By: Tunde Olofintila
An American-based professor of African Studies, Prof. David Olali, has applauded the Founder & Chancellor of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, ABUAD, Aare Afe Babalola, OFR, CON, SAN, LL. D (London), Fellow, King’s College, London, FNAE, for establishing what he described as a serious university which is perpetually in motion.
Olali’s words of commendation for Babalola and his 16-year-old university came on Monday, May 25, 2026, barely 45 days after Prof. Oyewale Tomori, a seasoned University Administrator and Member, Board of Trustees of Hallmarks of Labour Foundation, HLF, described the 16-year-old ABUAD, as a students’ friendly university.
After touring the expansive university, the renowned Virologist said: “The way the university was constructed is amazing. When I saw the circular roads with the classroom areas, libraries and laboratories located in the inner circle and the facilities such as Hostels and Cafeterias located in the outer circle, I immediately concluded that this is a students’ friendly university where students don’t have to labour unnecessarily unlike what obtains in many of the older universities where students have to walk for several kilometers to access their lectures”,
Olali was in Ado-Ekiti for the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between his university, University of Georgia, USA, and ABUAD, a partnership designed to enhance Academic, Research, Professional and institutional collaborations.
In his remarks after the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) Olali confessed to being excited to be in ABUAD and affirmed that the seriousness he found in the 16-year-old university is second to none.
His words: “We will build on the good works you have already started. As a matter of fact, we met you in motion and so, it will not be difficult for us to join you in the race that you have already started.
“On our part, we are looking forward to an ambitious collaboration. My desire is that very soon, universities in the Western world will begin to emulate ABUAD, the pace setter. This is a serious-minded university.
“This is a very serious university. The things you are doing here are the things that I will always align myself with. Therefore, all the collaborators must roll up their sleeves as we embark on this journey. Everybody that will be on board must appreciate that there is a lot of work to do. What we have before us is achievable if we place emphasis on continuity”
Other carrots embedded in the MoU signed by Olali on behalf of the University of Georgia and ABUAD’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Smaranda Olarinde, include staff mobility, students exchange, Conferences, Seminars as well as joint grant initiatives between the two universities, particularly with ABUAD’s College of Social & Management Sciences and other relevant Faculties, Institutes and Departments within the University of Georgia.
The MoU underscored and acknowledged the mutual benefits derivable to both parties from staff mobility, student exchange, collaborative research, Conferences, Seminars, and joint grant initiatives.
Under the MoU, ABUAD and University of Georgia agreed to work together in the following areas and under the following terms: Staff exchange and Faculty mobility which involves exchange of academic and administrative staff for teaching, research, curriculum development, professional training, short-term visiting professorships, sabbaticals, fellowships, and collaborative mentorship programmes, joint supervision of undergraduate and postgraduate students and capacity-building initiatives for early-career scholars and researchers.
Student exchange and study abroad Programmes which involve undergraduate and postgraduate student exchange programmes, semester-abroad and short-term academic immersion opportunities, internship placements, field schools, and experiential learning engagements and collaborative summer schools & leadership development programmes.
Research Collaboration. This involves joint interdisciplinary and multi-disciplinary research projects, collaborative publications in peer-reviewed journals and edited volumes, development of research clusters focusing on Africa, governance, indigenous knowledge systems, security studies, migration, sustainable development, digital humanities, entrepreneurship, public policy, and social transformation and shared access, where applicable, to research facilities, data resources, and academic materials.
Grant Application and Research Funding Collaboration. Under this, the two universities will explore join application for international research grants, fellowships, endowments, and donor-funded projects, collaboration on proposals to foundations, development agencies, governmental and multilateral organizations, establishment of collaborative research centres, innovation hubs, and policy laboratories and training workshops on grant writing, research management, and academic publishing.
Conferences, Seminars and Academic Events involving participation of faculty members and researchers in conferences, seminars, workshops, colloquia, symposiums, and public lectures organized by either institution, co-hosting of international conferences and policy dialogues, joint organization of annual academic seminars and thematic workshops and facilitation of virtual and hybrid scholarly engagements, and
Community Engagement and Outreach involving collaborative outreach initiatives addressing community development, social inclusion, youth empowerment, and public policy engagement, knowledge exchange programmes involving industry, government agencies, civil society organizations, and local communities and promotion of culturally grounded and socially impactful research and practice.
However, it was emphasized that each activity undertaken pursuant to this Agreement shall be implemented through separate addenda or specific agreements which shall clearly define the scope of activities, duration, financial responsibilities, implementation modalities, intellectual property arrangements and other mutually agreed conditions.
Furthermore, each of the two institutions shall be responsible for funding its participation and involvement in activities developed under this Agreement, subject to the availability of funds and internal budgetary approvals.
Commenting on the consummation of the MoU, ABUAD Vice Chancellor, Prof. Smaranda Olarinde, described the development as inspiring and in tandem with ABUAD’s vision of maintaining an excellent track record with the overall aim of institutionalizing qualitative, functional and impactful education as well as raising a new generation of patriotic and nationalistic leaders that will change society for the better.
Olarinde took cognizance of the fact that research is an expensive venture, hence the need to collaborate with others to ensure adequate funding, adding that universities all over the world stand to gain more through collaborations than going about research all alone.
Her words: “Today has ushered in a new era in research collaboration in our renewed hope to change the world”.
She added: “Since our university came into existence some 16 years ago, it has continued to occupy a pride of place in the comity of universities by ensuring that its impact is felt on all fronts as a result of which it is rightly acknowledged as the best private university in Nigeria by national and international educational stakeholders”.
For example, the National Universities Commission, NUC, the Regulatory Authority for University Education in Nigeria, has acknowledged our university as “magic and miracle”, “a model, benchmark and reference point” as well as “the pride of University system in Nigeria” and endorsed by the Association of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities (AVCNU) as “the most successful private university in Nigeria”. UNESCO also acknowledged it as “a world class institution of Higher Education”.
Rising from its 2025 ranking meeting on June 18, 2025, Times Higher Education Impact Rankings, THEIRS, ranked the then 15-year-old university as No. 1 University in Nigeria for four consecutive years: 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 and among the Best 100 Universities in the world.
Olofintila is ABUAD’s Director, Corporate Affairs.