Tal-hatu Kolapo HAMZAT

 Profile of Professor Tal-hatu Kolapo HAMZAT 

FAAS; FNSP; FPPCN; FESN; FIMC

B.Sc. (Hons.) Physiotherapy Ib.; M.Ed. (Physiology of Exercise) Ib; Ph.D. (Neurol. Physiotherapy) Ib.;       Dip. Human Resources (Kent)

Professor of Neurological Physiotherapy

 I am Tal-hatu Kolapo HAMZAT, the first African Professor of Neurophysiotherapy, a gentleman with demonstrable integrity, outstanding emotional intelligence, ample soft skills, good human relation, and a role model.

 I am a proud alumnus of University of Ibadan where I obtained B.Sc.(Hons) Physiotherapy 1994; M.Ed. (Physiology of Exercise) with distinction 1998 and PhD (Neurological-Physiotherapy) 2001.  I hold the record-setting honour of being the first to obtain a PhD degree in Physiotherapy from any West African University.  My employment at the University of Ibadan started as a Lecturer-I in Physiotherapy in 2001; was promoted to Senior Lecturer 2004, and as a high-flyer to the rank of Professor on October 1, 2009, at age 39 years, with the pace-setting record of being the first Professor of Neurophysiotherapy in Africa, and the youngest to attain a Professor of Physiotherapy status in Africa.

I have taught and mentored students at both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels in physiotherapy and medical sciences at the University of Ibadan, the University of Ghana (as a Visiting Scholar where I helped develop Ghana’s premier degree programme in physiotherapy) and the University of Maiduguri as a Visiting Professor. I have successfully supervised or co-supervised the research theses/dissertations of 23 Bachelors of Physiotherapy; 37 M.Sc. Physiotherapy; and eight PhD degree candidates, and published more than 100 scientific articles. The respect I command in the national and international communities of scholars and clinicians have earned me, among others, the following honorific titles: Fellow, African Academy of Sciences (FAAS); Fellow, Nigeria Society of Physiotherapy (FNSP); Fellow, Ergonomic Society of Nigeria (FESN); Fellow, Postgraduate Physiotherapy College of Nigeria (FPPCN); and Fellow, Institute of Management Consultants (FIMC).

 I have been contributing to the advancement of our University of Ibadan, through productive academic and administrative leadership, managing human and material resources in different capacities. These include serving a four-year term as Head of Physiotherapy; Sub-Dean Undergraduate; Sub-Dean Postgraduate; Coordinator of Academics and Clinical Trainings. I was the Hall Master of Alexander Brown Hall, Chairman and Convener of more than 40 standing and ad-hoc committees and panels, consistently discharging my duties within the rules, regulations and traditions of the University. I have been the University Public Orator since 2016.

 My activities as a bridge-builder between the staff, students and other stakeholders of the University in the course of my duties have been both rewarding and recognised. I have deployed my social networking and fundraising abilities, as well as productive engagement with the public and private sectors and the alumni groups, to attract funds, endowments and benefactions which have contributed to improvement in teaching, learning and service conditions. 

 I was a member, Board of the UCH Ibadan; Board of Otunba Tunwase National Paediatric Hospital, Ijebu-Ode and presently a member, Board of Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki.

 I am passionate about our collective heritage-the UI University of Ibadan,a global leader in tertiary education and a forerunner in the knowledge generation, sharing and application industry.

I am happily married and proudly, a father of three children.