Muhammed Abubakar III, the Sultan of Sokoto and chancellor of the University of Ibadan, presenting Daramola with the award
The University of Ibadan named Abayomi Daramola, a clinical psychologist, as the winner of its best PhD thesis award for the 2024/2025 academic session in arts and humanities-based disciplines.
The award recognises exceptional doctoral research with significant scholarly and societal impact.
According to the university in a statement issued on Tuesday, Daramola was honoured during its 77th convocation ceremony held on November 17 for his outstanding doctoral research on mental health among vulnerable populations.
Daramola holds a BSc and MSc in clinical psychology from the University of Jos.
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His thesis, titled “Psychological predictors of depression, suicidality, and the efficacy of life skills training among street-involved adults in Ibadan, Nigeria,” addresses critical issues of depression and suicidality among marginalised street-involved adults, many of whom engage in multiple substance misuses.
Supervised by Benjamin O. Olley, a professor in the department of psychology, Daramola’s research provides vital insights into the psychological factors influencing mental health challenges in this population.
The study highlighted the urgent need for community-centred, accessible, and scalable blended telepsychology interventions and called for the urgent need for community-centred and scalable mental health interventions, particularly blended telepsychology services that can reach marginalised groups.
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Speaking on the recognition, Daramola expressed gratitude to the university, his supervisors, family, and community for their support throughout his academic journey.
A native of Mopa in the Mopamuro LGA of Kogi state, Daramola attributed his values of discipline, resilience and dedication to his upbringing in a closely knit Christian family alongside his siblings, Olakayode David Daramola and Ebun Loye.
He hinted at plans to translate his findings into practical solutions, including developing telepsychology intervention models, mobile and wearable mental health applications, and policy briefs to inform evidence-based mental health strategies in Nigeria and beyond.
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