The Department of Building at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, on Friday, May 23, 2025, held a welcome-back ceremony in hon...
The Department of Building at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, on Friday, May 23, 2025, held a welcome-back ceremony in honour of its staff member and immediate past Vice-Chancellor, Professor Kabiru Bala, following the successful completion of his five-year tenure.
The event, which took place at the Departmental Conference Room, celebrated Prof. Bala’s return to the department after serving as Vice-Chancellor from May 2020 to April 30, 2025.
This was contained in a statement signed and released by the Public Affairs Directorate, Office of the Vice-Chancellor, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, on Saturday, May 24, 2025.
Speaking at the occasion, the Vice-Chancellor of ABU, Professor Adamu Ahmed, who was represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), Professor Ahmed Doko Ibrahim, described Prof. Bala as “a hardworking individual who believes in the benefits one gets from working hard.”
The Vice-Chancellor commended Prof. Bala’s leadership and legacy, stating that he was “one of the most impactful Directors of Academic Planning in ABU’s history” and “among the most privileged individuals in the University.” He added that Prof. Bala's administration reviewed over 20 policy documents—an unprecedented feat in the university’s annals.
“Instilling personal discipline and mentoring many younger academics were among the virtues of Prof. Bala’s tenure,” Prof. Ahmed noted. He urged young academics to align their personal goals with the university’s vision for a better future.
In his welcome address, the Head of the Department of Building, Professor A.D. AbdulAzeez, highlighted Prof. Bala’s long-standing contributions to the department, even while serving in various administrative roles. He noted that the department had not seen much of Prof. Bala in nearly 15 years due to his appointment as Director of Academic Planning.
Prof. AbdulAzeez also credited Prof. Bala’s tenure with enhancing the department’s academic capacity, which has resulted in it having the highest number of professors within the Faculty of Environmental Design. He congratulated him on his successful term and wished him continued success.
In his remarks, Prof. Kabiru Bala expressed his joy at returning to his academic roots, calling the department his “home.”
“Every office I held was a learning process,” Prof. Bala said. “There is no alternative to hard work. Consistently, hard work has continued to beat intelligence.”
He expressed gratitude to ABU alumni for their support during his tenure and encouraged departments across the Faculty of Environmental Design to view their facilities as university property. He also thanked the Department of Building for organising the event in his honour.
The Dean of the Faculty of Environmental Design, Professor Abdullahi Abubakar—represented by Professor Shehu Muhammad—commended Prof. Bala for his contributions to physical development within the faculty. He praised his openness and willingness to support staff across various departments, regardless of affiliation.
In separate goodwill messages, Heads of Departments within the Faculty acknowledged Prof. Bala’s role in securing professional and NUC accreditations and in mentoring junior colleagues. They also noted that he spearheaded the construction of the first dedicated structure for the Department of Geomatics.
The event concluded with the presentation of goodwill messages and a commemorative plaque to Prof. Kabiru Bala in appreciation of his service and leadership.
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