Adieu, Professor Kyari Tijjani

I first met Prof Tijjani in 1987 when I started as a Graduate Assistant in UNIMAID. He joined UNIMAID from ABU around the same period or sometime in 1986. He was appointed the Head of the Department of Political Science and Administration. Many of us became interested in his pronouncements and followed his presentations and […]

I first met Prof Tijjani in 1987 when I started as a Graduate Assistant in UNIMAID. He joined UNIMAID from ABU around the same period or sometime in 1986. He was appointed the Head of the Department of Political Science and Administration. Many of us became interested in his pronouncements and followed his presentations and write ups. Gradually, some of us, even though not in Political Science got involved with him. We followed him to the office as well as his house for academic inspiration and unending lectures in the theories of the Social Sciences and happenings on the Nigerian political landscape.  There was never a boring moment with the late Professor. I found him to be exceptionally verse and theoretically grounded; he was an intellectual mountebank who was the delight of students and a terror to oppressors of any kind. He believed in social justice, respected plurality of ideas and valued freedom for everyone. Throughout his life, Kyari fought tyranny, abhorred corruption and accepted and tolerated everyone irrespective of any discriminate features like religion, ethnicity, etc. He dealt with individuals based on what they are and not what they ought to be.

Professor Tijjani’s academic as well as administrative contributions in and out of the university system are qualitatively enormous. He was one of the few scholars in this country who had the rare privilege of having a double and simultaneous professorial assessment by the ABU Zaria and UNIMAID in the 1980s. On all counts, the assessments turned out positive. He was forever grateful for that recognition.

KT grew out of the challenging FASS tradition in ABU Zaria. He was a contemporary of some of the big names like late Bala Usman in the university. He maintained the tradition of vibrant scholarship that was ideologically based and theoretically grounded while remaining connected to the dynamics of the Nigerian society. He was at various times a visiting scholar in the USA, Germany and Japan and also an active member of several national and international academic bodies.

His last major outing in the University was at the 21st Convocation ceremony of the University early this year when he delivered the University Convocation Lecture and also got honoured as a Professor Emeritus. Though battling with an ailment at the time, Professor Tijjani delivered a very moving lecture on the travails of the Nigerian nation. As if the Senate of the University, he was about to leave, it found him and Professor Njidda Gadzama worthy of being appointed Professor Emeriti. It was indeed a well acclaimed appointment which everyone on the campus commended.

The University of Maiduguri, the academic community and indeed the nation have certainly lost a scholar of immense repute whose contributions would for a long time remain to benefit humanity.  We shall continue to thank Allah, the Almighty for the life of KT and further pray for the repose of his soul. Ya Allah, we also pray that You grant him Aljannah and forever direct the rest of us on the right path.

Professor Pate is of the Department of Mass Communication, University of Maiduguri.