The Ado Progressive Union, APU , in Ekiti State, Southwest geo-political zone of Nigeria is set to honour one of its illustrious sons, a legal icon and educationist, Chief Afe Babalola.
Unfolding this in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, during a news conference to herald the event, Co-Chairman of the Planning Committee, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, said the ceremony slated for October I8, 2024 is to formally designate the day as Afe Babalola’s Day.
Senator Ojudu explained that up till this time when people are honour is when they are dead. “But Ado-Ekiti has begun to set a standard of honouring its heroes, which he stressed will further encourage those who are living to do good in the community.”. He said the good deeds of the legal luminary to Ado community put him in a justifiable position of being honoured.
The Co-Chairman who remarked that the Ewi Of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adejugbe, who is championing the initiative had already consulted with the indigenes and non-indigenes resident in Ado-Ekiti, including the elites and non-elites, the market women, market men, the young and the old. And that the royal father has pronounced and concluded that every 18th Day of October annually will be observed as Afe Babalola’s Day, commencing from this year.
According to him,” On that day, the Kabiyesi and his chiefs will host the entire Ado-Ekiti people at his palace, while the confirmation is on. Chief Afe Babalola himself will be here, his friends across the country and from abroad will be here, government officials will be here, lawyers, lawmakers, his clients of over sixty years as a practicing lawyer will also be here to celebrate with him”.
The veteran journalist pointed out that nothing of such magnitude has been celebrated in the annals of Ado-Ekiti. “No Ado son or daughter, no Ekiti son or daughter, no Yoruba son or daughter has been this been celebrated before. Hence, this is a man the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti has found qualified to be honoured.
Senator Ojudu added that Afe Babalola deserves the honour bestowed on him considering his humanitarian gesture in diverse areas of human endeavour. He cited era of Chancellorship at the University of Lagos,UNILAG, University College Hospital, Ibadan, University of Ado-Ekiti, Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido-Ekiti, where he put up some magnificent buildings to his credit. And the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, where he equally has left some marks, including other parts of the country where his physical and non-physical contributions have continued to endear him to different segments of the society.
