By James Odaudu

University Don, Dr Abdul Hamidu Abdullahi has been appointed to the governing board of the International Association for Community Development (IACD).

The appointment was was conveyed through a statement by Association’s headquarters in Glasgow, Scotland.

The International Association for Community Development is the only global network for Professional community development practitioners. It supports community development agencies and practitioners to build the capacities of communities to realise greater social and economic equality, environmental protection and political democracy.

IACD is registered in Scotland and is an accredited organisation to the United Nations. Thus it submit a brief annual report on its work and what it has been doing to support the UN Sustainable Development Goals Agenda 2030.

IACD currently has four representatives who attend events and consultation meetings at the UN in New York or Geneva. These include one Regional Director for Europe and former Vice President who is also the immediate past chair of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination; one Regional Director for Sub-Sahara Africa who also works for UN Women; one Regional Director for North Africa and the Middle East and one active IACD North America member.

Reacting to his appointment, the university don said “It’s a rare opportunity and I’m glad for scaling through the competitive and rigorous processes and procedures. It is really a big feat for me and Nigeria”.

According Dr Abdullahi, the organisation’s objectives include advancing public education through the promotion of community development, community capacity building, and other charitable purposes on behalf of the community.

Other objectives he said, include emphasising to international bodies, government, business and non-governmental organisations, the importance of community development.

The organisation, he further reiterated, conducts research, publishes and disseminates information relating to community development, as well as organising international meetings, conferences, training and exchanges in the field of community development.

On the potential benefits of him appointment to Nigeria, Dr Abdul Hamidu Abdullahi listed them to include; gaining exposure to international best practice of community development, deriving innovative methods used in other countries to tackle community issues, ability to showcase the age-long community development methods such as ESUSU, AGE GRADES etc in our various communities.

Other benefits according to him, include; drawing attention for collaboration and networking for the good of our communities and harnessing exchange programs and other educational activities for various advantages.

“As the most populace black nation, we are model for others thus we must companion and lead in all developmental activities” he said.

Dr Abdul Hamidu Abdullahi has B.sc Sociology, MPA Public Administration, and PhD in Local Government Studies all from the prestigious Ahmadu Bello University Zaria.

Presently, his teaching and research work is on Community Development, Public Policy, Local Governance, Research Methodology and Gender studies.

He has several publications in scholarly journals and contributed many chapters in Books and Monographs. And a Visiting Scholar with the Department of Public Administration, Nasarawa State University, Keffi.

His involvement in community development project include been an Assistant Research Fellow at Center for Democratic Development Research and Training, (CEDDERT) and a producer of the radio program.

His volunteerism include active membership of the following: Community Development Charter (CDC) and the Ward Integrity Companion (WIC) of his Ward; Network for Society against Child Trafficking Abuse and Labour (NACTAL) and the West African Research and Innovation Management Association (WARIMA).

He is also a Producer and Presenter of a radio programme –‘’Town and Gown’’ in Hausa language called Jamia da Jama’a at DITV/ALHERI Radio 97.7FM Zaria, Nigeria.

He is also a board member of Funtua Community College of Health Sciences and Technology; Team Lead of Initiative for Orphans and Vulnerable Persons, Zaria.