I’ll Make ABUAD First Class University, Says Afe Babalola

Gbenga Sodeinde in Ado Ekiti

The founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Aare Afe Babalola has restated his determination and commitment to making the institution a first class university in Nigeria and globally.

Babalola stated this at the opening ceremony of a two-day Faculty Advancement and Success Training Series on ‘Modern Teaching Methods and Pedagogy’, organised by the office of the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Professor Smaranda Olarinde.

Addressing journalists, the legal icon expressed confidence in the university lecturers, describing them as intellectual teachers whose ways of impacting knowledge into students are extraordinary and second to none.

“My duty is to make ABUAD a first class university but this cannot be achieved without having first class teachers that we have in this institution,” he said.

Speaking on how to be a good teacher, the legal luminary said, “Don’t teach in verbatim as it is in the lesson note, make it an interactive teaching which is the modern way.

“A teacher must be mastery of subject, he must take teaching as vocation. A good teacher must be computer literate by using modern teaching method to impact knowledge into the students. He must engage in research and must be a master of the subject matter.”

In her lecture, ‘Education for National Development: Promoting Creativity, Innovation, and Entrepreneurial Teaching and Learning’, the Secretary to the Government of Oyo State, Prof Olanike Adeyemo, advocated for the availability of business and technological incubator hubs.

According to her, this will pave the way for collaborative and entrepreneurial facilities that support the development of ideas from basic concepts into viable business ventures.

The SSG, the pioneer deputy vice-chancellor (Research, Innovation and Strategic Partnerships, 2017-2021) at the University of Ibadan, harped on innovative teaching and learning techniques to enhance lecturers’ creativity.

She also urged Nigerian teachers to familiarise themselves with technological tools, brainstorming sessions, and teamwork, where constant creativity, innovation cum novel ideas can be launched and tested.