LAGOS/Nigeria: Dr. Oluseyi Rotimi Obateru of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, has emerged winner of the 2025 Rahamon Bello Best PhD Thesis Award in African Studies, receiving a cash prize of $1,000 at a ceremony organised by the Institute of African and Diaspora Studies (IADS), University of Lagos.
Obateru, a lecturer in the Department of Geography, University of Ibadan, won the prestigious award for his thesis titled “Dynamics of Urban Landscape Structure and Its Impact on Ecosystem Services in the Rainforest and Guinea Savanna Ecoregions of Nigeria.” His research was supervised by Prof. Apollonia Okhimamhe, Prof. Olutoyin Fashae and Dr. Christopher Conrad. He completed his PhD in Climate Change and Human Habitat at FUT Minna in 2025.
Director of IADS, Prof. Ayo Yusuf, described the winning thesis as a significant contribution to the expanding field of urban environmental studies in Africa, noting that Obateru demonstrated depth, rigour and a well-rounded literature review that addressed multiple dimensions of the complex subject.
South African scholar Tholithemba Nombulelo Shange emerged first runner-up with her thesis, “Identity and Environmental Harmony as Practiced by Table Mountain Doctors: A Struggle Over Land and African Healing Systems.” She obtained her PhD in Anthropology from the University of the Free State in 2024.
The second runner-up, Abdullahi Babagana of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, was recognised for his thesis titled “Analysis of Terrorist Attack Places in Maiduguri, Nigeria.” He recently bagged a PhD in Urban and Regional Planning.
Speaking at the ceremony, Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola—represented by Deputy Vice Chancellor (Development Services), Prof. Afolabi Lesi—commended IADS for its profound impact on research advancement. She noted that the diversity of winners since the award’s inception in 2020 underscored its pan-African vision and afrocentric orientation.
Prof. Rahamon Bello, the award’s initiator and former Vice Chancellor of UNILAG, announced that the institute would henceforth operate under the name Professor Rahamon Bello Endowment Trust Fund, University of Lagos (PRABETFUL) as part of efforts to ensure the sustainability and expansion of the award.
He disclosed that from 2026, the star prize would be doubled from $1,000 to $2,000, with the long-term goal of raising it to $10,000. According to him, the upward review reflects the trust fund’s commitment to encouraging high-impact African research.
“The goal is to secure the perpetuity of this award and ensure it remains fully funded, even beyond my lifetime,” Bello said. “We want to continue inspiring scholars across disciplines—including engineering—to pursue groundbreaking research.”
Expressing gratitude, Obateru described the award as a major motivation for scholars committed to advancing knowledge across the continent. He recounted the emotional significance of receiving the award at UNILAG, noting that his last visit to the campus was nearly three decades ago during his parents’ attendance at a convocation ceremony.
Chairman of PRABETFUL, Mr. Afolabi Oladele, emphasised that the trust fund showcases the critical linkage between academia and the business world, adding that such partnerships are key to advancing research excellence in Africa.
