Legal luminary and founder of the Afe Babalola University, Ado–Ekiti, Chief Afe Babalola, will later in the year be decorated with the distinguished personality

award of the Brands Journalists’ Association of Nigeria (BJAN),  in Ado Ekiti, the capital city of  Ektit State.

According to the President of the association, Mrs Neta Nwosu, the legal luminary is being recognised by the association for disting-uishing himself as an individual brand, that has succeeded against all odds.

‘The association as an umbrella body of brand writers, saddled with the responsibility of analy-sing  and celebrating brands that  bring values to the consumers, has after a painstaking research, discovered such values in the awardee, Chief Afe Babalola, whose achievements  can be seen in every sector of the nation’s economy,’ she stated.

Through dint of hardwork and perseverance, the legal luminary, she added, had become a role model both in the law profession and the education sector.

In his acceptance speech, Chief Babalola commended the association for deeming it fit to accord him  such  honour.

He stated that his life had always revolved around the three principles of teaching, reforming and achieving., adding that his decision to found a private university was informed by the need  to reform education in the country and realise those realise those three principles.

‘For example, I had to turn down a ministerial appointment  four times in the past because it’s difficult for me to work in a place where people believe you don’t sweat before you make your money.

‘’Let me commend you for taking the pains to search for and celebrate those who have, through hard labour, achieved success and contributed to the development of the country,’ he stated.

While appealing to other groups to emulate this, Chief Babalola noted that by celebrating those who had contributed their own quota to the development of the country, the society would be the better for it, since more Nigerians would want to emulate this..