Lead City University (LCU), Ibadan, Oyo State, marked another major milestone as its Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Kabiru Adeyemo, received the prestigious Thabo Mbeki Award for Excellence in Leadership from the University of Texas, Austin, United States.
The award recognises outstanding African leaders who have made lasting contributions to scholarship, ethical leadership, and institutional development.
Named after former South African President, Thabo Mbeki, the award is conferred on individuals whose leadership influence has extended beyond their immediate institutions to impact society at large.
Reacting to his recognition, Adeyemo, while speaking at the opening ceremony of the Toyin Falola @73 Conference, expressed deep gratitude to Falola, University of Texas, Lead City University Chancellor, Prof. Gabriel Ogunmola; Chairman of the institution’s Board of Trustees, Emeritus Professor Johnson Aladekomo, and the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Prof. Jide Owoeye, whose support has shaped his leadership journey.
Adeyemo 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.
The Toyin Falola @73 conference, themed: ‘Religion, culture and politics in Nigeria,’ brought together scholars, intellectuals, and professionals from across Nigeria and beyond.
Declaring the conference opened, Adeyemo described the event as a celebration of scholarship, ideas, and intellectual courage.
He noted that the conference was convened to “celebrate the remarkable achievements of Falola, the first Emeritus Professor of Humanities of LCU; 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 has consistently projected the image and prestige of LCU through his writings, commentaries, and intellectual guidance, thereby enhancing its academic visibility locally and internationally.
Adeyemo said: “At 73, Prof. 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.”
The VC acknowledged the timeliness of the conference theme, 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.
With the institution hosting the Falola @73 Conference, Adeyemo expressed how proud he was, noting that the event aligns with the university’s vision of academic excellence and socially responsive scholarship.
The VC expressed hope that the conference deliberations would yield ideas capable of transcending academic boundaries and contributing meaningfully to national development.
