By Elizabeth Osayande

The winner of the fourth Prof. Rahamon Bello Ph.D. thesis, Dr. Muhammad Ribadu Ayuba, is set to receive one thousand US dollars, $1000, a plaque, and a certificate, in an award ceremony slated for Wednesday, Dec. 6, to be held at the Institute Of African And Diaspora Studies, IADS, Gallery, J. P. Clark Building, University Of Lagos, UNILAG.

Dr. Ayuba, a lecturer of Sociology at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, emerged winner with his thesis titled: “The Social Context of Gentrification in Lagos State, Nigeria,” submitted in January 2023, at the Department of Sociology, University of Ibadan.

While Dr. Oluwaseyi Omowunmi Popogbe, with the thesis: “Thesis-Social Exclusion and Poverty in Selected Coastal Slum Areas in Lagos State, Nigeria, submitted in December 2022, at Dept. of Economics, University of Lagos, was the first runner-up, Dr. Charles Terseer Akwen, with the thesis: “Notions of Identity in the Literary Creativity of Odia Ofeimun and Yang Mu,” submitted in Dec. 2022, at the department of English Literature, University of Lago, emerged second the runner-up.

The Director of the Institute, Prof. Olumuyiwa Falaye disclosed this recently at a press briefing, where he stated that this year’s submissions were very competitive, and had applications from Kenya, Nigeria, And South Africa.

He explained that the Rahamon Bello Best Ph.D. Thesis in African and Diaspora Studies Award sought to encourage and appreciate young intellectuals whose theses address African and diaspora issues and the reconfiguration of African studies.

“This award promotes trailblazing intellectual and multidisciplinary research works in African studies. This is the fourth edition of the award, and all the awardees have always emerged from the University of Ibadan.

“The award is a keenly contested exercise, which attracted submissions from three African countries that included Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa. While we commend the quality of entries received and the Assessors, we are in deliberations about widening the arena to accommodate entries from other parts of the world.”