A Belated Tribute to Prof. Istifanus Zabadi @ 70

By Prof Hassan Saliu

As I was about to commence writing this tribute a few weeks ago, tragedy struck: the wife of the celebrant succumbed to the cold hands of death. This inevitably pushed every other consideration aside as we mourned her passing. May the good Lord forgive her and grant the family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss. As the saying goes: man proposes, God disposes. We cannot question the Creator in such matters. He knows best in all situations.

However, a few weeks after the incident, I felt I should still pay tribute to a strong member of our Society with a strong institutional memory who always tries his best to keep the flag flying. I will say more about his role in the Society’s affairs later in this tribute. He turned 70 years on 14 September 2026.

A much younger Prof Zabadi in academic robes

Prof. Zabadi is a proud alumnus of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where he earned his BSc in Political Science. He later pursued his Master’s and PhD programmes in International Relations at the London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London. For several years, he lectured at the University of Jos, rising to Senior Lecturer. His Jos story is complicated, as it involved his activism in ASUU, which cost him seven months’ salary in 1996 and made him a thorn in the school management’s side. He also had a stint at the National Council on Intergovernmental Relations, established by the Babangida military regime, under the academic iroko, Prof. Jonah Elaigwu, who deliberately stretched the celebrant to the breaking point because he was his mentor and wanted the best from him.

After the Abacha regime dissolved the Council in 1996, perhaps for political reasons, Prof. Zabadi and some other affected staff, including Madam Julie Sanda, moved to the National War College, now the National Defence College, Abuja. His move to the College as a permanent staff member in 1997 was a transfer of service, prompted by a tense moment he passed through at the University of Jos that made leaving the university compelling, rather than a secondment. The university had then become too hot for him to continue serving there over some complicated matters.

He spent many years at the Defence College, first as a visiting scholar in 1995 before he eventually transferred his service to the College in February 1997 to build the workforce of the Centre for Peace Research and Conflict Resolution (CPRCR) that was established in 1996. His long stay at the College meant some did not realise that he began his academic career at the University of Jos. He made significant contributions to the College through curriculum development and representation, but complications later arose after what looked like a promising career under successive Commandants. Some of them were quite friendly, while others were not. Under unfriendly Commandants, his resilience helped him navigate the twists and turns of his career at the College.

Prof. Zabadi has a strong personality and an unparalleled coping strategy when facing challenges. Despite the raw deal he received, he endured until the College gave him the alibi to exit after he exhausted his sabbatical leave at Bingham University, Karu, Abuja. One clear piece of evidence that proved he is a man of destiny and tolerance was his promotion to professorial rank. For a man who served as Senior Research Fellow for several years, during which he was appointed Provost of an important arm of the College, the Centre for Strategic Research and Studies (CSRS), whose name has changed a couple of times from the Centre for Peace Research and Conflict Resolution (CPRCR) after its establishment in 1996, to have remained in the same position, it was sheer endurance that kept him there.

He was Dean and Provost for a cumulative 11 years. His perseverance enabled him to remain in that position for a long time, producing many researchers under him, some of whom are themselves professors in their own right. During his service at the Defence College, he made valuable contributions to its intellectual development through curriculum development, review, and representation that have largely remained as he designed them. In his own words: “The curriculum of the Centre is in his DNA.” He also contributed to the growth and development of individual officers from the catchment areas.

A few of us who are junior to him attained professorial rank several years earlier, while he remained a Senior Research Fellow at the College. On a few occasions during my visits to the highest military institution in the land, I had cause to discuss his promotion with him. At one point, I even advised him to leave the College and approach any available university for a chair. He noted my advice and cited a personal reason and another institutional one for his inability to do so, without casting anyone as a villain. He was still hopeful that with the processes initiated towards that end in the College, he would soon cross the Rubicon. I left his expansive office as Provost, believing he would soon call me to announce the good news. That did not happen for several years, as the process of bringing it to fruition was rather slow.

The 70th birthday that never was!

An opportunity later knocked on his door, and he grabbed it with both hands. He applied for a sabbatical, and it was approved. He went to Bingham University, Karu, Abuja, after he was made a professor in 2014, following additional encouragement he received from Professors Shamsudeen Amali and Etannibi Alemika. He applied for the rank in 2008 and got it in 2014, but resumed effectively at the university in 2016. Our prayers were answered at last. While at Karu, he contacted me to assess a member of the Society for a professorial position, and I obliged. However, my honorarium for the assignment remains unpaid. The celebrant is expected to shake body, as we say on the streets in Nigeria, and make provision for interest that has accrued for more than a decade since the payment fell due.

At the expiration of his leave, he communicated with the Defence College, probably notifying the authorities of his intention to extend his sabbatical leave. Still, those in charge were preoccupied with other matters. They did not dignify him with a response, positive or otherwise, suggesting that the College could dispense with his services. That development closed the Defence College chapter of his career and opened the Bingham University page.

At Karu, he became Head of the Department of Political Science and later served as a Council member and Dean of the Postgraduate School, and currently serves as Director of Research and Innovation, among other worthwhile services he has rendered to the university. He holds the record for facilitating the Department’s full accreditation and started the School of Postgraduate Studies. My last visit to the University this year confirmed that he is a multi-purpose human resource at Bingham University because of his devotion to his duties.

Prof. Zabadi is primarily in the field of International Relations, having studied in Zaria under strong hands. He also attended the London School of Economics and Political Science, like two other senior experts in International Relations who are also members of the Nigerian Society of International Affairs (NSIA): Professors Ibrahim Gambari and Amadu Sesay. A review of his major contributions after his time at the Defence College shows a shift toward strategic studies, with significant works on peacekeeping, an area in which he has become renowned and has attended and helped host several conferences both at home and abroad. While at the Defence College, he co-edited some texts reflecting the College’s mandate.

Like a few members of the Society, he has had a taste of administrative politics. He served as a Commissioner in Adamawa State, and earlier, he almost became the appointed National Secretary of one of the political parties General Babangida created in 1989. His name, together with Prof. Rufai Ahmed Alkali and the late Prof. Nuhu Yaqub, was forwarded by the then Executive Committee of our sister association, the Nigerian Political Science Association (NPSA) under Prof. Aaron Gana as President. Prof. Yaqub was later appointed the Interim Secretary of one of the parties.

The story of our Society has been told so often that it has almost become a song or an anthem. Prof. Zabadi’s association with the NSIA dates back to his student days at Zaria. As a student of Prof. Gambari, he heard many stories about the Society, since one or two of its early conferences were held at ABU, Zaria. Little wonder that at the earliest convenient time, he joined as a member. Since becoming a member, its trajectory has mattered to him. Like other members, he was concerned about the twists that later befell the Society and made it go off the radar for so many years. Reflecting his concern, he was therefore part of the team that revived it in July this year and formed an Interim Executive for the NSIA. He is a member of the Board of Trustees and the Society’s Editorial Board. As a committed member, he has been forthcoming with suggestions on how to accelerate its recovery.

As a notable mentor at the University of Jos, Defence College, Abuja, and now Bingham University, Karu, Abuja, Prof. Zabadi has a coterie of mentees who have been inspired and guided in their chosen professions, and he can therefore look back and give thanks to God for being an inspirer and good guardian. I join his mentees in wishing him a happy birthday and many more years of fulfilment.

At a more personal level, I have enjoyed my relationship with him. At his instance, I served as external examiner for the Defence College for more than a decade before COVID-19 put a stop to it. While he was Provost, I visited the College on some occasions to give lectures. I recall that when I applied to join the service of the War College in 1998, he served as a consultant to me, giving me tips on how to clear the hurdle, courtesy of the late Air Commodore Ibrahim Abdulrahman, who introduced us. He also gave me support when I was President of the Nigerian Political Science Association (NPSA), and his commitment to the Interim Executive Committee of the NSIA is even greater given the circumstances we have found ourselves in the Society.

On behalf of the Interim Executive, I wish Prof. Zabadi a belated happy birthday and success in all his future undertakings.

Happy 70th Birthday, Sir!

The author is of the Dept of Political Science, University of Ilorin in Nigeria