Groundbreaking at Ilishan-Remo (September 17, 1959)

At Ilishan-Remo in western Nigeria, believers gathered to set apart land for the Adventist College of West Africa. The town, known for its close-knit communities and farmland, became a meeting place for prayer and practical obedience. With simple tools and willing hands, members cleared ground and marked boundaries, trusting God to multiply what they lacked. Their faith echoed Scripture: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5).

People of Prayer and Sacrifice

The work advanced through the quiet heroism of ordinary Christians—pastors who rallied the churches, local elders who organized labor, mothers and fathers who gave offerings from scarce harvests, and youth who carried water, cut brush, and learned to serve without applause. Community relationships mattered too: neighbors and local leaders who permitted building and welcomed students helped turn a vision into a living campus. Their shared resolve reflected a conviction that education must strengthen the church and bless the wider society.

A Campus for Calling

From the start, the purpose was larger than buildings. The school aimed to form teachers for classrooms, pastors for congregations, and professionals for public life—men and women trained to speak truth, pursue excellence, and show mercy. Study was treated as worship, not vanity: “Whatever you do, work at it with your whole being, for the Lord and not for men” (Colossians 3:23). In lectures, worship services, and fieldwork, students learned that knowledge without character is incomplete.

From ACWA to Babcock University

What began as the Adventist College of West Africa grew over time into Babcock University, named in honor of early missionary pioneer David C. Babcock, whose life modeled perseverance, evangelism, and compassionate service. The institution’s influence spread across Africa as graduates entered schools, churches, hospitals, businesses, and public service. The 1959 groundbreaking stands as a lasting witness that Christ exalts both truth and service, and that faithful beginnings—offered in prayer—can bless generations.