Winner of 2025 Rahamon Bello Best Thesis gets $1000 award
Dr Oluseyi Rotimi Obateru, from the Federal University of Technology Minna, in Niger, was on Thursday, presented with a 1000 dollars prize money, for winning the 2025 Rahamon Bello best Ph.D thesis in African Studies.
The ceremony was put together by the Institute of African and Diaspora Studies (IADS) University of Lagos.
Obateru, a lecturer, Department of Geography, University of Ibadan in Oyo, has his thesis title: “Dynamics of Urban Landscape Structure and its Impact on Ecosystem Services in the Rainforest and Guinea Savanna Ecoregions of Nigeria”.
PhD (2025) Climate Change and Human Habitat, Federal University of Technology Minna in Niger.
Dr Obateru was supervised by Profs. Apollonia Okhimamhe, Olutoyin Fashae and Dr Christopher Conrad.
The Director of the institute, Prof. Ayo Yusuf said Obateru’s thesis was an important contribution to the growing sub-field of urban environmental studies, with a focus on Guinea Savanna ecoregions of Nigeria.
Speaking further, he stated that the literature was well tackled, with the review exploring various relevant dimensions of the topic.
Tholithemba Nombulelo Shange, from South Africa, was declared the first runner-up for the award.
Shange’s thesis is titled: “Identity and Environmental Harmony as Practiced by Table Mountain Doctors; A Struggle Over Land and African Healing Systems”.
PhD (2024) Anthropology, University of the Free State, South Africa.
Abdullahi Babagana was the second runner-up for the award.
Babagana, a lecturer at the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria in Kaduna, has his thesis entitled: “Analysis of Terrorist Attack Places in Maiduguri, Nigeria”.
PhD (2025) Urban and Regional Planning, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Kaduna State.
On her part, Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola, commended the IADS on the level of impact it had made, in the pursuit of knowledge and quality of research taking place in the institute.
Ogunsola who was represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Development Services (DS) Prof. Afolabi Lesi, noted that the diversity of winners since the award was instituted in 2020, underscored its afrocentric nature.
While commending Prof Rahamon Bello, the 11th vice chancellor and initiator of the award for his vision and commitment, Ogunsola expressed satisfaction with the rigorous process for the selection of winners, adding that this lent credence to the integrity of the award itself.
Also speaking, Prof. Bello, announced that the institute would hence be known as of the Professor Rahamon Bello Endowment Trust Fund, University of Lagos (PRABETFUL).
He explained that the step was part of strategies to ensure the expansion and perpetuity of the Rahamon Bello Best PhD Thesis Award.
According to him, going forward from 2026, the 7th edition would be reviewed upward.
“Starting from 2026, the awards for this competition will be reviewed upward.
“Every year, we have academics, both from Nigeria and in the diaspora that make a thorough assessment of winners.
“The 2025 award is coming at a point where we have come to assess the need to stabilising the award beyond Prof. Bello.
“What we have done is to put a trust fund in place that will be taking over the award fully. The award will be fully funded and prizes upped as much as we could, as we grow the trust fund.
“The star prize will be doubled next year. That means 2026 award for the first prize will now move from 1,000 dollars to 2,000 dollars.My wish is that one day, it will grow up to 10,000 dollars. The main purpose is to encourage research.
“I am also looking forward to a day when an Engineer will win the award, as this award cuts across disciplines,” he stated.
In his brief remark, winner of the award, Obateru, expressed gratitude to the organisers for their painstaking efforts in ensuring a seamless and transparent process.
According to him, the award is a big opportunity for scholars to pursue diligent research across the continent.
“Seeing this award inspires scholars to want to do more. I want to specially commend the institute for this platform and several others.
“For me, coming to UNILAG today, is historic. About 30 years ago, I came with my parents, to attend a convocation and coming here today, to collect an award, is historic “ he said
Chairman of the PRABETFUL, Mr Afolabi Oladele, in his remarks, said the fund underscored the nexus between the academia and the business world.
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