By Sodiq Adetunji Adekola, (University of Abuja)
“Leadership in nursing is not about titles or positions; it is about service, transformation, and creating pathways for others to thrive.”
— Prof. Khadijat Toyin Musah
Celebrating a Visionary Scholar, Trailblazer, and Transformational Leader
It is with profound admiration and respect that we celebrate the exceptional life, scholarship, and service of Professor Khadijat Toyin Musah, a distinguished academic, health professional, mentor, and humanitarian whose impact on nursing and public health transcends institutional and national boundaries.
A dynamic and compassionate leader, Prof. Musah has spent over twenty-five years transforming the landscape of nursing and public health education in Nigeria and beyond. Her career embodies the fusion of academic excellence, visionary leadership, and humanitarian service—a model of what it means to lead with integrity, intellect, and purpose.
Pioneering Leadership and Institutional Legacy
Professor Musah currently serves as the Pioneer Dean, Faculty of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences, University of Abuja, Nigeria. Her leadership has redefined the standards of nursing education in the country, ensuring that the faculty stands at the intersection of innovation, research, and clinical relevance. Under her stewardship, the University of Abuja launched the first-ever professional postgraduate Master’s and Doctorate programs in Nursing in Nigeria in April 2024.
Programs that span specializations such as Oncology Nursing, Geriatric and Gerontology Nursing, Otorhinolaryngology, Sports Nursing, and Nuclear Nursing. These academic milestones particularly Sports Nursing (the first in West Africa) and Nuclear Nursing (the first in Africa) have positioned the University of Abuja as a continental leader in advanced nursing education (Dailysource.ng, 2024).
Her capacity to envision and execute groundbreaking programs has earned her wide recognition within the National Universities Commission (NUC), Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) and among academic peers across Nigeria’s tertiary education landscape.Academic Excellence and Intellectual Depth.
Professor Musah’s educational journey is an inspiring testimony to resilience and the relentless pursuit of knowledge. She holds:
B.N.Sc (Bachelor of Nursing Science) – Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo
B.Sc (Ed) in Health Science – Olabisi Onabanjo University, (OOU), Ago-Iwoye
Master of Nursing Science, Master of Education, and Master of Public Health (Epidemiology and Tropical Diseases) – University of Central Nicaragua (UCN) and OOU, Nigeria
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Public Health – University of Ilorin, Nigeria
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Nursing Science (Community/Public Health Nursing) – University of Central Nicaragua
Registered Nurse (RN), School of Nursing Asubiaro, Osogbo.
Registered Midwife (RM), School of Midwifery, Ilorin. (Now College of Nursing and Midwifery)
Registered Public Health Nursing (RPHN), Ogun State College of Health Technology, Ilese (now Ogun state Polytechnic of Health and Allied Sciences, Ilese-Ijebu.
Secondary School Education, Ilorin Grammar School, Ilorin
Primary School Education, Pake L.S.M.B School, Ilorin
Islamic Education, Masan-Kore MAdrazat, Ilorin
She is also a Fellow of the West African Postgraduate College of Nurses and Midwives (FWAPCNM), Fellow of the Royal Society of Public Health (FRSPH, UK), Fellow of the African Institute of Public Health Professionals (FAIPHP), Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Consultants (FCIMC) and Fellow of the Institute of Policy Development and Management (FIPDM), Prof. Musah is also a Chartered Management Consultant (CMC)
Scholarship, Research, and Global Recognition
With over 60 peer-reviewed publications and four authored books, Prof. Musah has contributed significantly to the scientific body of knowledge in community and public health nursing.
Her widely referenced studies explore key areas such as:
Healthcare-Seeking Behavior and Primary Health Care Utilization
Sexual Risk Behavior and HIV/AIDS Prevention among Adolescents
Reflective Journaling in Clinical Nursing Education
mHealth and Digital Interventions in Smoking Cessation
Community Health Vulnerability and Rural Health Assessment
Cancer Research, among others.
Her scholarly works, including “Influence of Reflective Writing on Nursing Students’ Clinical Learning and Practice” and “Perceived quality of life and lifestyle modifications of cancer patients undergoing varied treatments in a tertiary health institution, Nigeria” with “Contextualizing The Cultural Factors Associated with Cancer Care in Nigeria: An Ethnonursing Study” are indexed in global repositories with High impact, among others.
She co-authored the highly acclaimed textbook, “Fundamentals of Public Health Nursing Clinical Practice,” now used widely in the training Public Health Nursing officers in Nigeria.
Curriculum Development and Educational Reform
Beyond her personal scholarship, Professor Musah is one of Nigeria’s most prolific curriculum and program developers in nursing and public health. She has contributed to academic blueprint development for multiple universities, including:
University of Abuja, Nigeria
Kwara State University, Malete
Adeleke University, Ede
Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin
St. Augustine University, Ilara-Epe
Crescent University, Abeokuta
Texila American University
James Lind Institute, Singapore
Global Institute of Nurses, Midwives and Allied Health Professionals (GINMAHP) among others.
Her work has ensured that Nigerian nursing and public health curricula meet international standards and remain responsive to the realities of African health systems.
As the initiator of the Centre for Health Systems Support and Development, University of Abuja, her proposal gained Senate approval and set the stage for a robust postgraduate program in Nursing, Public Health and Allied Health program now serving as a model in Healthcare Institutions in Nigeria.
Mentorship and Professional Development
As a mentor, Prof. Musah’s influence extends across continents. She has supervised and examined postgraduate students in Public Health Nursing at several Nigerian universities and at the University of Central Nicaragua, where she served on the Ph.D. Advisory Committee. She also mentors nursing students at the University of Chester, United Kingdom, guiding them in clinical and ward management.
Through her dedication to staff and student development, she has helped shape the academic and professional trajectories of hundreds of nurses who now hold leadership positions in hospitals, universities, and government health agencies. Her commitment to continuing professional development is further reflected in her role as a facilitator for the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria’s Mandatory Training Programme and as an External Examiner for WAHEB (West African Health Examination Board).
Service, Leadership, and Humanitarian Commitment
Prof. Musah’s passion for service goes beyond the classroom and laboratory. She is the Founder and Director-General of the Khadijat Toyin Musah Foundation (KTM Foundation), a non-governmental organization focused on maternal and child health, cervical and breast cancer prevention, and health literacy in underserved communities (ktmfoundation.org.ng).
Her leadership in Rotary International (District 9126) as a Past Assistant Governor and District Chair on Blood Donation and Maternal & Child Health underscores her dedication to humanitarian service. She is also recognized as a Malaria Ambassador for her tireless advocacy for malaria
Awards and Honours
Professor Musah’s excellence has been recognized with numerous awards and distinctions, including:
Best Nurse of the Year Award, Ogun State Hospital (Ijebu-Ode)
Miss Purit Nurse Award for exemplary care and professionalism
Outstanding Leadership Award – Head of Department, Community Health Science, KWASU
Goodwill Ambassador – African Institute of Public Health Professionals (AIPHP)
Growth Driver Award – My Media Crush Global Services
Distinguished Leadership Award
Professional Career
Professor Musah’s professional odyssey is a story of passion, perseverance, and purposeful impact. Her journey began in the clinical field, where she served with diligence and compassion at Banjo Model Clinic, Ijebu-Ode, FEMTOB Specialist Hospital and later at State Hospital Ijebu Ode (Under Ogun State Hospital Management Board) as a Nurse and Midwife. These early years laid the foundation for her lifelong commitment to the service of humanity and evidence-based healthcare practice.
From Practice to Pedagogy: The Making of a Teacher-Scholar
Her transition from clinical nursing to academia marked the beginning of an illustrious teaching career. Her teaching engagements extended from Ogun State College of Health Technology, Ilese. to several universities across Nigeria, reflecting her versatility and interdisciplinary strength. She served as a Full-Time Lecturer in the Department of Community Health Science, Kwara State University (2015–2022) and rose to the rank of Associate Professor at the University of Abuja.
A Trailblazer in Leadership and Institutional Development
In December 2022, Professor Musah joined the University of Abuja, where her visionary leadership and commitment to institutional growth became evident. She made history as the Pioneer Dean of the Faculty of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences, a role in which she has demonstrated exceptional capacity for innovation, academic mentorship, and faculty development.
Under her stewardship, the Faculty has recorded unprecedented growth in student enrolment, program expansion, and professional collaborations. Her emphasis on curriculum modernization, research ethics, and community-oriented training has positioned the Faculty as a national reference point in nursing and allied health education.
Beyond her deanship, she also serves as the Pioneer Director of the Centre for Health Systems Support and Development (CHSSD) — a research and policy-oriented center that she envisioned as a bridge between academia, policy, and healthcare delivery. The Centre, under her direction, has hosted numerous national and international webinars, faculty research initiatives, and inter-agency collaborations that strengthen Nigeria’s health systems.
Professor Musah’s story is one of determination, intellect, and enduring impact. She continues to exemplify what it means to lead with wisdom, teach with compassion, and serve with integrity. Her work has transcended boundaries influencing policies, reforming curricula, and inspiring a new paradigm of nursing education rooted in excellence and humanity.
In October, 2025, her career reached another historic milestone when she was appointed full Professor of Community-Public Health Nursing, faculty of Nursing Science, Federal University, Otuoke, Bayelsa State making her the first Professor of Nursing from the Ilorin Emirate and the first female Professor of Nursing in Kwara State, Nigeria.
A Legacy of Excellence
Professor Khadijat Toyin Musah stands as a towering figure in African nursing education one whose achievements embody courage, vision, and the transformative power of knowledge. Through her leadership, research, mentorship, and humanitarian work, she continues to redefine what it means to be a scholar in service to humanity.
Her legacy is not only written in curricula and publications but in the lives she has touched and the institutions she has strengthened. As a teacher of teachers and a nurse of nations, her influence will continue to shape the future of nursing, public health, and allied health sciences for generations to come.
References (Selected):
Musah, K.T. (2019). Influence of Reflective Writing on Nursing Students’ Clinical Learning and Practice. Open Access Journal of Nursing.
Musah, K.T., Okueso, G. (2018). Effect of Nursing Intervention on the Utilization of Antenatal Care Services. Texila International Journal of Nursing.
Musah, K.T. (2018). The Use of mHealth in Smoking Cessation Promotion in Nigeria. Open Access Journal of Nursing.
Musah, K.T., & Okueso, G. (2019). Fundamentals of Public Health Nursing Clinical Practice. Ilorin: AIPHP Press.
Daily Trust (2023). After Two PhDs, Three MScs, I Need More – Kwara Female Don.
Dailysource.ng (2024). Opinion: VC Na’Allah’s Footprints Elevating Nursing and Allied Health Sciences to New Heights.
Edugist.org (2024). NUC Praises UNIABUJA Faculty of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences.
Congratulations to a great compatriot and energetic woman. Relax now and enjoy your labour. Good to know of your pedigree.