The promotion of Lt. Col. Abubakar-Surajo Imam to the rank of Professor of Mechatronics Engineering has been announced by the Nigerian Defence Academy located in Kaduna State.
According to reports, Imam is the first active member of the Nigerian Army to hold the rank of professor.
The promotion was declared in a statement released on Friday in Kaduna by Brig.-Gen. A.M. Tukur, the Academy’s registrar.
According to him, the promotion was approved at the September NDA Council Meeting and became effective on October 1, 2023.
The registrar stated that Imam’s contributions to the Academy’s Department of Mechatronics Engineering were valued and acknowledged by the council, as evidenced by their decision.
According to him, the new professor has upheld the high standards of excellence anticipated in his field and given excellent services.
Also in his words,
“This recognition not only honours Professor Imam but also highlights the commitment of the Nigerian Defence Academy to acknowledging and rewarding outstanding contributions within its academic community,”
Tukur further added, “On behalf of the Commandant and staff of the Academy, I sincerely congratulate you on your well-deserved promotion.
“It is expected that you will continue to work hard to justify the confidence.”
Imam, a native of Kankia in Katsina State, graduated from Bayero University in Kano State with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering.
He also has a Ph.D. in Mechatronics and Robotics from Newcastle University in the United Kingdom, as well as a Master’s degree in Mechatronics.
Imam joined the Nigerian Army as a member of the Short Service Combatant Course 32 and was assigned to the Nigerian Army Corps of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering.
After that, he became a Regular Commissioned Officer and worked for many different units, such as Technical Group EME, 1 Base Workshop, HQ Nigerian Army Electrical and Mechanical Engineers Corps, and DICON.
For master’s and doctoral candidates supported by the Petroleum Technology Development Fund, Imam serves as an examiner and member of the Central Selection Committee.
Additionally, he works as a researcher for the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure, Buffalo Engineering Technology, Command Engineering Depot, Abuja, Defence Research and Development Bureau, and the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria.
Also, Imam works as a researcher for the Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology in Wudil, Kano State; Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria; and the Air Force Institute of Technology in Kaduna.
The recently appointed professor has participated in more than forty international workshops, a great deal of seminars, and several conferences in the US, UK, Spain, Egypt, and other countries.
At the NDA, he presently serves as both the director of the Centre for Innovation and Creativity and the head of the Department of Mechatronics Engineering.
Through his efforts in Research and Development, Imam has made a significant contribution to the NDA in raising the Academy’s profile among Nigerian universities.
He was the driving force behind the creation of the Centre for Innovation and Creativity and the NDA Department of Mechatronic Engineering.
By fostering creativity and innovation in cutting-edge technologies related to innovative military and civil hardware and software solutions, the centre acts as a platform for the realisation of Nigeria’s Military Industrial Complex and lessens Nigeria’s reliance on foreign technical solutions.
His published books include Coding, Robotics and Drone Technology for Kids; Mechatronics; PIC Microcontrollers; Embedded Systems Design; Sensors and Actuators for Embedded Systems; and Field Manuals for Drone Technology, to name a few.
