By: Aare Afe Babalola, OFR, CON, SAN
Introduction – Gratitude to Senator Babafemi Ojudu
I would like to express my sincere appreciation and gratitude to Senator Babafemi Ojudu for his consistent voice on the need for the Federal Government of Nigeria to seriously look into the deplorable and impassable roads that have been the lot of the 30-year-old Ekiti State which came into being on October 1, 1996, with the overall aim of re-constructing all the Federal Roads leading to the state.
Despite our collective efforts to see Ekiti state created and nurtured to become the showpiece among the comity of states in Nigeria, regretfully and up till now, Ekiti has not achieved the anticipated patriotic objectives of the Founding Fathers. Thirty years after its creation, Ekiti state remains a land-locked, motorway-locked, rail-way-locked, industry-locked, power-locked, and airport-locked, a development which adversely affects the economic development in the State.
I give glory to God and Kudos to the incumbent Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji, who worked assiduously and deployed his “Omoluabi” ethos to attract goodwill from notable Ekitis to ensure commencement of commercial flights into the Ekiti Agro-Allied International Cargo Airport on December 10, 2025.
At the inaugural commercial flight into the Ekiti Agro-Allied International Cargo Airport on December 10, 2025, Governor Oyebanji publicly acknowledged my altruistic gesture of committing my hard-earned $1.6 million and N356,795,039.18 towards the completion of Ekiti Agro-Allied International Cargo Airport which commenced commercial operations on December 10, 2025.
My intervention is made up of my direct donation of the Navigational Aids (CVOR/DME) and Control Tower equipment worth $1.6 million and my building the 100-car capacity Car Park, directly opposite the Terminal Building, at a cost of N356,795,039.18
Nature of the Road leading to Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti:
I would like to say this for a proper understanding and appreciation of the plight of Ekiti people on the stretch of Ado-Ijan-Ilumoba-Ikole Road. The Road is a Federal Government Road constructed by the Colonial Masters over 100 years ago. At that time, it was the only link between Lagos-Abeokuta-Ibadan-Ilesa-Ado-Ekiti-Ikare and Lokoja as there was no Abuja then. Between Ilesa-Ado-Ekiti-Ikare in particular, the road has remained long and winding because it was constructed with hoes and cutlasses which made it a mere expansion of foot paths. And so, up till now, nobody cares about the road.
Action taken by Afe Babalola University thus far:
This all-important road has been neglected for several years, a development which has rendered it impassable. This compelled me to make several representations to the Federal Government and its Agencies to fix the road. But it would appear that all my were ignored.
However, as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility, our University, Afe Babalola University, spent billions of Naira for the repair and maintenance of the road and the old Ureje Bridge between 2010 and 2019 when the road was awarded to a local Contractor for repairs.
It must be emphasized here that the following institutions are situated on this federal road:
Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, ABUAD, rated by Times Higher Education Sustainability Impact Ratings on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, as No. 1 in Nigeria for five consecutive years (2022-2026), No. 2. in Africa and No. 72 in the world, and the only Nigerian university rated among the Best 100 universities in the world.
The ultra-modern 400-bed ABUAD Multi-system Hospital which has been acknowledged by major healthcare stakeholders as “the most well-equipped Hospital in Sub-Saharan Africa”
The Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti
The Ado-Ekiti Campus of the National Open University of Nigeria,
The Federal Government-owned multi-million Naira Silo, and
Ekiti Agro-Allied International Cargo Airport
Award of repair works on the road to a local Contractor:
When the news of the award of repair works broke out early 2019, it was jubilation galore among millions of people that ply the road daily. But their joy soon became short-lived as the Contractor only ended up compounding matters thereby leaving the road worse than when it was awarded to him. Indeed, he has done more incalculable damage to the road and rendered it grossly impassable. In fact, the Contractor has abandoned the road.
Some two years ago, the stretch of the road was awarded to yet another contractor. It is, however saddening, that rather than improving on the extant condition of the road, the contractor has ended up compounding matters by rendering it impassable.
Today, many of our Lecturers living outside the campus cannot come to the university with their vehicles, a development which makes them report to work late. It is that bad.
Several calls on Federal and successive Ekiti State Governments on the road:
As a firm believer in Ekiti Project and as one of its founding fathers, I have made several attempts to get the Federal Government and successive governments in Ekiti State to appreciate the need to make the state, which is among the least developed and neglected states in the country, more accessible.
Unfortunately, nobody seems to be listening.
It is on record that I have written several letters to many Presidents of the country, different Ministers of Works & Housing, Ministers of Transport, the leadership of FERMA and many Governors of Ekiti State drawing their attention to the unbearable and deplorable nature of the roads in the state.
On January 24, 2022, I wrote another letter to the then Hon. Minister of Works & Housing, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, to authorize our university to use the resources and the highly qualified and competent personnel in our world class College of Engineering to repair the road, construct a new Bridge provided that the Federal Government would pay the cost of repairs.
Most regretfully, there was no acknowledgement or response to that letter/altruistic request.
The Voice of Senator Babafemi Ojudu:
The persistent voice of Senator Ojudu is well appreciated particularly as it concerns ABUAD rated by Times Higher Education Sustainability Impact Ratings on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, as No. 1 in Nigeria for five consecutive years (2022-2026), No. 2. in Africa and No. 72 globally, making it the only Nigerian university rated among the Best 100 universities in the world.
His observations are not only correct, but they are equally apt and timely. At least I now have another voice to join mine over the impassable nature of the road leading to the university despite the honour and dignity it has attracted to the country in the realm of provision of quality, functional and impactful education.
Upcoming Events – the conferment of the Honourary Doctor of Laws on me by an American and a Canadian Universities:
The university has a major event coming up on October 21, 2026, when two foreign universities, Trinity Western University, Canada, and Trinity International University, USA, will be conferring on me their Honoury Doctor of Laws Degrees, the highest distinctions the universities can bestow on anyone.
Rationalizing the conferment of the Doctor of Laws Derees by the two universities, Dr. Philip Laird, the Senior Vice President, Global Engagement & Government Relations, Trinity Western University, Canada, (TWU), said: “They are reserved for individuals whose lives and accomplishments have made exceptional contributions to society and whose influence extends far beyond the boundaries of their profession”.
The question that readily comes to mind now is: Is the deplorable and impassable road what we want to showcase to the international community? Something must be done about this road, and the time is now bearing in mind that ours is a university which has students from all the 36 states of the Federation, including FCT and some foreign countries.
Conclusion:
In a recent newspaper publication, Senator Ojudu pleaded with the Honourable Minister of Works & Housing, Mr. David Umahi, to personally tour the road leading to our university during his inspection of Federal roads in Ekiti. This, in his view, will enable the Minister to “see what students, parents, patients, workers and visitors go through”.
He equally pleaded to the Minister to interact with me and assure me that the Federal Government sees my sacrifice and will not abandon the road to one of Nigeria’s finest centres of learning.
In support of Senator Ojudu’s well-appreciated position, may I humbly appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, to personally visit the road because it would appear that he has not been given the true picture of the deplorable and impassable nature of the road.
I equally call on all the people of Ekiti State, particularly our numerous professors and opinion leaders, to join Senator Ojudu and my humble self in this crusade to make Ekiti roads motorable. It can be done and it should be done.
Signed:
Aare Afe Babalola, OFR, CON, SAN, LL. D (London), LL. D (UNILAG), LL. D (UI) etc, D. Lit (NDA), FNIALS, FNSE, Fellow, King’s College, London, FNAE, is the Founder & Chancellor of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti