The Vice-Chancellor of Lead City University, Ibadan, Professor Kabiru Adeyemo, has been honoured with the Thabo Mbeki Award for Excellence in Leadership by The University of Texas at Austin, United States.
The Thabo Mbeki Award for Excellence in Leadership is conferred on Africans who have distinguished themselves through visionary, people-centred, and institution-building leadership in the public or private sector. Recipients are individuals of high calibre with unblemished records of service, who are committed to the ideals of the African Renaissance and African unity, and who have made significant contributions to scholarship and leadership development. Past recipients include Professor Tunji Olaopa (2018) for his work in the civil service and Professor Adamu Abubakar (2025) for his contributions to African education.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Toyin Falola @73 Conference, Professor Adeyemo described the event as a celebration of scholarship, ideas, and intellectual courage, while formally declaring the conference open.
The international conference, themed “Religion, Culture and Politics in Nigeria,” brought together scholars, intellectuals, and professionals from across Nigeria and beyond. Professor Adeyemo expressed profound honour in welcoming participants and commended the significance of the gathering.
According to the Vice-Chancellor, the conference was convened to celebrate the remarkable achievements of Distinguished Professor Toyin Falola, an incredibly prolific scholar of African and African Diaspora History; the first Emeritus Professor of Humanities of Lead City University; the Jacob and Sanger Mossiker Chair in the Humanities at the University of Texas at Austin; and the most cited African historian of our time.
He noted that at seventy-three, Professor Falola stands not merely as a historian, but as an institution whose intellectual productivity, generosity of spirit, and global influence continue to shape scholarly conversations on Africa’s past, present, and future.
Professor Adeyemo observed that the conference theme could not be more timely, given Nigeria’s evolving socio-political realities.
“The intersections of religion, culture, and politics remain central to our national experience—shaping governance, citizenship, identity, conflict, cooperation, and development. These forces intersect in complex ways that demand rigorous scholarly interrogation and honest dialogue,” he said.
He added that Lead City University was particularly proud to host the conference, not only because it aligns with the University’s vision of academic excellence and socially responsive scholarship, but also because Professor Falola is both an Emeritus Professor and an active member of the Governing Council of the institution.
Highlighting Professor Falola’s contributions to Lead City University, the Vice-Chancellor noted that the renowned scholar has consistently projected the image and prestige of the University through his writings, commentaries, and intellectual guidance, thereby enhancing its academic visibility locally and internationally.
Professor Adeyemo recalled that Professor Falola had organised and supported several high-profile academic engagements for the University, including the Professor Ayo Olukotun Lecture Series, which has enriched the institution’s intellectual culture.
He also acknowledged Professor Falola’s generous endowment of academic prizes, notably the Professor Ayo Olukotun Memorial Prize for the Best MSc Student in International Relations / Political Communication, as well as his most recent endowment of ten million naira in honour of Cherno Njie, a freedom fighter, for the best student in Political Science.
Speaking further, the Vice-Chancellor recalled Professor Falola’s invaluable role during the 18th Convocation Ceremony of Lead City University, where he recommended the Convocation Lecturer and proposed notable personalities for honorary awards—recommendations that were subsequently approved and ratified by the University’s Management and Governing Council.
Professor Adeyemo described Professor Falola’s presence at meetings of the Board of Trustees and Governing Council as one that consistently added depth, intellectual vibrancy, and foresight to deliberations. Beyond formal engagements, he noted, the scholar has continued to offer personal mentorship and strategic advice towards the growth and sustainability of the University.
The Vice-Chancellor commended the Conference Chairman, Dr. Samson O. Ijaola, the Conference Organising Committee, and all sub-committees for putting together a programme of remarkable depth and diversity, reflecting Nigeria and Africa’s rich scholarly traditions. He expressed hope that the conference deliberations would yield ideas capable of transcending academic boundaries and contributing meaningfully to national development.
In concluding his address, Professor Adeyemo formally declared the conference open and paid glowing tribute to the honouree.
“I wish us all a successful conference, and seventy-three hearty cheers to our Òjògbọ́n Àgbà, Professor Toyin Falola—as fondly called by his good friend of over forty years, Professor Jide Owoeye,” he said.
Reacting to his own recognition, Professor Adeyemo expressed deep gratitude to Emeritus Professor Toyin Falola, The University of Texas at Austin for the honour, as well as to the Chancellor, Professor G. B. Ogunmola, the chairman board of trustees, Emeritus professor Aladekomo, and the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council Professor Jide Owoeye, whose support has shaped his leadership journey. He noted that the award reflects the collective efforts of the Governing Council, Management, staff, and students of Lead City University, Ibadan, in advancing academic excellence and institutional growth, and dedicated the award to the entire Lead City University community.
