‘I Wept After First-Class Graduate I Sponsored For Masters Chose To Join Politics’ – Afe Babalola

Foremost educationist, Afe Babalola, has recounted an experience with a first-class graduate he sponsored for a Master’s degree, stating that politics has become the only lucrative business in Nigeria.

Naija News reports that the legal icon spoke during the 11th convocation ceremony of Afe Babalola University on Saturday, October 21.

According to Babalola, he had encouraged the young man he sponsored for his Master’s to go for his PhD; instead, he opted to join politics while referencing a former classmate who became a local government chairman without attending the University.

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

He said, “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?’

“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.

“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. 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”