Politics Have Ruin Many Graduates In Nigeria- Afe Babalola Shares Life Experience

Afe Babalola, the founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), expressed his concern during the 11th convocation event of the university, stating that politics has become the most lucrative industry in Nigeria, overshadowing education.

He shared an example of a first-class graduate who chose to pursue a political career rather than furthering his studies after observing the material success achieved by a secondary school friend who did not attend a higher institution.

Afe Babalola emphasized that politics in Nigeria has shifted from being a service to a money-making venture, highlighting the need for strong leadership and high-quality education in the country.

“I was the Pro-Chancellor of the University of Lagos and a young man came out with first class in Chemistry and had the highest score that year. I called him and said, ‘I am going to give you a scholarship to do your master’s.

“He was very happy and he agreed; he passed his masters. I had forgotten all about him, then he came in and said, ‘Sir, thank you for the scholarship given to me’ and I said ‘Yes, proceed to your Ph.D.’ and he said ‘No’ and I said ‘Why?’

“He said, ‘My colleague who was in class with me in secondary school did not go to university; he is the chairman of the local government of my place. He is riding a car; he has a house.’ I was depressed.

“I said, ‘What do you want to do now?’ He said, ‘I want to go into politics.’ I wept inside me. That is what your country has made of Nigeria. The only business in this country today which is lucrative is politics,” Babalola narrated.

He said that while he does not disapprove of any political ambitions, he believes that politics has become less ethical and more of personal gain than about serving the public good.

“I do not say you cannot be a politician but to be a politician is different from what we have now. Who thinks that politics is for making money? Politics is for service,” the legal icon added.

“I was a Chancellor and Pro-Chancellor before and I never had a kobo because I saw it as service. People go now to make money from public money given to them.”

He called for a reevaluation of the priorities to restore the importance of education in Nigeria.