| Communications, Media and Branding Department
Elder George Egwakhe, former Associate Treasurer and Session Manager for the General Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist World Church, made a compelling case for character, courage, and competence for sustainability. The submission came while delivering the Babcock University’s 67th Founders’ Day and 27th anniversary thanksgiving service at the Amphitheatre.
In his message, themed: Founded on Grace, Building for Greatness, he reminded the congregation that the institution’s journey — from its 1959 beginnings with seven ministerial students to its present global relevance — is rooted in God’s grace and sustained by resilience and teamwork.
Referencing Ephesians 2:20–22, he emphasized that as the chief cornerstone of the University, the character of Christ must continue to be reflected in service delivery. He recounted moments of uncertainty in the transformational years, including funding challenges and the struggle to secure approval for the Medical School which he described as a “miracle” noting, “through it all, God showed up for us.”
He expressed deep gratitude to the early missionaries, fellow Nigerians and other Africans in the diaspora who returned to work for the church institution while acknowledging the unwavering support of the host community, Ilishan-Remo in the university’s success story.
“We need to respect and thank them for the support they provided. They stood by us,” he affirmed.
His message resonated with the University’s current Grace Mantra as well as affirmed the courage of past administrations and the institution’s commitment to nurturing leaders who embody competence, service, and values aligned with sustainability and community partnership. According to him, Babcock stands today as “a beacon of excellence attracting families eager to enroll their children in diverse programmes, including Medicine,” because of its global relevance, sacrifice of its founding leaders and core values.
Beyond leadership, he stressed on the importance of integrity and integration of faith and learning while sharing the testimony of an alumna in the US who described her Babcock experience as “discipline and academic rigour second to none.”
“In building for greatness, we must continue to uphold Babcock as a research-focused, Adventist-rooted, competent and entrepreneurial institution. The time has come when we must drop our differences and build for greatness,” he submitted.