For their contributions to nation building in various capacities, two eminent Nigerians were recently recognised and honored at the sixth convocation ceremony of the Fountain University, Osogbo, Osun State with the conferment of honorary degrees
While business mogul, Alhaji Sakariyau Babalola bagged Doctor of Science honoris causa award, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Malam Yusuf Olaolu Ali bagged Doctor of Letters honoris causa.
A total of 153 graduates were turned out by the faith-based university with 17 of them making first class; 78 in second class upper division; 84 in second class lower division; and 19 with bagged third class.
Prizes were awarded to the graduands who distinguished themselves in various categories. The most outstanding student of the year award went to Miss Oni Omobukola Azizat, who got six awards including highest Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.83; the most outstanding student of the year in the sciences; most outstanding student in the college of natural sciences.
Others were best graduating student in the Department of Chemical Sciences (Biochemistry and Nutrition), Alumni Prize for overall best graduating student, as well as Prof. Nurudeen Nimbe Adedipe Prize award for the best graduating student.
In his remarks, Governor Rauf Aregbesola argued that a university does not need to have all the disciplines to become great, saying that it could be great even if it has a single faculty with good course content and concerted character moulding of students.
The Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Abubakar Adamu Rasheed, who was the guest lecturer, regretted that many private universities in the country have not been able to meet up the admission quota allotted to them by the commission.
The awardees were also said to have been a pillar of support to the university following the donation of the senate building by Babalola and of a 20 room block of hostel by Ali.
Babalola has distinguished himself significantly in the business spheres. He was honored by the federal government because his company, Tele Mobile Nigeria Limited was the first indigenous telecommunication company to deploy satellite communication in Nigeria.
He has been described as a quintessential father, teacher and guide, philanthropist, a life coach, motivator and a compassionate religious figure whose love for humanity has endeared him to man. He is currently the Deputy President-General, Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs and President, Muslim Ummah of South West Nigeria. He had earlier been awarded D.Sc honoris causa in Telecommunications by the University of Calabar.
In his earlier years, Ali was a federal merit award recipient for undergraduates while at the University of Ife. He graduated in 1978 with a Bachelor of Law in second class upper division and a Masters in Law from the same university. He was appointed by the Chief Justice of Nigeria in 1989 as a notary public.
Ali has been in active legal practice for over three decades. He is the principal partner and founder of Yusuf O. Ali and Co, Ghalib Chambers with headquarters in Ilorin and offices in Lagos and Abuja. He was made a SAN in 1997.
He has held many distinguished positions, including Chairman, Kwara State Law Reform Committee; Chairman, International Bar Association Committee on Damages and Negligence; sole judge of the Kwara State Local Government Election Petition Tribunal in 1996, among others.
