By ABDULKABIR MUHAMMED

A global African historian, Professor Hakeem Ibikunle Tijani, has received the "Distinguished Scholar Award" at the recently-concluded Lagos Studies Association (LSA) 2025 conference, held at the University of Lagos. This award was announced on Friday, June 20, 2025, during the Award and Dinner Night, a special event held on the 4th day of the conference at the Tolu Odugbemi Hall.

Following a nomination submitted by Professor Bashir Animashaun of Lagos State University, Professor Hakeem Ibikunle Tijani was nominated for the award due to his decade-long impact in research, mentoring, and leadership.

The nomination reads in part:

"Professor Hakeem Ibikunle Tijani is a distinguished historian whose extensive scholarship and leadership make him an ideal recipient of the Distinguished Scholar Award at the 2025 Lagos Studies Association Awards. A Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, Prof. Tijani has significantly contributed to African and diaspora studies through groundbreaking research, leadership in global partnerships, and securing prestigious grants, including AHRC and Fulbright awards. His pioneering work in migration, peace education, and decolonization scholarship has shaped academic discourse globally. With decades of impactful teaching, research, and institutional leadership, Prof. Tijani’s scholarship and commitment to historical inquiry embody excellence in African studies."

The Morgan State University scholar was also noted to have engaged in "extensive body of work, commitment to academic excellence, mentorship of young scholars, and engagement in public discourse on African and diaspora studies," which "make him a most deserving recipient of this prestigious honour."

Professor Hakeem Ibikunle Tijani emerged as the 8th recipient of the distinguished scholar award, succeeding other academic giants, including Kristin Mann, Ayodeji Olukoju, Jonathan Haynes, Peju Layiwola, Karin Barber, Laurent Fourchard, and Mojubaolu Okome, all of whom have previously won the award.