Founder of Afe Babalola University Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Aare Afe Babalola has revealed that the students of the university would soon win medals for the country in the next Olympics games.
Babalola who lamented the poor outing of the nation’s contingent during the 2024 Paris Olympics in France, noted that the university is doing everything possible to replicate its achievements of being the best in the academics in sporting activities.
The nonagenarian spoke at the weekend in ABUAD during the 12th Yeye Aare Modupe Babalola Sports Competition for students and inviting universities where cash prizes ranging from N200,000 to 1 million naira were presented to the respective winners in the various categories.
The elder statesman stated that the university in the last fifteen years of its existence has changed the face of education system in the country with its quality education being offered and academic exploits of its students across the world.
According to him, the ongoing construction of the multi-billion Olympics standard swimming pool which he said would be commissioned in the next two months would serve as a platform to train swimmers who would do well for the country in international competitions.
Babalola added that when commissioned expatriates from leading countries would be drafted to the university to train the students on different skills and techniques in swimming for them to be competitive and win laurels for the institution and the country.
He revealed that scholarships would be given to students who are good in sporting activities to study in the university as part of measures to encourage sports and be relevant globally.
The ABUAD founder said, “Let me say that sports is part of life and everybody needs it to keep our body healthy.
“It’s shameful that Nigeria as a country couldn’t win a single medal during the last Paris Olympics in France, but in ABUAD we are ready to change the situation because we are a reformative university.
“By the Grace of God in the next few months, our iconic Olympics standard swimming pool will be ready for use and this will help us to produce swimmers that will win medals for Nigeria in the next Olympics championship.
“It is our commitment to remain a leading university in all areas and sports are part of those areas,hence our decision to invest in this area as you can see with this competition and other incentives.
“In sports, we want ABUAD to be number one like we are in the world in the SDGs 7 . We want our students to take the lead in this aspect and represent Nigeria globally.”
He commended her wife for the interest in sports by sponsoring the competition in the last twelve years, adding that the sporting activities have helped in fostering unity and cohesion among the students in the university.
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