Ugandan Scholar Wins 2024 Rahamon Bello Best Ph.D Thesis Award

Prof. Falaiye, Director, IADS, UNILAG

Dr Katumusiime Jacob of Makerere and Institute of Social Research (MISR) Kampala, Uganda, has clinched the first position for the 2024 Rahamon Bello Best Ph.D Thesis Award.

The award, fifth in the series, was organized by the Institute of Africa and Diaspora Studies (IADS) University of Lagos.

Director of the IADS, Prof. Olumuyiwa Falaiye, disclosed this to newsmen on Thursday in Lagos.

He noted that a total of 56 Ph.D thesis from diverse institutions and backgrounds on the continent were submitted to the institute for evaluation, after which it was cut down to 26 and eventually the best three.

According to him, the award winning thesis is entitled: Beyond Religio-Cultural Violence; A Historico-Political Re-contextualisation of the Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God. (Nov. 2023).

He noted that Katumusiime, a post Doctoral Research Fellow of the MISR in Uganda, would be honoured with a total prize money of 1000 dollars in cash, a plaque and other opportunities attached to the feat.

Speaking g further, Falaiye said that the second position, also endowed by Rahamon Bello associates and friends, went to Raheem Oluwafunminiyi Wasiu.

“His Ph.D thesis is entitled: A History of Sacred Water Bodies (Holy Wells) In Yorubaland Up to 2016. (2023)

“It was submitted to the Department of History and International Studies, Faculty of Arts, University of Ilorin in Kwara, Nigeria.

“The study is a clear analytical history of sacred water bodies (holy wells) in Yorubaland with rich and elegant work on an under-appreciated theme,” he said.

The don noted that Raheem who is currently a lecturer at the Department of Tourism Studies, Osun State University in Osogbo, would also be honoured with 300 dollars cash award, a plaque and a certificate.

The director added that the third position for the best Ph.D thesis, went to Oshodi Kafayat Omowonuola.

According to him, the thesis is entitle: Spousal Development and Perceived Perinatal Risks Experience Among Army Personnel Wives in Selected Barracks in the Southwest, Nigeria.

He said that Oshodi would be going home with a cash prize of 200 dollars, a plaque and certificate as well.

Prof Falaiye noted that the independent accessors outside the continent had described the three thesis theses as extremely fascinating and technically sound.

According to him, the assessors said the awards will further serve as a platform to further highlight the long and established tradition of rewarding hardwork and intellectual excellence.

Speaking further, he explained that part of the criteria used in selecting the thesis was methodology.

“Today, is a very important day in the life of this institute. we have just announced announced the winner of our biggest advocacy project, the Rahamon Bello award for the Best Ph.D thesis in African Studies in Africa.

“After sis weeks rigorous assessment by our assessors, they arrived at the winners for this year.It is a yearly event endowed by a one time vice chancellor of this university, Prof Rahamon Bello and his friends.

“The purpose for this event is to honour cutting edge research written by early career scholars, through their Ph.D, across the continent of Africa. Today’s event is for the recognition of the quality of research of not just the winner, but the Ph.D programme on the continent.

“This year, we received 56 applications, the highest we have ever received from around the continent, Uganda, Morocco, Ghana, South Africa and ofcourse Nigeria, among others. The assessors shortlisted 26, which were sent to us. These were then forwarded to external assessors in England, Uganda, etc,” he said.

According to him, the assessors have always hinted the IADS of the high superior quality of the Ph.D and that it has all it takes to compete favourably with its counterparts from other climes.

He described the commendation as encouraging and reassuring, noting that it was heartwarming to know that the continent still produced good Ph.D candidates with good theses that responded to the challenges that confronted them.

“Every good Ph.D thesis must strive to respond to certain challenges that confronts one’s immediate environment.

“It must also have a methodology that is adaptable and could be confirmed by others. That is the essence of Ph.D. One of the key areas of Ph.D is the method used in doing the research.

“If the method used in doing the research is faulty, you cannot get a result that is going to be useful to any body. So, one of the things that marks out a thesis as cutting edge is the methodology of the research and ofcourse the top itself and what it addresses,” he stated.

He however identified lack of proper funding as one of the challenges facing researchers.

The director then called for financial support from both the government and corporate organisations, in a bid to enhance research works, for the purpose of the development of nations and benefit of mankind

Falaiye said the IADS has fixed Dec. 5, for the presentation of the awards to the winners.