ADAM UMAR Yabila has made history by becoming the first Ghanaian to receive a PHD in the Teaching of Arabic to non-native speakers from the famous Islamic University of Madinah in Saudi Arabia.
The Ghanaian scholar is very respectful, friendly, hardworking and accommodating. He displayed impressive academic prowess during his PHD studies in the university to the admiration of his professors and supervisors.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with the DAILY GUIDE on phone during his graduation ceremony, Adam Yabila, nicknamed as ‘Yellowman’, insisted that academia thesis should focus in solving problems facing society.
According to him, the academia, especially through proper research work, has the potential of solving the numerous challenges confronting mankind, stressing that education should always be the way to transform the world.
“The academia should channel the focus of their thesis to addressing the problems of our societies. The natural place of academia is to help provide sustainable development to our societies, which starts with education,” he said.
It is against this backdrop that, Adam Yabila chose ‘Creating an Arabic Curriculum for Secondary Education’ as the focus of his thesis to help address the teaching and learning impediments in a non-native country like Ghana.
He stressed on the need for authorities to roll out Arabic education in its standard form in the country to befit modern way of teaching and learning, noting that Arabic language could accelerate Ghana’s transformation.
Adam Yabila said the Gulf countries are now dominating as one of the preferred destinations for business, tourism and education “not to forget about the presence of their embassies and diplomatic missions in major parts of the world”.
Without mincing words, he stated emphatically that the Gulf countries are now a force to reckon with in the world because of their language, saying, “This, as a result, makes a strong case for standardised Arabic Curriculum for Secondary Education in Ghana.”
He also admonished the youth, who are the future leaders, to start believing in themselves and also embark on the right course and path, adding that the youth should work very hard, be disciplined and also fear God to succeed in life.
Adam Yabila was grateful to his professors for their immense support for him. He also lauded Ghana’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Mohammad Habibu Tijani, who graced his graduation ceremony.
Significantly, the Islamic University of Madinah, which is located in the Holy city of Madinah in Saudi Arabia, was established in 1961. Amongst the university’s alumni are Mufti Menk, Yasir Qadhi and Bilal Philips, among others.
FROM I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi