Prof. Adaka Terfa Ahon

Prof. Terfa Ahon Adaka lectures in the Department of Special Needs Education, Federal University of Lafia (FULafia) where he rose to the rank of Professor of Special Needs Education. Prof Adaka attended the Bayero University Kano where he earned B.A(Ed) in Special Education. He further obtained M.Ed and Ph.D in Special Education both from the University of Nigeria and currently he is a B.Sc (Pub Admin) student of University of Maiduguri.

In terms of working experience, Prof Adaka served at the FCT College of Education, Zuba-Abuja for his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and was later employed by Federal College of Education (Tech), Gombe. Adaka later transferred his services to the University of Maiduguri where he taught briefly before joining FULafia and he is currently serving as an adjunct staff of Baze University Abuja and Global Interfaith University, Lewes-Delaware, USA.  Prof Adaka serves as External Examiner to Special Education Department, Universities of Calabar, Ibadan, Jos as well as Nasarawa and Ebonyi State Universities Keffi and Abakaliki respectively. He has membership of several editorial boards among such include: Deputy Editor, The Special Educator; Editor, Research Journal in Comparative Education (RJCE), Editor, Journal of Educational Research in Developing Areas and Editor in Chief, The Exceptional Child, a journal of National Association for Exceptional Children (NAEC) and a founding Editor in Chief, Lafia Journal of Special Needs Education. Adaka has over 90 scholarly articles published to his credit in reputable national and international journals as well as chapter contributions in highly recommended books. He has also co-edited several books with seasoned academics. Prof Adaka has also served as a panelist on accreditation team on NCE Special Education program to several Colleges of Education including Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo and Federal Colleges of Education, Kano and Pankshin as well as Colleges of Education, Gumel (Jigawa State), Minna (Niger State) and Igueben (Edo State) as well as Umaru Waziri Federal Polytechnic, Birnin-Kebbi (Kebbi State). Prof Adaka has also served as a member, Editing Team on National Policy on Special Needs Education in Nigeria and its Implementation Guidelines by Federal Ministry of Education.  He has attended and participated at over 80 conferences and workshops/seminars home and abroad amongst which include Capacity Development of Youths on Climate Change Seminar Jointly Organized by The World Bank Institute & British Council as a Master-Trainer in Abuja. 14th Biennial Conference Organized by International Association of Special Education at the University of Lower Silesia, Wroclaw, Poland and International Webinar on Towards Disability Inclusion in African Contexts organized by Disability Inclusion African Network.

In the Civil Society and Professional Organizations (CSPOs) arena, Prof Adaka coordinated the activities of Teachers Without Borders (TWB) and National Association for Exceptional Children (NAEC) in the North-East geo-political zone of Nigeria and he is currently Board Member, Chartered Institute of Leadership, Education & Development, USA; Board Chairman, Centre for Faith & Community Development; Director (Research), ADAKO Support for Persons with Special Needs Initiative and Director, Research & Training, Association of Sign Language Interpreters of Nigeria (ASLIN). Adaka is a former 4-year National Secretary of NAEC.

Under consultancy and research, Prof Adaka won a $10,000 Research Grant for the Nigeria Disability Research Project in North-East in 2021 by African Polling Institute sponsored and funded by Ford Foundation. He also served as Research Consultant to National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, Abuja on Audit of Accessibility of some Federal Government tertiary institutions (health and education) and Money Deposit Banks to assess reasonable accommodation in the 36 States of the Federation and the FCT in 2022. Currently, he is serving as a Consultant on the development and establishment of Special Needs Education Program at Taraba State University, Jalingo. Prof Adaka also carried out a research project on Baseline Assessment of Justice and Social Support Services Delivery in Plateau and Abia States for Women, Children and Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) awarded by International Institute for Democracy & Electoral Assistance (IDEA) sponsored and funded by European Union (EU).

In the University, Prof Adaka is the immediate paast HoD, Special Needs Education Department and currently Director, Center for Disability Studies and Deputy Dean, Faculty of Education as well as member of several committees including Senate Standing Committee on Affiliation.

Prof Adaka is a Fellow, Chartered Institute of Leadership, Education and Development (FCILED), USA; Associate Fellow, African Academics Network and a licensed teacher by Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN).