A former President of the Senate, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki, CON, has welcomed the 2025 Sheikh Hamad Award for Translation and International Understanding conferred on a Professor at the Department of Arabic and Transnational Studies, University of Ilorin, Khalilulahi Muhammad Uthman Gbodofu.
Dr Saraki stated this penultimate Sunday (March 1, 2026) while receiving Prof. Gbodofu, who paid him a courtesy visit, at his GRA Ilorin residence.
The former Senate President, who is also the Waziri of Ilorin, said that he was very delighted when he learnt about the award, saying that it is a mark of the intellectual excellence of Prof. Gbodofu.
Dr Saraki appealed to Prof. Gbodofu and his contemporaries in the field of Arabic and Islamic learning to ensure that younger ones are adequately mentored towards intellectual and professional excellence for them to also deserve that kind of honour in future.
Responding, Prof. Gbodofu said that the purpose of the visit was to thank Dr Saraki for identifying with him immediately the award was made public, saying that the Chairman of the 8th National Assembly was one of the first group of well-wishers who celebrated him and the award.
Prof. Gbodofu added that the visit was made to personally present the award to Dr Saraki in his capacity as one of the leaders of the Ilorin community from where he hails.
The award-winning scholar assured the former two-terms Governor of Kwara State that he would not relent in his efforts to ensure that more competent scholars of Arabic and Islamic Studies, who would promote peace and understanding among the divergent people of the world, are produced.
