Renowned lawyer, Chief Afe Babalola (SAN) has expressed regret that bad leadership has virtually turned most Nigerians into beggarly elements.

He made the disclosure in Ado-Ekiti on Monday when the leadership of the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria (PCN) paid an assessment visit to the Pharmacy Department of the newly-inaugurated 400-bed Afe Babalola University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH).

The founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD) said although begging was alien to the south western part of Nigeria in the 1940s and 1950s, they have come to accept begging as a way of life because of the prevalent poverty in the country caused by bad leadership.

His words: “Today, Nigeria is at a cross road. The Yoruba were not used to begging in the 40’s and 50’s, they used to stone beggars because they viewed it as a shameful act.

“But today, go to occasions and see how well- dressed people beg for money. That was why we want to join the change agents using our university as a model, even ABUAD is synonymous with change.

“In our school here, we don’t concentrate alone on academics, we are into farming. Our Moringa tree is used to produce eight products that are consumed and provide jobs for our people.”

While comparing pharmacists to old time herbalists who administered herbs to the people for healing, Prof. Babalola said the school’s Pharmacy Department would adhere strictly with all regulations outlined by the PCN and promised to heed any advice given to it to enable it achieve and maintain a healthy and strong institution.