Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, on Saturday paid glowing tribute to the late founder of Crescent University, Bola Ajibola, describing him as a visionary who devoted his life and resources to building a lasting educational legacy.
Obasanjo spoke in Abeokuta, Ogun State, during the institution’s 20th Founder’s Day celebration, where 94 staff members, including the Vice-Chancellor, Ibraheem Gbajabiamila, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Prof. R.O. Kareem, and Registrar, Zakariyya Ajibola, were honoured with long service awards for their contributions to the university’s growth.
The former President, who is also the Balogun of Owu Kingdom, said Ajibola remained a committed nation-builder from childhood until his death, noting that his investment in education through Crescent University had continued to impact lives.
He also commended the Chairman of the institution’s Board of Trustees, Mohammed Maruf Adesegun Ajibola, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, for sustaining the vision and legacy of his late father.
The anniversary event also featured the presentation of the 2026 Bola Ajibola Community Service Awards to three distinguished Nigerians, including the Secretary-General of the Ogun State Muslim Council, Kamal’deen Akintunde; retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Adeleye Oyebade; and Aare Kazeem Bakinson.
Speaking after the public presentation of a book titled Trends in Constitutionalism and Constitutional Adjudication in Nigeria, published in his honour, the proprietor of the university, Mohammed Ajibola, expressed appreciation to staff members for their loyalty and commitment to the institution’s founding ideals.
He noted that the university had recorded steady growth in infrastructure and student population, while calling on well-meaning individuals to support its continued development.
In his remarks, the Vice-Chancellor, Gbajabiamila, said the university currently has over 3,500 students drawn from across the country, adding that efforts were underway to establish a College of Medicine.
He disclosed that construction had commenced on a multi-million naira Medical Science Laboratory Complex, donated by the Abdul Samad Rabiu Foundation of BUA Group, as part of the institution’s expansion drive.
Gbajabiamila also commended members of staff for their dedication, noting that many had remained with the university despite opportunities elsewhere.
Earlier, a former Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Fola Lasisi, recounted the challenges encountered during the establishment of the institution, praising the late Ajibola’s determination and the commitment of his successors.
Delivering the Founder’s Day Lecture titled Collapse of the Rule-Based World Order: Whither International Law and Institutions, the Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, Prof. Abdul-Qadir Abikan, warned that developing nations, particularly in Africa, remained disadvantaged by global financial systems.
Abikan criticised institutions such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund for imposing conditions that prioritise fiscal discipline over state-building, thereby deepening dependency among developing countries.
He urged African nations to build local capacity in critical sectors, including food security, energy and industrialisation, to reduce reliance on advanced economies.
“A more industrialised, coordinated and self-reliant Africa would be better positioned to shape global rules rather than be subjected to them,” he said.
The event also attracted prominent dignitaries, including the Ogun State Chief Judge, Justice Mosunmola Dipeolu; the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo; and the Olota of Ota, Oba Abdul-Kabir Obalanlege, among others.
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