‘I wanted to be a postman or driver as a kid’

Weekly Trust: Could you briefly tell us about your biography? Professor Nuhu Yaqub: I was born in Okene on 3rd March, 1951 to the late Alhaji Yaqub and Hajiya Aishatu Yaqub. We are three in number from my mother and all of us were boys, though we are now men. My elder brother is a […]

Weekly Trust: Could you briefly tell us about your biography?

Professor Nuhu Yaqub: I was born in Okene on 3rd March, 1951 to the late Alhaji Yaqub and Hajiya Aishatu Yaqub. We are three in number from my mother and all of us were boys, though we are now men. My elder brother is a small business man at home, me, an academic and my younger brother is a magistrate. My mother also had five female kids who never survived beyond childhood.

I grew up playing the role of both a boy and a girl for my mother, because I stayed longer with her than my other brothers, but it was quite an interesting experience. Shortly after I was big enough, my father sent me to a Qur’anic school. I completed reading the Qur’an by 1963. I was the first in my family to do so and it gives me a lot of joy. Over the years, especially after I went to secondary school where I did Arabic, I now understand what Allah asked us to do and I strive to do it to the letter.

I completed reading the Qur’an before I left primary school. We were the pioneer pupil of Nurul Islam Primary School in Okene in 1961. I was there up to 1967. Okene was like a rural setting then. The changes that have taken place now are quite tremendous. I remember then that we used to go to school barefooted. As pioneers in the primary school, we were studying and at the same time constructing the school through direct labour.

That experience greatly shaped my life. It made me to cherish the dignity of labour. I never looked down on any job as too demeaning. In fact, while I was overseas for my postgraduate studies, anytime I got cash-strapped, I worked instead of begging. I did domestic chores for my mother and followed my uncle to the farm.

My mother really wanted a female child. She prayed and prayed but Allah never gave her one that survived. Today, I’m very loving to her. I carry her on my lap and pet her. She is very old now at 90 years.

After my first degree, I went back to Okene where the old Kwara State appointed me a teacher at Lennon Memorial College. I was there for about a year before I got appointment as a graduate assistant at the then University of Sokoto, which later changed to Usmanu Danfodio University (UDUS). I was there up to the time I came to University of Abuja as Vice Chancellor.

While at UDUS, the university was kind enough to send me for my MA at University of Toronto, Canada. I got federal government scholarship to go to University of Sussex, England where I did my PhD in 1989. I rose steadily to the rank of a Professor in 1998. At a point, I was Head, Dept. of Political Science. Later, I became the Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences and coordinator of four faculties under me because we ran a collegiate system. From 1999, I was made Deputy Vice Chancellor for four years before I came to Abuja as VC.

Do you have any childhood memory that you can recollect?

Yaqub: I told you earlier that I was sometimes very rascally. I would not want to do chores for my mother, but I feared my father because he didn’t spare the rod. One day, my mother asked me to assist her in the kitchen and I refused. Not only did I throw a stone at her pot and the soup poured away, I ran away from the house. When my father got back home, she reported me to him. My father went round the neighbourhood and caught me red-handed. He beat and took me straight to the Qur’an school, so that I could also be punished, but before he could drag me across the road to the school, I escaped.

He calculated that I might still go home later to look for food since I had not eaten lunch. He laid an ambush for me. He beat me again and took me to the Qur’an school. I never forgot that episode. The other childhood memory I have, especially in terms of aspiration, has to do with my ambition. My generation had little ambition. Okene then had only two secondary schools.

As a child, I wanted to work as a clerk in the post office because I was fascinated with the picture of the postman. The other thing I wanted to do was to be a chauffeur. I also got fascinated with chauffeurs driving First Republic politicians like Sar’dauna, Sir Tafawa Balewa, Azikiwe and Awolowo, especially during campaigns whenever they visited Okene. I felt that they were neat and cool. I wanted to be a driver to the Prime Minster.

Do you have any role model?

Yaqub: When I was a child, my role model was my father. This was a man who was full of respect for elders and learned people. He respected malams. As I grew up, I came to admire Sar’dauna and Sir Tafawa Balewa. These were personalities who gave their lives for service of the nation. Among the soldiers who ruled the country, Murtala was my role model. He was bold, courageous and very frank to a fault. All these leaders affected my leadership disposition, especially Murtala when I had the opportunity of leading people.

I feel that a good leader should be courageous, steadfast and incorruptible. He should be able to tell anybody off especially if they’re doing the wrong thing. I come from a very courageous family. Somebody once remarked that I’m fearless and courageous. I told him that I took after my uncle who once fought three men and beat all of them flat.

Why the academics?

Yaqub: Teaching is in my blood. It is a passion. When I was in primary school, I used to gather my mates and teach them. Even before I went to the university, I made up my mind that I would end up in the academics. As a trained teacher, I know that teaching is the noblest job anyone should do.

In fact, I recommend teaching to female children. It will enable them to know how to bring up not only their children but the children of others. I thank Allah I’ve never regretted choosing the teaching profession. As I’m talking to you now, I have gone back to the classroom immediately after my tenure as VC.

What was the highest point of your tenure as VC of University of Abuja?

Yaqub: There were harvests of high points during my tenure. First, I came and increased the academic profile of the University of Abuja. That is a plus, because the courses I introduced were science-based. The people of science background were overwhelmed. All my predecessors were science-based people and they never took the courage to introduce these science courses.

Coming from my background as a social scientist, I think I made a remarkable contribution to the development of that university. The next high point for me is that the programmes attracted scholars of international repute to the university. These reputable scholars made my day, because they left their comfort zones for Abuja at a period when accommodations were being monetised. They struggled to get their own accommodation before the university settled their rent. I pay tribute to them because they made my day. That was one of my happiest moments as VC.

These respected scholars have raised the academic tone of the university. I was also very happy that there were professors from other universities who on account of knowing that I was the VC of UniAbuja decided to follow me to Abuja. They are also making their mark. I think the final high point was the fact that I was able to move the university to its permanent site. The university existed for over 20 years on a plot that was initially a primary school.

What then were the low points of your tenure?

Yaqub: One of the low points was the battle I had with cultists. In fact, it pained me that I had to dismiss students. I had no option because the students actually violated the oath they took as students that they were no going to create problem on the campus. When it got to that point, I felt that the system must be preserved and we flushed them out.

I was also not happy that I relieved some staff of their job. Again, it is because they violated the ethics of their profession. One of them was asked to go on account of plagiarism.