Kwara State College of Arabic and Islamic Legal Studies appoints Professor Abdus Salam AbdulGaniyu Abimbola as substantive provost

Kwara State College of Arabic and Islamic Legal Studies, CAILS, Ilorin, has appointed Professor Abdus Salam AbdulGaniyu Abimbola as the substantive provost of the college.

The announcement came from the College Registrar, Mallam Afolabi Suleiman (MNIM), during the College Management Meeting held on Wednesday, 1 April 2026. The meeting followed the end of the tenure of the outgoing Acting Provost, Dr. Sa’ad Hadi.

Appointment takes effect from 25 March 2026

Professor Abdus Salam AbdulGaniyu Abimbola’s appointment received approval from the Kwara State Government through the State Ministry of Tertiary Education, MOTE.

The appointment took effect from 25 March 2026.

A native of Ilorin-West Local Government Area of Kwara State, Professor Abimbola now takes over as the substantive head of the college.

Academic background of the new provost

Professor Abimbola studied Arabic at different levels across Sudan and Nigeria.

He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Arabic from the International University of Africa, Khartoum, Sudan, in 1992. He later obtained a Master’s degree in Arabic in 1997 and a Doctor of Philosophy in Arabic in 2003, both from the University of Ilorin.

Career record before the appointment

Before this appointment, he rose through the academic ranks to become a Professor in the Department of Arabic, University of Ilorin.

The record released by the college stated that he has taken part in many local and international conferences. It also stated that he has contributed to scholarship through journal publications, book chapters, and authored works.

The same record added that he has received several awards and recognitions for his work in academia.

Professional bodies he belongs to

Professor Abimbola is a member of several professional bodies. These include:

• Academic Staff Union of University, ASUU
• Linguistics Association of Nigeria
• National Association for the Promotion of Students in Religion, Education, Languages and General Studies
• Academic Society of Arabic Language and Literature in Nigeria, ASALIN
• Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria, TRCN
• National Association of Teachers of Arabic and Islamic Studies, NATAIS
• International League of Islamic Literature, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
• Muslim Education Trust Fund, Lagos, Nigeria

Personal profile shared by the college

The college described Professor Abimbola as hardworking, progressive, and deeply committed to staff welfare and youth development.

It also described him as a team player with an approachable manner. He is a Muslim, married, and has children.

College reacts to the appointment

The college community welcomed his appointment and said it looks forward to a new phase of academic work and growth under his leadership.

For CAILS, the change is now official; the college has a substantive provost in office.

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