We are delighted to announce that Dr. Umar Ahmad, Principal Investigator at the Biomedical Science Research and Training Centre (BioRTC), has been turbaned today as the Turakin Walin Gabas of Misau Emirate.

This prestigious traditional title is a recognition of Dr. Ahmad’s service, leadership, and dedication to community and national development — qualities he exemplifies both in his scholarly work and his public health contributions across Africa.

At BioRTC, Dr. Ahmad leads research in cancer and infectious disease genomics, integrating cutting-edge sequencing technologies and bioinformatics to uncover pathways that drive tumour biology, viral persistence, and therapeutic resistance. His work has had regional and global impact, including as Senior Technical Officer at the Africa CDC Institute of Genomics, where he spearheads genomic surveillance efforts across West Africa, and as Founding Director of Linkages and International Partnerships at Sa’adu Zungur University.

Dr. Ahmad is also an award-winning scientist, educator, and advocate for open science, serving on multiple international boards and founding the Open Science Community Nigeria (OSCN).

His turbaning as Turakin Walin Gabas reflects the intersection of traditional honour and scientific excellence. We warmly congratulate Dr. Umar Ahmad on this well-deserved recognition and celebrate his growing impact in both local leadership and global science