“To be a hero, you must develop a kinship with the people. To lead, you must feel. A hero is not just that, but one who is ready to give his all to society. To do that, you must not regret in advance if you die for them. We must note that a true hero does not seek death. That is suicide”
Afe Babalola wins 21st Century Lifetime Achievement African Gold Merit Award
By Tunde Olofintila
Another feather was added to Aare Afe Babalola’s already well-adorned hat of Awards when the elder statesman and Founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, ABUAD, was decorated with the 21st Century Lifetime Achievement African Gold Medal Award, AGMA over the weekend.
This latest Award was in appreciation of what Afrikanwatch Network Communications, the Organizers of the Award, acknowledged as Babalola’s “enviable and unbeatable records in the legal profession and leadership strides aimed at building productive groups and individuals across the globe”.
Specifically, the AGMA was bestowed on Babalola, a two-term former Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council of the University of Lagos, UNILAG, for “his enviable and unmatched records in the legal profession and leadership strides that have inspired moral growth and development in millions worldwide”.
Receiving the Award on Babalola’s behalf, ABUAD’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Smaranda Olarinde, expressed deep-rooted gratitude to the organizers and reaffirmed ABUAD’s commitment to academic excellence that transcends Nigeria’s borders.
Her words: “For over six decades, Aare Afe Babalola has embodied the highest standards of professional integrity and public service from his call to the English Bar in 1963 through his elevation to the Inner Bar as Senior Advocate of Nigeria in 1987, to his tenure as Pro-Chancellor of the University of Lagos (2001–2008).
“His founding of his own private university, ABUAD, in 2009, further cemented his legacy as an unalloyed Educationist who is ever determined to redefine Nigeria’s education ecosystem with special emphasis on moral character, vocational exploit, and community development”.
Olarinde who affirmed that the Award conferred on Babalola would serve as a beacon of inspiration for future generations of Africans committed to service, scholarship, and leadership, added that the Award would equally inspire Nigerians to redouble their efforts in fostering academic distinction, social responsibility, and innovation.
She commended Afrikanwatch’s unwavering commitment to excellence since it was founded in 2013 to shine a light on African through its Investigative Journalism, Annual Lectures, and Awards, particularly for this year’s lecture, themed “The Nigerian Leadership Structure and Its Unsung National Heroes”.
Delivering the Keynote Lecture earlier, the Chairman of the Editorial Board of The Nation Newspaper, Mr Sam Omatseye, who spoke on the topic titled “Daemon & Demons: Nigeria’s Search for a Genuine Hero”, emphasized the need for collective heroism over reliance on individual feats.
After defining heroes as persons who have exercised great courage in the face of danger, courage and perhaps “recklessness”, went ahead to add that “heroes are not many in an era who perform feats that fit such description. And not all heroes are of the same class or category. When I refer to hero in the Nigerian context, I am walking in the strictly cultural or political domain”.
Going further, The NATION Columnist said: “A hero encases the sensibility of his/her people. He/she feels the same way. He/she thinks the same way. He/she rejoices the same way. The taste buds are the same and they laugh at the same sort of jokes.
“Nigerians have many things that bind us together than separate us. If you walk the street of Europe and see a Nigerian, without hearing them speak or eat, you are likely to identify them. So, to be a hero, you must develop a kinship with the people. To lead, you must feel. A hero is not just that, but one who is ready to give his all to society.
“To do that, you must not regret in advance if you die for them. We must note that a true hero does not seek death. That is suicide. As the Author of The Name of the Rose, Umberto Eco, once wrote, a real hero is always a hero by mistake.
“…I am not sure if we are ready to rise above it and get one who will be above suspicion. That is the word. Suspicion is what stands between us and a hero. But we must get one who must be daring and take risks on our behalf.
“Our hero must be ready not to run away from rising above differences. It is inside the differences that we can become one. That is where we can banish the demons and hear the call of daemon”.
“A society that needs a hero will not make progress if it relies on the exploits of one man…. A hero is a man who is not afraid to run away. Our hero must be ready to help us rise from our differences. This is how we can banish the demon and find the daemon”.
Chairman of the occasion, Prof. Olatunde Babawale, applauded the organizers for highlighting national excellence. He emphasized that leadership is crucial to the success or failure of any society and called for a shift in Nigeria’s national narrative from one of division to one of unity and progress.
Drawing from Omatseye’s Keynote speech, Babawale posited that cultural values and purposeful leadership rooted in integrity are essential for societal advancement.
Fifteen other distinguished personalities, including philanthropists, lawmakers, university administrators, youth advocates and the Minister of National Planning and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Wale Edun, were honoured at the ceremony.
* Olofintila is ABUAD’s Corporate Affairs Director
