Professor Abagale makes history at UDS
Professor Felix Kofi Abagale, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the University for Development Studies (UDS) and Director of the West African Centre for Water, Irrigation and Sustainable Agriculture has made history by becoming the first alumnus of UDS to deliver an inaugural lecture at the University.
He also became the first youngest Professor at the age of 44 years to deliver the inaugural lecture at the University.
It was a moment of pride and great achievement for the University community when he (Professor Abagale) took the stage at the University's Multipurpose Auditorium on February 25, 2022 to deliver such an important lecture on the topic: "Damming the Reservoirs for Sustainable Livelihoods: Challenges and Emerging Opportunities in the Global South".
It was therefore, not surprising that such a historic moment was greeted with loud applause from the creme de la creme of the University community, high ranking state officials, family and friends amongst other dignitaries, who graced the occasion.
Prof. Abagale was born in December, 1978 in Navrongo, Ghana and had his Basic Education at Balobia at Navrongo and Secondary School Education at the Ghana Secondary School (Ghanasco) in Tamale.
He obtained a Bachelor in Science Degree in Agriculture Technology in 2003 from the UDS, Tamale.
He graduated in Master of Science (MSc) in Agro-Environmental Engineering and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Soil Water Engineering from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi in 2008 and 2014 respectively.
Also, in 2008 he obtained a Certificate in Research Methodology from the University of Pretoria, South Africa and also undertook a research internship in the same year in Kyoto University, Japan.
He was inducted into the Ghana Institution of Engineers as a Corporate Member and licensed to practise Engineering in his specialty.
In an interview with Prof. Abagale, moments after delivering the lecture to know what such a feat meant for him, he said "It is a very difficult task at the beginning to take the decision that I had to deliver a lecture. I will tell you that I was promoted as the first alumnus Professor at the University and working to that level means that I need to put in more to allow other products, who have come out of the University to emulate what I do."
He added that "So, if I am promoted as Professor and I end it there because the last stage of it is to give this lecture and I relent in that effort, then that means I have not completed the race. So, it is very important to inspire new and young faculty alumni that are in our system so that those days that you have to be an old man to be a professor are gone. We need to believe in ourselves as young people and also deliver what is expected of us at the right time."
Professor Abagale also spoke about what was next for him saying "The next thing is to invest in what I do everyday. Currently, I am the Pro-Vice-Chancellor and I am into administration. I will tell you that in the history of our University, I am the youngest Pro-Vice-Chancellor and the first alumnus to also be a Pro-Vice-Chancellor. It takes a lot to actually go through it."
He added that "What is next is that I do my administration, core duty of teaching, research and community service as we have been doing and I believe that whatever comes after that we will embrace it."
Professor Gabriel Ayum Teye, Vice-Chancellor of UDS, who chaired the event, commended Professor Abagale for his patience and dedication to duty, which had defined his academic journey, urging young people especially those at the UDS to emulate him.