Professor Nuhu Yaqub: The exceptional vice chancellor

I write as a pioneer academic staff of the University of Abuja who worked with six vice chancellors till 2020, the year I retired. Professor Nuhu Yaqub, OFR, was a quintessential, exemplary and exceptional vice chancellor of the university. Although he was the third substantive vice chancellor, he could be described as the pathfinder to […]

I write as a pioneer academic staff of the University of Abuja who worked with six vice chancellors till 2020, the year I retired.

Professor Nuhu Yaqub, OFR, was a quintessential, exemplary and exceptional vice chancellor of the university. Although he was the third substantive vice chancellor, he could be described as the pathfinder to the true essence of that university. He came to UniAbuja as a thoroughbred professional, committed, versatile and authentic university administrator without any ulterior pecuniary motives.

The news of his death hit me with a benumbing disbelief. That is because many renowned public figures have been subjects of unfounded obituaries in this country. Therefore, I received the news with some grave reservation. Alas, the sad news turned out to be true in spite of my desperate wish.

Before Professor Yaqub came to UniAbuja, the university was enmeshed in a brutal debilitating crisis, which started within the first three years of its foundation. The crisis, which dragged for almost six years, had been triggered by gross anti-intellectual policies, worsened by bizarre administrative lawlessness alien to university tradition and culture. Indeed, at a point in its beleaguered history, the university was unable to properly and timorously account for the TetFund money meant for its physical development. It was against this background that Prof Yaqub assumed office as its vice chancellor, latching onto the incipient normalcy provided by Gambo Laraba’s administration.

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As soon as he took over, he changed the erstwhile drab colour of the university administration to one of admirable technicolor. He had charisma, panache and transparent moral decency. He was vivacious, open, friendly and quite accessible to all staff.

Prof Yaqub is gone, but his monumental legacies in the University of Abuja remain unassailable, just as his contributions in the world of scholarship stand tall and indelible.

Built around his personality was a manifest aura of dignity and respect. A deeply religious man, he bore no mark of fanaticism or exhibitionism. He constantly displayed a recognisable demeanor of humility and humaneness to all and sundry, in and out of office. He was not only large-hearted, but also light-hearted, especially among his friends and colleagues. His innate generosity could be stunning and jaw-dropping. He once shocked the entire members of his management when he was paid his arrears of the upgraded emoluments for vice chancellors. At the end of the management meeting that day, he brought out N1 million in cash to be shared among his management staff. This notwithstanding, he was financially shrewd and righteous, confident of his financial and moral integrity.

On matters of corruption, he was an intolerant gladiator, who indeed established a centre for corruption studies in the university. Prof Yaqub never ceased to publicly challenge contactors to disrobe him if he ever made any demand from any of them at anytime. His administration contributed a voluminous chapter to the history of the University of Abuja. I dare say that of the six vice chancellors that held sway until my retirement, Prof Yaqub prominently stood out in terms of vision, foresight and leadership. He allowed the power of his example to exceed the authority of his rank (apology to Pauline H. Peter).

Another major but subtle attribute of Prof Yaqub’s administration was its humanitarian and welfarist disposition. At critical times, he had shown uncommon empathy to some of his staff facing grave or desperate family health challenges, including assisting them to travel abroad for treatment.

As a scholar, Prof Yaqub virtually traversed the entire universe attending conferences, delivering lectures, participating in workshops and consulting at different local and international fora. He had published very widely in local and international journals of high impact.

His achievements at the University of Abuja speak for themselves. They include significant improvement in the quantity and quality of staff, multiple accreditations of courses, establishment of four new faculties (Agriculture, Medicine, Engineering and Vet Medicine). He also created some institutes, notably the Institute of Corruption Studies. He signed a number of Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) with some foreign universities and established the university press. He also secured an operating license for UniAbuja Excellence Radio. Other achievements include two new hotels, and the initiation of periodic stakeholders meeting in the university. Furthermore, at his instance, inaugural lectures became a regular feature of UniAbuja Academic life. He crowned it all by moving the university to its permanent site.

Finally, Prof Yaqub displayed a huge sense of history and a discerning sensitivity to its potential consequences. That alone must have driven his spectacular achievements and uncompromising abhorrence of corruption in his personal and official life. His administration lacked the pompous gubernatorial razzmatazz of ego-tripping that characterised some UniAbuja’s vice chancellor’s tenure.

Speaking on man’s happiness on earth, Shakespeare advised that no man should claim to be happy unless he carries his happiness to the grave. All the ideational and material indices pertaining to Prof Nuhu Yaqub’s life and time speak of his success, accomplishments and happiness in life. He was among those who carried their happiness to the grave. He did not deserve to die now, for the country still needs his ilk in our national life. But our lives and times are in God’s hands. May his noble soul rest in heavenly bliss.

Adieu, my boss and friend.

A great soul you were.

Prof. Omole, former Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Admin), University of Abuja,

wrote from Ilorin.