Dr Ibrahim Jawondo
“His exciting political participation was significantly propelled by his conviction to serve as an example of an academic who sincerely believed that involvement in politics by eggheads could make the difference and possibly turn theoretical orientation to practice as regard good and responsible governance rather than being arm-chair critics”
By Abubakar Imam
The Director of the Centre for Ilorin Studies, University of Ilorin, Dr. Ibrahim AbdulGaniyu Jawondo, is a celebrated scholar of History and an astute Administrator. He is the third to head the Centre since its inception 7 years ago.
Dr. Jawondo, a cultural icon, notable political activist and active community developer, is an Associate Professor at the Department of History and International Studies, Faculty of Arts, University of Ilorin.
The choice of Dr. Jawondo as the Head of the Centre whose mandate is targeted at bridging the gap between town and gown is, therefore, that of putting a round peg in a round hole considering his alluring antecedents. He is not just a son of the soil but also an eminent authority on the history and affairs of the University’s host community who also cut his intellectual teeth in Unilorin and has been continuously teaching and researching at the University for almost two decades.
All those qualities, undoubtedly, reflected in the quality of attendance and magnitude of successes recorded in the two public events organized by the Centre since Dr. Jawondo took-over its leadership about two years ago.
The celebrated don, who was born in Ilorin on April 4, 1965, is a trained teacher who has the practical experience of teaching in all the layers of the nation’s educational system. He attended the then Ilorin Teachers College, Ilorin, from where he obtained the Grade II Teacher’s Certificate in 1984.He proceeded to the Kwara State College of Education, Ilorin, for his Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE),which he obtained in 1989.He also received his Bachelor of Arts, Education (B. A. Ed) in History from the University of Ilorin in 1992.For his Master’s and Doctorate degrees, which he received in 1999 and 2005,respectively, Dr. Jawondo attended the Usman Dan Fodiyo University, Sokoto.
Prior to joining his alma mater on August 6, 2001, as an academic staff, Dr. Jawondo was a Classroom teacher at Oko-Erin LGEA Primary School, Ilorin, between 1985 and 1986.He also taught History and served as the Head of the Department of Arts in two different public Secondary Schools in Sokoto State from 1995 to 2001.
This exemplary cultural technocrat has had the privilege of tirelessly teaching, supervising and graduating students of History and International Studies at undergraduate and postgraduate levels at the nation’s most sought-after University since 2001.
Dr. Jawondo taught and he is still teaching courses such as “Capitalism, Communism and Modern Africa”, “The Arab World since 1948″,”Philosophy of History and Sources”, “Islam in West Africa “and “Jihad Movement in West Africa”, among others.
As an experienced academic, Dr. Jawondo has supervised extensively-researched theses on Religions and Society, War and Peace, Political Economy of Nigeria, Market Institutions and others.
The renowned Historian has also served as an Internal Examiner in related disciplines like International Law, Islamic Law, Religious Studies, Gender Studies, Peace Studies and many others.
Apart from impactful teaching, which has popularised him among successive students of the University of Ilorin, Dr. Jawondo is also an accomplished Researcher whose efforts in that realm had led to the publication of so many of his outstanding intellectual outputs in several reputable local, national and international outlets.
He has also attended several scholarly events, conferences, seminars, symposia and workshops across the world where he presented well-reviewed papers to the applause of distinguished scholars from across the world.
Aside being a respected authority on the History of Ilorin, Dr. Jawondo has been a notable contributor to the all-round development of the community from his studentship days.
He served as the President, Ilorin Emirate Students Union, University of Ilorin chapter, from 1991 to 1992.He was also the Youth Leader of the Ilorin Emirate Forum between 1993 and 1995.
He also served as the General Secretary for the Advancement Front of Alanamu Central (ADFAC)in the Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara State from 1992 to 1995.He was also the Secretary-General, Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union (IEDPU), Sokoto, between 1995 and 2001.
Dr. Jawondo was the Secretary of the Organising Committee of the Maiden Ilorin Emirate Durbar held last year, which turned out to be a ground-breaking cultural fiesta.
This versatile chronicler of history is also an active participant in partisan politics. His consistent participation is hinged on his conviction that the society could be better governed.
His exciting political participation was significantly propelled by his conviction to serve as an example of an academic who sincerely believed that involvement in politics by eggheads could make the difference and possibly turn theoretical orientation to practice as regard good and responsible governance rather than being arm-chair critics.
Consequently, he was a Member of the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP) during the aborted Third Republic between 1990 and 1993.He was equally a founding Member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State in 1999.
“His desire also goaded him to contest for the Governorship of Kwara State in 2003 on the platform of the National Democratic Party (NDP) during which he established himself as a promising political technocrat”
He was also a foundation Member of the defunct Congress for Progressive Changes (CPC) in Kwara State in 2011.Dr.Jawondo was also the foundation Secretary of the Elders Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State.
Dr. Jawondo served as the Secretary, Kwara State Chapter of the Society for Peace Studies and Practice (SPSP) from 2006 till date. From March 2010 to June 2011, he was the General Secretary, Society for Peace Studies and Practice (SPSP), National Headquarters, Ibadan, at which he is currently serving as the National Vice-President. He is also a Fellow of the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) since 2010.
Dr. Jawondo has also been a Research Fellow of the Centre for Research and Documentation, Kano and also a functional Member of the Historical Society of Nigeria (HSN) since 2001.
Before his current appointment, Dr. Jawondo has served the University of Ilorin in several administrative capacities.
His relentlessness in the field of scholarship, political activism and community development has won him several recognitions, among which was his conferment with the chieftaincy title of the Fimogboye of Oke-Aba land in the Isin Local Government Area of Kwara State.
Dr. Jawondo, whose research interests cut across peace and conflict studies, political and social developments, is married and blessed with children.
