The founder of Afe Babalola University, Aare Afe Babalola, has promised a car prize for the university’s best researcher, with the goal of encouraging meaningful research efforts among the faculty.
At the 2023/2024 ABUAD Founder’s Research Award Day in Ado Ekiti, Babalola recognized deserving staff members with a total of N12m for their academic works published in Scopus-indexed journals in 2024.
Babalola stressed the significance of turning research results into products that can benefit society, showing his dedication to supporting such projects.
He pointed out the university’s aim is to promote innovation through different projects like the Multi-systems hospital, industrial park, and Agro-tourist farm.
In anticipation of 2024, Babalola had already mentioned that the staff member with the most publications, no fewer than 75, would be awarded a car gift, while those who come in second place would receive cash prizes.
He said in his words that ” Today, we shall be disbursing a total of N12m. This marked increase over the previous years is because over 150 scholarly publications were churned out above that of the year 2022”.
“The first runner-up with a publication of not less than 60 will receive N1m and the second runner-up with a publication of not less than 55 will receive N750,000”.
Babalola highlighted the significance of providing quality education, which includes impactful research, as a foundation for advancement within ABUAD. He also motivated lecturers to publish in the ABUAD/OGEES Journal of Sustainable Development Law and Policy, now acknowledged on par with Scopus.
ABUAD Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Smaranda Olarinde, commended Babalola’s backing of staff excellence and reminded lecturers not to miss out on this opportunity, encouraging them to prepare for future recognition.
