Profile of the Newly Appointed VC of Plateau State University

As a change of guards happens at the Plateau state University Bokkos, ViewPointNigeria profiles the incoming Vice Chancellor, Prof. Yohanna Daniel Izam.

The institution was founded on 7^th March 2005, during the administration of Chief Joshua (the then Governor).

Led by the then leadership of the institution, the university struggled to take-off fully, because of funding challenges. All the courses at the institution were unaccredited and as such, graduates of the institution struggled to gain employment because organisations failed to recognised their certificates.

However, in March 2016, the National Universities Commission gave full accreditation to all 17 courses being undertaken at the University. Professor Doknan Sheni –the current VC facilitated the accreditation process with support from the Governor – Barrister Simon Lalong.

As Professor Sheni bows out, Professor Yohanna Dnaiel Izam take charge of the helm of affairs in an institution which has now been set-up for academic excellence. Below is his profile.

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Yohana Daniel Izam, received his PhD in the field of Construction Management from the prestigious University of Jos in 2008 having earlier obtained an MSc in Construction Technology (1990) and Bachelor’s Degree in Building (1987) from the Universities of Lagos and Jos respectively. Until his appointment, he served as a Professor and Head of Building Department at the University of Jos.

Professor Yohana Izam’s academic career spans a period of 28 years. At the tender age of 23, armed with a Masters degree, Professor Izam in 1990, started as a “Lecturer II”,at the Department of Civil and Water Resources Engineering, University of Maiduguri.

He joined the Department of Building University of Jos in July 1996 as Lecturer I and rose to the rank of Senior Lecturer in 1999. In 2000, he was appointed Provost of the then College of Arts, Science and Remedial Studies (now College of Arts, Science and Technology) Kurgwi by the Chief Joshua Dariye’s administration of Plateau State.

His pioneering efforts at the College led to its official commissioning by the then President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo GCFR in 2001. The Kurgwi community through its traditional council appointed him Majidadin Kurgwi in 2002. He was appointed Commissioner for Housing and Transport between 2003 and 2007 after which he returned to the University to continue his academic career rising to the position of Professor of Construction Management in 2011.

Professor Izam has in addition to teaching, research and community service, held several academic positions within the university system. He was the pioneer Head of Estate Management at the university of Jos (2013-2015) and led the Department through a successful formation and resource verification by the National University Commission.

At the time he was also Deputy Dean of Faculty of Environmental Science (2012-2015), later Head of Building Department from 2015 to 2018. Other academic and community service responsibilities include Chairman of Faculty of Environmental Science Strategy Committee on the Accreditation of Programmes (2015), Editor in chief, Nigerian Journal of Construction Technology and Management, Editorial Secretary Journal of Environmental Sciences, Chairman Departmental Strategic Planning Committee,external examiner and visiting Professor to several universities, member of NUC accreditation panel to building programme, advisor to numerous construction projects within and outside the university system.

With over sixty publications in peer reviewed journals, conferences and workshops; Prof Izam’s first paper entitled “Effects of Windstorm on Timber roofs” which appeared in the 1992 edition of the prestigious Annals of Borno was a landmark confrontation with the nature and scope of wind related damage to timber roof structures in a semi-arid zone.

The paper recommended the use of slightly reinforced structural concrete roof eaves which has now become popular in ornamental forms. The second paper which resolved a major controversy in local construction engineering circles, was on the “Categorization of a local aggregate- Bama gravel-and its suitability for concrete”, which appeared in the Kenya – based African Journal of Science and Discovery in 1994.

Subsequent publications to date, including a book (Introduction to Building) firmly established Prof Izam’s practical research contributions in the area of Construction Technology, Management and Professional Practice.

A consummate Academic and Professional, Prof Izam is currently a Vice President of the Nigerian Institute of Building. He was appointed a member of the Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria by President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR in 2017.

He has also been a member of the University of Jos Council Sub-Committee on Physical Planning and Development, representing Senate of the University of Jos, as well as member of the Governing Council of the Plateau State University Bokkos since 2017.