By Bashir Adefaka

Crescent University, Abeokuta, no doubt is a Nigerian university that one can describe in Yoruba as “Akehinde gb’egbon” (the last comer that beats the earlier ones).

Before it came into existence on December 5, 2005, following its accreditation by the National Universities Commission, NUC, Nigeria had got over 40 universities. Crescent University, however, came as the first (Islamic) all faith-based university in Southern Nigeria.

CRESCENT CONVOCATION: Representative of President Muhammadu Buhari’s family, Alhaji Yusuf Buhari (2nd right), flanked on his right by Vice Chancellor, Crescent University, Abeokuta, Professor Ibraheem Gbajabiamila; Proprietor, Prince Bola Ajibola (SAN); representative of Ogun State Governor, Mr. Sobanjo, and on his left by Registrar, Crescent University, Mr. Zakariyau Ajibola, at the institution’s 9th convocation in Abeokuta.

Crescent, the first Islamic university in the South and second in entire country, was founded by an Old Boy of Baptist Boys’ High School, Abeokuta, who was pioneer President of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, (1984-1985), Attorney-General and Minister of Justice (1985-1991), a judge of the International Court of Justice, Hague (1991-1994), one of five commissioners on the Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission, organised through the Permanent Court of Arbitration while in the World Court, and above all, Olori Omo Oba Owu, Owu Kingdom, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Prince Abdul-Jabbar Bolasodun Adesumbo Ajibola.

On Saturday October 14, when his Crescent University, the peak of the educational contribution that its umbrella body of Islamic Mission for Africa, IMA, has made, graduated 467 students, with 16 First Class and 10 Master’s graduads.

A day when the First Family was on ground as Alhaji Yusuf Buhari, son of President Muhammadu Buhari represented his father and the family at Crescent’s most important event, where a brother of the President’s wife, Alhaji Mahmood Ahmed, Chairman, Bedmod Farms Nigeria Limited, was honoured with Doctor of Science (D.Sc) Honouris Causa, along with Chief Executive Office of London, United Kingdom-based Islam Channel, Mr. Muhammed Ali Harrirah, who also bagged the same honour.