Professor Kabiru Bala, new ABU VC

Kabiru Bala, a 56 year-old professor of building and construction management has emerged the new Vice-chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

He beat 10 other candidates shortlisted for the job, out of the 17 who initially applied for the position.

ABU’s Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Mallam Adamu Fika, told newsmen at the Arewa House in Kaduna on Wednesday about the selection of Bala.

Fika was accompanied by other members of the governing council at the media briefing.

According to him, the process of the selection began on September 24, 2019, when the governing council met and authorised the publication of advertisement in a reputable national newspaper.

He said the advertisement was published on October 3, 2019 and it remained open until November 14, 2019.

“On December 3, 2019, the Selection Board met and adopted a guideline to assist in selecting three of the applicants to be considered by the council. On January 7, 2020, Council met and shortlisted 11 candidates to be considered by the Selection Board.

“The Selection Board met for three days and selected three candidates and submitted to council for consideration to appoint one of them as the new Vice Chancellor. The council met earlier this afternoon and chose Professor Kabiru Bala as the new Vice Chancellor. I now have the pleasure to present him and to present his letter of appointment.”

Who is Bala?

Bala was born on January 7th, 1964 in Kaduna. After his primary education, His academic pursuits after primary school include Barewa College Zaria, from where he graduated in 1981. He enrolled for Interim Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (IJMB) at the School of Basic Studies ABU, Zaria 1982 and graduated with a Bachelors degree in Building in 1985.

The New Vice Chancellor worked briefly at Amana Development Company in Kaduna and on December 10th 1987, he was offered employment as a lecturer or Graduate Assistant at the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria and rose through the ranks to become a Professor of Construction Management on 1st October 2007.

After joining the ABU Zaria in 1987, he obtained Masters of Science Building Services in 1990, another Masters in Business Administration in 1998 and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Construction Management in 2001; all from Ahmadu Bello University.

He was at the Department of Civil Engineering, Surveying and Building, University of Abertay, Dundee Scotland as a Visiting Scholar in 1995.

Bala taught and examined several undergraduate and postgraduate courses, and has successfully supervised over 10 doctorates and over 30 Masters Degree students.

He has over 80 publications in national and international academic journals