Certainly you have no reason not to achieve greater successes than your founder.

It is not an offence under our laws for one to bury his talent through sheer inaction. But it is a sin to bury ones talent through indolence. Our University puts premium on utilization of talents through industry.

We observed that a few students who have crossed to this University from other Universities had tried to import some of the ignoble vices prevailing in such universities. We thank their parents who helped us by frowning at such practices and who gave us authority to discipline them severely. We call on other parents to join hands with us to stamp out any or all vices which could adversely affect the quality of education and character of our students. Once more, our University puts high premium on character, good behavior and quality education and will not tolerate any breach of our rules.

INFORMATION

In the past year, our University has taken unprecedented giant steps which would not only make you proud but which have made us the envy of many other Universities.  In spite of the fact that we are only one year old, the NUC has recognized the impressive structures and facilities on ground and have approved the following additional courses for the University.

ADDITIONAL COURSES 

(1)   COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

        (a)    B.Eng Mechanical Engineering

(b)    B.Eng Mechatronics

(c)    B.Eng Electrical/Electronics

(d)    B.Eng Computer Engineering

(e)    B.Eng Civil Engineering

(f)     B.Eng Petroleum Engineering

(g)    B.Eng Chemical Engineering

(2)    COLLEGE OF SCIENCE

• DEPT OF HEALTH SCIENCES
• Sc Anatomy
• Sc Physiology
• Sc Human Nutrition and Dietetics
• Sc Sports and Health Science
• DEPT OF AGRI BUSINESS AND POST HARVEST TECHNOLOGY
• Agric Agribusiness and Economics
• Agric Agricultural Extension and Rural Sociology
• Agric Food Science & Technology
• Agric Crop Science & Animal Production

[3]   COLLEGE OF SOCIAL AND MANAGEMENT SCIENCES

• DEPT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
• Sc Political Science
• Sc Public Administration
• Sc International Relation and Diplomacy
• Sc Peace and Conflict Studies
• Sc Intelligence and Security Studies
• DEPT OF MEDIA AND SOCIAL STUDIES
• Sc Media and Communication Arts
• Sc Psychology and Guidance & Counseling
• Sc Sociology & Social Work

We have purchased over 1000 hectares of land which is more than 7 times the size of this University for the extension of our commercial agriculture into dairy farming with over 500 cows to produce meat, milk, cheese and butter. We would also extend our fishing, mango, teak and vegetable plantation. This will make us the University with the largest commercial farm in the country.

The Federal Government has appreciated our giant steps in commercial agriculture and have recently given us two tractors and implements worth over N20 million.

The University has recently completed a modern guest house where parents and other guests may use from time to time. The university is happy to inform you that in order to attain high quality education, we have employed over 150 high profile professors and lecturers.

We have a powerful engineering college managed by experienced professors and lecturers. I however believe that we are the only University teaching Mechatronics for which we have employed specialized teacher from Ireland.

Finally, I wish you merry Christmas and happy New Year. Do not forget you are the architect of your own future. Do not bury your talent. He prays most who works hardest.