The Ilorin Emirate Staff at Kwara State University (KWASU), led by Professor Ibrahim Laro Abubakar, have celebrated Professor Aliru Olajide Mustapha on his conferment as a Fellow of the Chemical Society of Nigeria (FCSN).
The Fellowship Award of the Chemical Society of Nigeria is regarded as one of the highest honours in the chemical sciences. It recognises individuals who have made groundbreaking contributions to the discipline, nurtured talent, provided exemplary leadership, and applied scientific knowledge to drive industrial growth, inform public policy, and solve real-world problems for national development.
According to the Ilorin Emirate Staff, the recognition is more than just an award; it is an acknowledgment of a career that embodies the society’s highest values.
Professor Mustapha’s academic career reflects decades of consistent excellence. He obtained a B.Sc. (Hons) in Chemistry at the University of Ilorin in 1987, followed by an M.Sc. at the same institution in 1993 under Professor O. Olaofe. In 2006, he earned a scholarship to study at the University of Nottingham, UK, where he worked on the synthesis and inhibition of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Cell Wall Biosynthesis under Professor Neil Thomas, completing a Masters of Research (MRes) in Chemistry in 2008.
He later proceeded to Nottingham Trent University, UK, in 2009 as a Doctoral Research Fellow under Professors Jason Birkett and Mike Coffey. There, he conducted research on the fate and behavior of drugs in the environment, culminating in a Ph.D. in 2013.
Professor Mustapha worked at the Federal Polytechnic, Offa, for 25 years (1992–2017), rising to the rank of Chief Lecturer. He also served as Head of Department of Science Laboratory Technology and Dean, School of Applied Science and Technology.
Joining KWASU in 2017 as a Professor of Environmental and Industrial Chemistry, Mustapha quickly established himself as a transformational academic. He attained professorship in 2023 and has made notable contributions to the Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences, where he initiated and sustained a monthly lecture series.
He served as Chairman of the Faculty Research and Seminar Committee and was the pioneer Chairman of the KWASU-Industry Relations Committee, a platform created to strengthen linkages between the university and industry partners.
His leadership extended to roles as Head of the Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry and as the pioneer Director of the Center for Career Services. Under his stewardship, KWASU secured a Tetfund Career Services partnership worth ₦100 million annually for five years, made possible through strategic collaboration with the university leadership led by Vice Chancellor, Professor Shaykh Lukman Jimoh.
Beyond the university, Mustapha is currently the Financial Secretary of the Ilorin Emirate Professors Association, further reflecting his ability to manage concurrent leadership responsibilities.
The Ilorin Emirate Staff noted that his consistent excellence has elevated not only his personal reputation but also the prestige of KWASU and the wider Ilorin Emirate Community.
“We celebrate not just the milestones you have achieved, but also the integrity with which you achieved them. Your journey from a high-performing individual to an impactful leader is a catalyst for transformative change,” the staff declared in their message of congratulations.
They expressed confidence that Professor Mustapha’s greatest contributions still lie ahead.
, led by Professor Ibrahim Laro Abubakar, have celebrated Professor Aliru Olajide Mustapha on his conferment as a Fellow of the Chemical Society of Nigeria (FCSN).){kind=link}