“And though your beginning was small, your latter days will be very great’-Job 8:7
Plato, the great philosopher classified men as gold, silver or bronze. How truthful and profound this postulation has turned out to be. I have found a man of gold. This man is golden in accomplishments, and philanthropic activities – donation of his time and resources to meet the needs of mankind. His name is Aare Afe Babalola, accomplished lawyer and educationist par excellence. He continues to spend from his reservoir of goodness for the happiness of people like a religion.
On March 21, 2018, he recorded another feat, in his never tiring efforts at building enduring institutions to carter for humanity. It was a day in which the famous lawyer and educationist commissioned the operation of a 400-bed ABUA Multi-System Hospital in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State. Health care for the citizenry is a core social responsibility which cannot be toyed with. Sound medical professional practice is indispensable as a tool for measuring development index of a country and since Nigeria is lacking behind, any contribution in that direction is a positive development which ought to be applauded.
There is no doubt that medical care service is not in the best shape in Nigeria, whilst we lament this obviously dangerous incidence, Aare has stepped in to mitigate this painful reality by his most recent contribution. What he has done will enhance medical practice and make access to sound medical practice within grasp of peoples of Ekiti and adjourning states easy to come by.
It is the custom of this great humanist and humanitarian to find a need and quickly fill it. In many ways, his remarkable contribution(s) to several spheres of human endeavour is well known but the remarkable difference is that whilst it is expected of him at 86 years of age to begin to slow down, he is yet firing on all cylinders, always at his desk mapping out strategies to help humanity overcome its challenges. Many attests that it is not possible to walk in his presence and remain ordinary. He is extraordinary and wants all to attain that status. That I attest to. His value for scholarship, service, humanism, love for God, frankness, hard work and fellow humans is legendary. His intimate obsession for service in every form, either as a legal titan, educationalist par excellence, community leader or elder statesman is evident to even to the blind.
He doesn’t struggle to make things happen positively for people, he notices it, makes necessary preparations and sets out to ameliorate such negating conditions. Apart from his well-known sterling performance as a brilliant lawyer and founder and chancellor of Afe Babalola University Ado-Ekiti, a school recently rated as Number One Private University in Nigeria by Webometrics, the hospital is primed to provide quality health care service that would end medical tourism which has gulped a lot of foreign exchange which could be used in stimulating the distressed economy.
His foresight, intelligence and especially humane feelings motivate his dealings in life. Aare’s premium is for life more abundant for people. Ever audacious, ever helpful, I have come to reserve nothing but absolute admiration for a man whose sagacity and strength of character cannot be faulted.