RE: THANK YOU PROF. RASHEED!
Every leader would love to have what I usually call “The Lula Exit.” When Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (who has been called “the most successful politician of his time”) completed his second term as president of Brazil on January 1, 2011, his popularity (or approval rating) was reported to be much higher than when […]
Every leader would love to have what I usually call “The Lula Exit.” When Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (who has been called “the most successful politician of his time”) completed his second term as president of Brazil on January 1, 2011, his popularity (or approval rating) was reported to be much higher than when he was first elected. Not many leaders normally attain that feat; many leaders at the end of their mandates actually become victims of their citizens’ ire. Some even end up at the receiving end of generous but dangerous helpings of missiles such as stones, shoes and pure water sachets on exit days, and on every sighting thereafter.
But it genuinely seems that here at Bayero University, Kano (BUK), Professor Abubakar Adamu Rasheed has executed “The Lula Exit”, turning out to be perhaps more popular than when he came in. This Tuesday, Rasheed finally handed over the mantle of leadership to his generally-accepted worthy successor Professor Muhammad Yahuza Bello. And wherever one went around on the university premises, and whomever one met, Rasheed was, like a Lula, on “Goodbye Banners” and almost on every tongue.
But that, of course, is as should be expected. This is BUK, and Rasheed is to us what Lula is to Brazil. But then, this Column received quite a number of ‘external’ (and a few independently internal) comments from many others who not have been direct beneficiaries of Rasheed’s BUK VCship. Following are a sample:
ENGR. ABUBAKAR AHMED NAHUCHE: I am really impressed with your writing of last Saturday on Prof Rasheed. I fully associate myself with all what you said about the Prof. I was privileged to lead a team of COREN [Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria] to accredit the courses of Faculty of Engineering in BUK about two years ago. This was after I had participated in similar accreditations in other institutions, including the one I graduated from. Ordinarily I would have loved my alma mater to come tops, but I must confess that BUK was far ahead in all the parameters used in the evaluations. Two professors on my team even asked me to allow them to commend Prof. Rasheed on the staff development process in the university. In many institutions, one of the major problems we met during these accreditations processes was overcrowding in classes. In some universities, students in Engineering (not social sciences) were three times the available space. But in BUK the available spaces were more than the students. It takes courage and leadership qualities to achieve this. No wonder even though I graduated from elsewhere and I wish my alma mater to be the best university in Nigeria, I started telling my colleagues and friends to send their children to BUK for Engineering courses. I can say a lot more but I know you have limited space in your column.
ALHAJI SANDA ADAMU TSAFE [SARKIN YAKIN TSAFE]: Greetings My Small Brother. I have never missed your column for all these years. The few (maybe 3-5%) contrary views I hold on some of your ideas do not sway my pride and appreciation of your laudable efforts. Please keep the flag flying. Yours on Professor Rasheed says it all. One thing this dear friend (Prof Rasheed) needs is a slight adjustment in his schedule to include picking up calls and responding to texts from friends (and foes). This is an area in which he is a chronic F9ner. But, all the same, this is wishing him all the best. This is also wishing YOU the fulfilment of “Orlando’s” prophecy.
DR. TIJJANI MUHAMMAD NANIYA [MY 1976 HISTORY “TEACHER”]: Salam. Very well said on our brother and colleague Prof Rasheed. He deserves more than that. But I was amazed that you did remember who were with Rasheed all those decades ago at SAS! And your compliments on me? What a eulogy. Am I really worth it? I am truly elated and remain indebted and grateful to you for making such worthy reference to my humble self. Only Allah could reward you for this, and I supplicate Him to increase His wisdom in you and raise your status to the notice of all and sundry, and above all to grant you Jannatul Firdaus.
HON. IBRAHIM GARBA: As usual, I never miss your Saturday Column. In your tribute to Prof Rasheed last weekend, I became highly interested in the matter of the decrease in the number of university student intake so to be commensurate with human and physical facilities. Please do all you and others can do to draw the attention of President Buhari to this case of classic irony – more students wanting to get in, but human and physical infrastructure won’t let them enrol. And as for your ‘greener’ pastures where you grazed when you were away from the university, I know quite a few that you haven’t mentioned…IN FADA? [Should I mention them?]
MALLAM ABUBAKAR IDRIS BIRNIN KEBBI: Salam. May your pen never cease to impact positively on us all. Read and digested your ‘Thank you Prof. Rasheed’. Very humorous as usual! You are also a “Columnist Extraordinaire!”
IBRAHIM MOHAMMED SHEME [RASHEED’S STUDENT AT BUK AND WORK COLLEAGUE AT NEW NIGERIAN NEWSPAPER]: That was a very scintillating and illuminating tribute to Prof. Rasheed. The only thing missing from it is an exposition of his character which I will in a nutshell describe as humility and kindness to all in spite of his gargantuan accomplishments.
RABI’U INUWA IBRAHIM: Very good! May Allah increase your knowledge, amin. Just a little reminder on university meal ticket prices back in 1977; it was fifty kobo for the whole day! Ten kobo for breakfast, twenty kobo each for lunch and dinner. Perhaps you were in VIP Cafeteria!
BARRISTER ABUBAKAR SANI: Your hagiography on the immediate past VC of BUK in last Saturday’s Daily Trust newspaper was one of your best in recent times. It was simply engrossing, interesting, highly readable and, yet, objective. But for its brevity, it could easily have passed for a biography of sorts. In my opinion, the good Prof. owes you a debt of gratitude for the obvious goodwill which inspired such a superb piece of PR work. Few professional PR practitioners, in my view, could have done better. Keep it up.
DR. ABDUL’AZIZ LABO MAHUTA [UROLOGIST, A BAKATSINE AND SELF-CONFESSED MEMBER OF THE ‘GALADINCI’ DYNASTY OF KATSINA STATE]: Assalamu Alaikum! Well done on Prof. Rasheed. But when will you Kanawa [people of Kano], ever speak Hausa correctly? Going through your article, I came across a word I have been wanting to ask you Kano people about, and I said to myself what better person to ask than you. The word is “GALADANCI”. You see, I have always wanted to ask you people why you pronounce and write this word as above (as you wrote in your article) as against the correct term GALADINCI, the way we Katsinawa pronounce and write it. At first it may seem petty or irrelevant, but I feel if you pronounce it as such, then you should address your GALADIMA as GALADAMA. I feel GALADINCI should go with GALADIMA and not GALADANCI and then GALADIMA. Sir, what is your take on this, please?
(My take on this? You are lucky, Labo, that I am NOT a member of the GALADANCI “Dynasty” of Kano, if there was one. You see, I was born in DARMA Quarters deep in the Old City, which I understand you also have a “copy” in Katsina, like you have GALADINCI. As for which between ‘Danci and ‘Dinci is correct, I am sending your email to my good friend and BUK colleague Dr. Bashir GALADANCI to take you up on it. – COLUMNIST)