By Funmi Falae
Renowned legal luminary and founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Aare Afe Babalola, has expressed profound fulfilment following the conferment of the 2026 Icon Man of the Year Award by a Nigerian-based media platform, Triangle International Magazine, describing the recognition as a moment that makes him feel ‘on top of the world’.
Babalola made the remark in Ado-Ekiti while receiving the award, where he reflected on his journey from a humble background to becoming one of Nigeria’s most respected legal practitioners and educationists.
The elder statesman noted that the honour symbolises the impact of his lifelong commitment to education, particularly through the establishment of ABUAD.
According to him, the motivation to establish the university stemmed from his personal experiences growing up without adequate access to formal education.
Babalola revealed that financial constraints prevented him from receiving classroom education beyond Standard Six, which inspired his resolve to create opportunities for others through quality education.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria explained that while he handled high-profile legal cases during his career without receiving notable awards, the establishment of the university has attracted widespread recognition from different parts of the world.
He attributed the increasing accolades to the dedication and hard work of the institution’s students and staff, whom he praised for contributing to the university’s growing reputation.
Babalola urged students to remain determined and confident in their abilities, stressing that their backgrounds should never limit their aspirations.
His words, “You asked me how do I feel today, I’m on top of the world. This is important but the importance of it lies in what I believe in and why a few years ago I decided to establish a university. It was because I knew where I started.
“In my wishy-washy home where I obtained tuition, there was no money for me to go to an ordinary school. So I wake up every day and ask myself: what can I do to thank God and please God for what I have done in my lifetime?
“Honestly, that is the question I ask myself. I ask God every evening when I want to sleep and every morning when I wake up. If somebody does you a good turn, in return you have to do something. What can I do to thank God and please God for what I have done in my lifetime? What can I do?
“That was why we started this university a few years back. Education was our priority, and yet I never received any classroom education beyond Standard Six.
“Now, we are receiving almost every day awards from all persons in the world. That is because I started a university when I was a lawyer. I was a Senior Advocate; I was a big deal then. But now, because of my students, I am receiving these awards.
“When I won cases worth one million or two million, I didn’t get an award. But now we have a university with credible students and we are getting awards every day.
“Without a doubt, in the last ranking of all universities in the world, our university was number one in Nigeria, and it has been number one in Nigeria for three years consecutively”.
Babalola, in an announcement letter sent to the legal luminary and signed by the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, Olufemi Salako said the magazine’s nomination and selection committees unanimously chose Babalola for the award over his outstanding leadership, visionary impact and enduring contributions to Nigeria and the African continent.
According to him, the award, which is part of the activities commemorating its 10th anniversary of the magazine, is reserved for the legal icon whose lifetime achievements demonstrate exceptional leadership and transformative influence on society.
Salako noted that the committees considered Babalola’s remarkable accomplishments in legal practice, educational innovation, philanthropy and institution building, describing his contributions as a model of transformative leadership.
He highlighted Babalola’s personal investment in the development of Nigeria’s educational sector, which had a lasting impact on the country and inspired generations of scholars, leaders and reformers across Africa.
