. Just as Prof Adamu Uzairu wins four different awards, Prof Joseph Olusegun Ayo receives three
Last Thursday, precisely May 14, 2026, the Management of Ahmadu Bello University organised the 2025 staff reward and recognition award ceremony, with Prof A F D Kana receiving the ‘Overall Outstanding Performance Achiever Award’.
Prof Kana is presently the Head of Department of Computer Science. The award he won is the highest under the teaching category.
A statement from the public affairs directorate office of the VC said over 140 other individual staff, one university committee, one faculty deanery, one research group, three service delivery units, and eight alumni were also recognised at the well-attended ceremony.
For example, Prof Adamu Uzairu of the Faculty of Physical Sciences received four different awards while his counterpart from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Prof Joseph Olusegun Ayo won three laurels at the occasion.
Prof Uzairu was the winner of the ‘Overall Outstanding Researcher of the Year’ (Individual), ‘Researcher of the Year’ (Faculty of Physical Sciences), and ‘Most Cited Staff of the Year’ (Faculty of Physical Sciences) awards.
Uzairu also received the ‘Most Outstanding Research Group of the Year’ award on behalf of the Physical Chemistry Research Group, a research body, which he is leading.
Prof Ayo won the ‘Outstanding Performance Achiever’ (Academic Staff), ‘Researcher of the Year’ (Faculty of Veterinary Medicine), and ‘Most Cited Staff of the Year’ (Faculty of Veterinary Medicine) awards.
‘Overall Most Cited Staff of the Year’ and ‘Overall Grant Fellow of the Year’ awards were won by Dr Shafiu Mohammed and Dr Gloria Dada Chechet of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Faculty of Life Sciences respectively.
Renowned basketball player Coach Oliver B Johnson received the ‘Sport Legend of the Year’ award while Jummai Juliana Haruna of the Library Complex clinched the ‘Long Service Award’.
The University Task Force on Responsible Energy Use received the ‘Overall Outstanding Performing University Committee’ award.
The ‘Best Faculty Deanery’ award went to the Faculty of Environmental Design. Its Dean, Prof Abdullahi Abubakar, received the award on behalf of the faculty.
Student Affairs Division, University Security Services, and Bulk Meter Unit each received the ‘Outstanding Performing Service Delivery Unit Award’.
The ceremony, which is the third since the university staff reward and recognition system was introduced, was presided over by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Adamu Ahmed.
The Vice-Chancellor was assisted by the President of Ahmadu Bello University Alumni Association Worldwide, Malam Adamu Mamman Kontagora, in presenting the various awards to the deserving recipients.
The Dean of Environmental Design, Prof Abdullahi Abubakar, and Prof Mairo Adamu Bugaje of the Faculty of Clinical Sciences, responded on behalf of all the recipients.
They expressed gratitude to the university management for the initiative to motivate and inspire staff towards higher performance.
The event was attended by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic, Prof Raymond B Bako; and his Advancement, Research, and Innovation counterpart, Prof Sanusi Aliyu Rafindadi.
Others present were the Registrar, Rabiu Samaila; the Bursar, Malam Aminu Mohammed Bello Gurin; and the Ag. University Librarian, Dr Abubakar Mohammed Abdullahi.
The Vice-Chancellor, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai, Prof Mohammed Hadi Suleiman, was also at the ceremony to celebrate with his wife, Hajia Rabi Muhammad, who received the ‘Outstanding Performance Achiever Award’.
