PRESENTATION OF 2025 RAHAMON BELLO AWARDS
On Thursday, December 4, 2025, the Institute of African and Diaspora Studies, University of Lagos hosted its annual award ceremony to honor outstanding scholarship in African Studies. The highlight of the event was the presentation of the prestigious Rahamon Bello Best PhD Thesis Award for 2025 to Dr. Rotimi Oluseyi Obateru, whose Ph.D.Thesis “Dynamics of urban landscape structure and its impact on ecosystem services in the rainforest and Guinea Savanna ecoregions of Nigeria” exemplifies intellectual rigor and originality in advancing African knowledge systems. He was joined by the first and second runner-ups, their theses “Identity and environmental harmony as practiced by Table Mountain Doctors: A struggle over land and African healing systems” and “Analysis of terrorist attack places in Maiduguri, Nigeria” respectively, reflecting the depth of scholarly contributions emerging from the field.
The award plaque was formally presented by Professor Rahamon Bello, former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos and the distinguished academic after whom the prize is named. In his remarks, Professor Bello emphasized the transformative role of research in shaping Africa’s future, stating: “This award is not merely a recognition of individual achievement; it is a call to all scholars to engage critically with Africa’s realities and contribute solutions that resonate globally.” His words underscored the significance of sustained academic inquiry in addressing the continent’s historical and contemporary challenges.
Dr. Obateru expressed gratitude for the recognition, noting: “This honour reaffirms the importance of African-centered scholarship and the need to continually interrogate narratives that define our existence.” His statement reflects the ethos of the award, which seeks to inspire groundbreaking research that deepens understanding of Africa’s past, informs its present, and anticipates its future trajectories.
By celebrating excellence in doctoral research, the Rahamon Bello Award reinforces the University of Lagos’ commitment to fostering intellectual leadership and promoting African scholarship on a global scale. It stands as a testament to the enduring relevance of African Studies and its capacity to generate knowledge that is both locally grounded and globally impactful.
