Staffer Graduates Cum Laude

BY: .

UKZN Masters student, Mr Abdulbaqi Badru, graduated cum laude at the University’s 2018 Spring Graduation ceremonies. 

Badru, who is currently working at the University as an IT Support Consultant, received his Master of Commerce (cum laude) in Information Systems and Technology.

Titled: Managing IT Outsourcing (ITO) Risks: The Case of Large Organisations in South Africa, Badru’s study investigated how large organisations manage the risks of outsourcing IT functions to third-party organisations and develop an ITO risk management framework. He emphasised the importance of constituting a risk committee to manage the process of ITO. ‘This committee must conduct due diligence in selecting the appropriate ITSP and integrate risk governance and assurance policies in their ITO risk management strategy to continuously monitor residual risks,’ he said.

Originally from Lagos State in Nigeria, Badru said he was excited to graduate cum laude. This joy was however bitter sweet as his father passed away shortly after he submitted his dissertation.

He thanked Almighty Allah; his family and his girlfriend; supervisor, Mr Nurudeen Ajayi and his family; as well as UKZN’s Dr Reshma Subbaye (now Director at MUT); Dr Rubby Dhunpath and Professor Michael Samuel. ‘A very big thank you to my mother who came all the way from Nigeria to be at my graduation. She is an inspiring woman who believes in me and worked hard to make sure my siblings and I received the best education we had access to,’ he said. He also paid tribute to the Nigerian Muslim community in Pietermaritzburg and Durban, his badminton friends as well as colleagues at the University Teaching and Learning Office. ‘My appreciation also goes to UKZN and ISACA for covering my fees in the first and second year of my study,’ he added.

Badru, an avid badminton player, is a member of the University’s Badminton club and represented UKZN at the USSA Badminton 2016 and 2017 as a player and at the 2018 edition as a manager. He was selected as one of UKZN’s 40 most inspiring students in 2017. ‘Never say never as you can be whatever you dream of’, he said to other students.

Words: Raylene Captain-Hasthibeer 

Photograph: Rogan Ward