The African Academy of Languages(ACALAN) has recorded some laudable achievements since its formation in 2001 and it continues to be a growing force. Following the recent meeting of the Academy in Bamako, Mali, ACALAN is set to establish the Pan - African School of Interpretation and Translation. It doesn't end there, the Academy has successful launched its online TV. The academy's events is now available on www.acalan.tv.

All these are aimed at the fulfilment of its mandate to foster Africa's integration and development through the promotion of the use of African languages. They duly deserve all the credit for how far they have come.

The Senior Program & Project Officer of ACALAN, Dr. Ojo Babajide Johnson has been a big part of that success, he has masterfully provided guidance and maintained frequent communications with program partners, developed best practices to improve overall program performance.

He was instrumental in setting up the current strategic plan in operation in ACALAN since 2014. As Senior Projects and Programs officer of ACALAN, Dr. Babajide has written project proposals for funding from donors and partners, he has also written project concept notes and terms of references for project implementation within the member states of the AU giving priority to ACALAN's workflow and activities.

He has also been a key player in terms of budgeting and planning for projects from conception to implementation stage from 2009 till date. He has helped organize and coordinate various conferences in Africa for the achievement of the aims of the founding fathers of African Union in relation to sustainable development and peace.

On development and use of African languages in Africa, Dr. Babajide has been actively carrying out advocacy campaigns especially at the inter ministerial conference of Ministers of Education of Francophone countries on the use of African languages in education in Africa and also at the conference of ICT experts on the need to make African languages available on the world wide web.

Dr. Babajide has over the years helped in the supervision of various projects for ACALAN/AUC, some of which include: Stories across Africa; The Linguistic Atlas for Africa (ongoing); African languages and the cyberspace; The Terminology and Lexicography project for the development of dictionaries in different African languages and for translation, and many others.

Therefore, to say he has been fundamental to propelling ACALAN to where it is today would not be far from the truth. Dr. Babajide Johnson Ojo has been touching lives through his dedication to see African languages take its rightful place in the committee of nations. And that is not taking anything away from the team of professionals at the Academy, as "a tree does not make a forest" as it is popularly said. But the point here is that, Dr. Babajide has been able to put his resourcefulness and ingenuity to good use in pulling off the various programs that the Academy has set out to accomplish. And for a man like Dr. Babajide, this can only be the beginning.