Follow Us on Google
By Taiwo Babatunde
When Terfa Jude Igba walked across the stage as one of the top graduating students from the Department of Chemistry at the University of Jos, few could have predicted just how far his passion for science would take him.
From the quiet classrooms in Jos, Plateau State to the bustling labs of Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., Terfa’s journey is a story of perseverance, mentorship, and a deep belief in the power of science to serve the public good.
His love for chemistry was sparked early, nurtured in the analytical chemistry lab at UniJos under the guidance of Professor S.J. Salami and Dr. Alexander Edah. There, Terfa began his first research projects, modest in scale, but transformative in purpose.
“They didn’t just teach me chemistry,” he recalls, “they taught me how to think like a scientist — how to ask the right questions, and how to seek answers that matter.”
After graduation, Terfa remained at the University of Jos, contributing as a research and teaching assistant. “I knew I wanted to keep learning, but I also wanted to give back,” he says.
“Mentoring younger students was one of the most rewarding parts of my time there.”
That sense of purpose followed him across continents. Today, Terfa is pursuing a PhD in chemistry at Georgetown University, where he conducts cutting-edge research in the lab of Professor Yuye J. Tong. His focus: applying electrochemistry to the synthesis and design of nanomaterials that could play a role in shaping cleaner, more sustainable energy systems.
“It’s exciting, but it’s also personal,” Terfa says. “When I work on materials that might one day make solar fuels and batteries more viable, or improve energy access in underserved regions, I think about home. I think about what science can do — not just in labs, but in real lives.”
Though he is thousands of miles away from Jos, Terfa credits his roots with shaping his journey. “The foundation I got in Nigeria — the education, the mentorship, the culture of resilience — that’s what carries me forward.”
His story isn’t just about individual success; it’s about the value of long-term investment in education, the power of mentorship, and the promise of global collaboration. As a new generation of Nigerian scholars looks to the world stage, Terfa’s path is proof that excellence can start anywhere — and go everywhere.
