My poor background and very humble beginning has been the primary motivation to give my life to the total service of humanity. I have seen poverty; lived in it and experienced it but I overcame it. Therefore I cannot turn my back against those who are struggling through what I experienced before becoming what I am today. As a former Pro-Chancellor, University of Lagos, and as the best Pro-Chancellor in Nigeria for two consecutive years, I saw with my own eyes the decay in the nation’s university system, the poor delivery of quality education and the non existence of teaching and learning facilities. Also, I am concerned with the large number of applicants denied admission to universities each year. The need therefore arises not only to widen access to tertiary education but also improve on the quality of university intake. All these put together, I felt the strong need to bring a new thought by a dynamic and practical approach to change the face of university education delivery. With God on my side who has always made the impossibility possible, I launched Afe Babalola University in 2009. The University opened with three pioneering colleges but now has five colleges namely; College of Law, College of Social and Management Sciences, College of Sciences, College of Medical Sciences and College of Engineering with over 6000 students’ population. All the 47 programmes run by the University have full accreditation by the relevant Authorities and Professional Bodies.
In 2009 and 2010, just about the time Afe Babalola University was opened, I observed a failure rate of 74.01% and 76.64% respectively in the West African Examination Council results and wanted to do something most urgently to ameliorate the failure rate and increase access to tertiary education. This led to the establishment of Afe Babalola International Study Centre Ibadan in 2010 as a remedial school that provides for the educational weakness and inadequacies of students who are denied admission to higher institutions. The establishment of a world class Continuing Education Centre designed to give hope to the hopeless and make tertiary education accessible to all. The Centre started with only four students in 2010 but now has enrolled almost 1000 students since inception. I am very proud and satisfied that since the school has been established it has been part of the fulfillment of my vision and dream, the results have been speaking loud and have justified my motivation for the establishment of the school. With the quantum of modern facilities, laboratories and qualified teachers in the Centre, Afe Babalola International Study Centre is a veritable launching pad to many students seeking admission to any university worldwide. I therefore welcome you to Afe Babalola International Study Centre, Ibadan, the city of hope, intellectuality, excellence and quality education.