Meet Prof. Abdallah Uba Adamu, The First Double Professor in Nigeria

Prof. Abdallah Uba Adamu, a native of Daneji quarters in Kano, holds the unique distinction of being the first Nigerian to attain professorship in two separate academic fields, Science Education in 1997 and Media & Cultural Communication in 2012, both at Bayero University, Kano. He remains the only one in Northern Nigeria and one of just three in the entire country with such a feat.  

Beyond teaching and research, Prof. Adamu is renowned for his deep work on Hausa language, history, culture, film, and the impact of social media. In the 1990s, he pioneered the digital inclusion of Hausa special characters (ɓ, Ɓ, ɗ, Ɗ, ƙ, Ƙ) into computing.  

As Vice-Chancellor of the National Open University of Nigeria (2016–2021), he revolutionized distance learning across the country. He also delivered the iconic lecture Sunset at Dawn, Darkness at Noon (2004), and has taught in global universities, including in Poland, the U.S., and UC Berkeley.  

Despite his scholarly achievements, Prof. Adamu is admired for his humility, humor, and vibrant presence on platforms like Facebook.