By: Tunde Olofintila
Afe Babalola University Ado-Ekiti, ABUAD, and the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna, NDA, over the weekend signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to engender mutually beneficial academic and research partnerships between both institutions.
The MoU which was signed at Loyalty Hall, NDA Headquarters in Kaduna is the first of its type between the NDA and a private university in Nigeria.
The collaboration is intended to enhance knowledge exchange between faculties and foster joint academic collaborations geared towards national development.
The consummation of the MoU between the two institutions is a significant milestone in advancing inter-institutional cooperation. The framework of the MoU establishes a comprehensive framework for collaborative research, academic exchanges, joint publications, student exchange programs, and educational tours, among other initiatives.
In her remarks, ABUAD’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Smaranda Olarinde, described the occasion as inspiring and in tandem with ABUAD’s vision of maintaining an excellent track record with the aim of institutionalizing qualitative and functional education and raising a new generation of patriotic and nationalistic leaders in Nigeria.
Represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academic, Prof. Christopher Aina, Olarinde emphasized that since the university came into existence some 15 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 accessors.
For example, the National Universities Commission, NUC, the Regulatory Authority for University Education in Nigeria, has acknowledged our university as “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”.
Only last year (2024), the increasingly famous university was ranked by Times Higher Education Impact Rankings as No. 1 in the World in SDG 7, No. 1 in the World in Outreach with a score of 98%, No. 1 in the World in Stewardship with a score of 98.2%, No. 1 among all the 264 Federal, State, and Private universities in Nigeria for three consecutive years: 2022, 2023 and 2024.
Underscoring the place and import of the newly signed MoU with NDA, Olarinde who is also a Member of the Governing Council, AAU (West Africa) and Vice-President, National Association of AI Practitioners (South-West Nigeria), stated that, “this particular MoU is different from all others because we are committed to ensuring that it flourishes within the shortest possible time”.
She acknowledged the stellar roles played by Prof OBA Oyinloye, the ABUAD UNESCO Co-Chair for ensuring the MoU sees the light of the day.
In his comments, the Commandant of the NDA, Major General AK Ibrahim, described the occasion as pivotal to Nigeria’s development, adding that the MoU aligns with NDA’s core values of innovation, excellence and national service, hence this intended collaboration with ABUAD, a leading university with a reputation for academic excellence and relevance.
In his words: “This MoU not only broadens our academic horizon, but it also embodies our vision of becoming a world-class military university that contributes meaningfully to national development through strategic partnerships”.
Earlier, the ABUAD team comprising of Aina; the Registrar, Lady Christie Oluborode, Oyinloye and Mr. Rotimi OpeyeOluwa, the Executive Assistant to the Founder had visited the Martin Luther Agwai International Leadership and Peacekeeping Centre, Jaji, for talks on strengthening the existing MoU between both institutions.
The Commandant of the Center, Major General Ademola Adedoja, who was exited to receive the ABUAD team in Kaduna despite all odds, promised that the Center was open to expanding the scope of the collaboration between both institutions within the shortest possible time as requested earlier by Oyinloye, the UNESCO Co-Chair.
Olofintila, is ABUAD’s Director, Corporate Affairs