NMA hails Afe Babalola for investments in healthcare, medical education

The Nigerian Medical Association has lauded the Founder and Chancellor of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Aare Afe Babalola, for what it described as his outstanding contributions to healthcare delivery and medical education in the country.

The first NMA Vice President, Dr. Benjamin Olowojebutu, gave the commendation on Monday when he led a high-member delegation to ABUAD on a courtesy visit.

Olowojebutu said he was overwhelmed by the scale of investments in the 400-bed ABUAD Multi-System Hospital, the Industrial Park, the Independent Power Plant, and the ABUAD Enterprise Farms, describing the facilities as uncommon achievements by a private individual.

He noted that the Multi-System Hospital, widely regarded by experts as one of the most well-equipped in Sub-Saharan Africa, had continued to raise the bar in the provision of modern medical services.

According to him, the presence of two functional MRI machines, a dialysis centre with affordable charges, and an in-house oxygen plant demonstrated the university’s commitment to excellence.

The NMA chief said he was particularly moved by the fact that Babalola, who has never held a political office, chose to situate the massive development in Ekiti rather than in bigger cities, stressing that the decision had placed the state prominently on the global map.

“We are proud of what we have seen here today. What Aare Babalola has done is for humanity, and it deserves to be promoted and supported at all levels,” he said.

Responding, Babalola thanked the NMA leadership for the visit and reflected on the decline in national standards compared to the early post-independence era.

He said the success of ABUAD was inspired by his desire to institutionalise quality, functional education despite having stopped formal schooling at Standard VI.

He added that the university’s vision had been validated by its ranking among the world’s top 100 universities in the 2025 Times Higher Education Impact Rankings, where it also maintained its position as Nigeria’s best university for four consecutive years.

The elder statesman urged wealthy Nigerians to invest meaningfully in education and health, saying even small acts of kindness could change lives.