Ganiyu Ademola Badmus, of Otu parentage in Oyo State, was born at Ijebu-Ode Ogun State, Nigeria in 1941. He had his primary education at Ansar-Ud-Deen School (1948 – 1954) and secondary education at Muslim College (1955 – 1959) both at Ijebu-Ode. He was admitted into the Nigerian College of Arts, Science and Technology, Ibadan branch, in October 1960, and completed his studies in Physics, Pure Mathematics, and Applied Mathematics passed all at a sitting of GCE ‘A’ level of University of London in June 1962. He was admitted into the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) Ile-Ife for a three – year degree programme in Mathematics in October 1962. He graduated in June, 1965 with 2nd Class honours.
Ganiyu A. Badmus taught Mathematics and Physics at Sixth Forms from 1965 before he joined University of Lagos College of Education as Assistant Lecturer in Mathematics in October 1968. He left for his higher degree studies at Michigan State University, East Lansing, USA in September, 1971. He earned his M.Sc. (Mathematics) in December, 1972 and Ph.D. (Education) in August, 1974. Dr. Ganiyu Badmus specialized in Mathematics Teacher Education, Curriculum and Educational Evaluation.
Dr. Ganiyu Badmus joined the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Faculty of Education, Zaria as a Lecturer 1 in September, 1974. He was promoted to Senior Lecturer’s position in October 1975 and Readership position in October 1978. During this period Dr. Badmus played a leading role in the design and development of Diploma and Higher Diploma Programmes in Mathematics, Science, and Physical and Health Teacher Education programmes; these were needed for rapid production of teachers required for Junior Secondary Schools in Nigeria. Research work & evaluation on some of these programmes were published (see items 33, 34, 43, 45, 48 in pp 15 & 16 of his CV). Today, all the programmes are being replicated in many Nigerian Universities.
At the invitation of Ogun State Government, Dr. Badmus was released, on leave of absence, to resume as the first Provost of Ogun State College of Education (now University of Education), Ijebu-Ode on 1st of October, 1978. He provided effective leadership which led to the establishment of many high quality programmes in six well-organized Schools of the College. Dr. Badmus left the College at the end of his 4-year tenure of Provostship after obtaining required approval for sixteen programmes from the then quality-control body known as the Joint Consultative Council on Education (JCCE). Dr. Badmus was a leading and respectable member of Second Generation of Provosts of Colleges of Education in Nigeria. His activities during that period, in the professional association, are reflected in items 74, 75, 76, 77 and 80 (pp 19 & 20) in the CV. Dr. Badmus left Ogun State College of Education at the end of September 1982 for University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria.
On joining the University of Benin (UNIBEN) in October, 1982 as Associate Professor, he was appointed as Acting Head of Department of Educational Psychology and Curriculum Studies. Between 1982 and 1984, he provided the academic leadership for development of new postgraduate programmes and review of the then existing programmes. He was moved to the Institute of Education in 1984 as the Acting Director from 1984 to 1986. Under his Directorship, new Affiliation Document was developed for the five Colleges of Education affiliated to UNIBEN. Their programmes were reviewed and approved by the Joint Consultative Council of Education. The NCE Certificates for the Colleges were designed, produced and signed for successful students. Associate Certificate of Education programmes were reviewed while two new programmes – Higher Diploma in Mathematics Education and Postgraduate Diploma Programmes in Technical Education were established.
On his return to the Department of Educational Psychology and Curriculum Studies in July 1986, a Ph.D Programme in Measurement and Evaluation was developed. Dr. Ganiyu Badmus was promoted a Professor of Mathematics Education and Programme Evaluation in January 1989.
At the request of the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) and supported by the Federal Ministry of Education, Professor Badmus was seconded by UNIBEN, as Consultant/Director of Examinations, to the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) in December, 1992. There he provided the academic and professional leadership required to setup an examination system for certification of technical/business secondary school leavers in Nigeria. The Certificates were well-received by the International Association for Educational Assessment (IAEA) – a body responsible for International recognition of public examination bodies. While on secondment, he was co-teaching Advanced Research Methods (EDU 901) and Advanced Statistics (EDU 902) for the Faculty of Education and teaching of Advanced Curriculum Theory (EPC 941) and Evaluation of Curriculum and Instruction (EPC 942) for his department. He was also supervising his Ph.D students. His Research Activities at NABTEB between 1992 and 2001 are reported in items 6, 7, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 56, 57 of his CV. At the request of the University of Benin, Professor Badmus was de-seconded at the end of March 2001 from NABTEB.
On his return to University of Benin in April 2001 Professor Badmus continued with his teaching, research and community service activities until he retired, mandatorily, at the end of March, 2006. At the University, Professor Badmus was well-known for his ability to attract national and international projects to the University; many of these were used to train his students and colleagues. For example:
- In 1983, at the request of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Professor Badmus designed a Staff Development programme for lecturers in Polytechnics in Nigeria (Curriculum Studies in Technical Education). He developed the programme and successfully directed its implementation for two years before he moved to the Institute of Education in 1984. Project vehicle and other teaching equipment served the University for sometime. Research reports from this project were published (items 35, 41, 70 and 71 in the CV).
- In 1991, a two-day Regional Workshop on Staff Development programme for University teachers was sponsored by the Association of African Universities (AAU) and mounted in the University of Benin. On recommendation of the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Badmus was appointed as a Consultant for the design of the programme. Two other colleagues from the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) and University of Port Harcourt were appointed by the AAU to join him as resource persons. The Dean coordinated the workshop. The workshop participants were top academic staff nominated by Southern Nigerian Universities (see item 58, p.17).
- In 1996, the Association of African Universities (AAU) sent documents to its members on its research interests requesting academic staff to submit proposals. He provided the leadership to write a proposal on ‘A Tracer Study of 1980 – 1995 Graduates of the University of Benin’. He decided that his former student and junior colleague be designated as the Principal Researcher because of his commitment at NABTEB but he directed the research. The study was funded by AAU (Omoifo, Badmus and Awanbor, p.23 of CV).
- In 2003 the International Association for Educational Assessment (IAEA) decided to help Public Examination bodies in Africa in the area of capacity building. Some universities (including UNIBEN and University of Ibadan) were requested to submit proposals for this project. Professor Badmus provided the Academic and professional leadership required for writing of the proposal for UNIBEN. The University of Benin was eventually commissioned to mount this programme for African Examination bodies for three years at first instance with effect from 2003. He successfully implemented this programme for two years before his retirement.
Professor Badmus is highly respected in research by his postgraduate students and colleagues. Selected Theses (NOT Projects) of his former postgraduate students are listed on pp 21-23 of the CV. Many of these earned him commendations from external examiners both at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and the University of Benin (p. 23 of CV). All these made Professor Badmus a popular Guest Discussant of Research Proposal Defences of many Departments in the University of Benin outside the Faculty of Education of the University. Professor Badmus is equally popular for research in the Academy of Education to the extent that one of the past Presidents of the Academy was fond of publicly referring to him as R & D of the Academy of Education. He has led Academy teams in writing of research proposals and execution of the projects (see p. 23) of the CV.
Professor Badmus has demonstrated exceptional leadership quality at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) where he took up a postretirement contract appointment. Professor Badmus has earned from Senate and Management of NOUN three written commendations between 2006 and 2010. Professor Badmus is well-known in the country in Teacher Education and Evaluative Research Studies. It is in view of this that the National Open University of Nigerian nominated Professor Ganiyu A. Badmus to compete with other nominees from Universities in Africa for The Best Researcher Award of the Year 2011 of AAU. The National Universities Commission (NUC) has just accredited twelve programmes presented by the School of Education at NOUN where Professor G. A. Badmus has been providing academic and professorial leadership.
Knowing Professor G. A. Badmus to be a thorough and an upright professional, the Oyo State Government of Nigeria in October, 2011 set up a 7-man Visitation Panel under his Chairmanship to look into the affairs of the Emmanuel Alayande College of Education between 2001 and 2011. The Panel completed its assignment and submitted a 3-volume Report of 1,120 pages in January, 2012.
Details of Professor Badmus’ training, career and achievements are contained in the CV (pp. 1-28).