Education

By Muhd El-Bonga Ibraheem

Founded in 2022 as the first private university in Gombe State, North-Eastern University has rapidly emerged as one of the most ambitious and forward-looking institutions in Northern Nigeria. The university was established to bridge several educational gaps, and since its inception, it has continued to grow from strength to strength across nearly all facets of academic and institutional development. 

In barely a few years, the university has distinguished itself through academic excellence, infrastructural expansion, research, technological innovation, and professional accreditation, positioning Gombe State as an emerging hub for higher education and specialised professional training.

Most notably among its many milestones, the university recently recorded a landmark achievement with the successful securing of full accreditation for its Architecture programme by the Architects Registration Council of Nigeria (ARCON). This accreditation confirms that the programme meets the national professional standards for architectural education in Nigeria and enables graduates to proceed toward professional registration as architects. More significantly, North-Eastern University, Gombe, following my recent interaction with its Deputy Vice Chancellor—my brother, Prof. Sani Isyaka—is currently the only university in the entire North East region with full ARCON accreditation, and one of only three universities in northern Nigeria to possess this distinction. This milestone places both the institution and Gombe State at the forefront of architectural education and built-environment training in the region.

Additionally, although still in its fledgling stage, the university has demonstrated an admirable pace of growth and institutional development. For instance, it was the first among the newly licensed private universities to commence academic activities in the 2022/2023 academic session and quickly became the first institution to fully implement the National Universities Commission’s Core Curriculum and Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS). This magnificent feat subsequently earned the university a Gold Medal for successfully completing all CCMAS development stages within its first year of operation, alongside a distinction rating in the NUC’s Virtual Institute for Capacity Building in Higher Education trainings.

Today, thanks to persistent efforts, the university runs 27 undergraduate programmes across four faculties, 16 departments, 7 directorates, 1 academy, and 2 centres, all approved by the National Universities Commission (NUC). Over the years, the young university has witnessed an exponential rise in enrolment, with its diverse student population across many strata of society growing rapidly to about 2,000 undergraduates, making it one of the fastest-growing private universities in the North East sub-region. To accommodate these growing numbers, the university recently passed a resource verification exercise by the NUC for the creation of new, highly sought-after undergraduate programs in Artificial Intelligence and Information Systems, as well as a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm D).

What particularly sets the institution apart is its investment in research and specialised facilities. Recently, the university established the Centre for African Medicinal Plants Research, equipped with advanced laboratories dedicated to natural products research, microbiology, synthesis, and pharmaceutical formulation. It also houses specialised scientific facilities rarely found in many universities across the country.

Given the pervasive rise in technology integration, especially in the post-COVID-19 era, the institution has equally prioritised technology-driven learning and global academic engagement. Through its CISCO Academy and the adoption of the Octopus Learning Management System, the university has embraced blended learning supported by several online learning platforms. It has also established research and academic collaborations with globally recognised institutions, including the University of Surrey, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, and several others across Africa and beyond.

As a mark of excellence, following several tours whenever I visit the school, the university equally boasts of fully furnished lecture halls, auditoria, solar-powered electricity, science laboratories, Mass Communication studios, an Architecture studio, Moot Court facilities, modern hostels, ICT centres, and the state-of-the-art Justice Abubakar Jauro Law Library. Nonetheless, ongoing campus expansion projects, beautification initiatives, and student-friendly facilities further reinforce its commitment to creating a modern academic environment.

In many respects, the rise of North-Eastern University symbolises the growing educational and intellectual aspirations of the North East sub-region. Through strategic investment in quality education, research, infrastructure, and professional standards, the university is increasingly building a reputation as one of Nigeria’s emerging centres of academic excellence. 

With the massive development the university has experienced in virtually all dimensions over the past few years, amid sustained momentum of outstanding achievements, the university aims to achieve the founder’s long-term vision of becoming one of the best universities in Nigeria within the next 10 to 15 years.

El-Bonga can be reached via miabba40@gmail.com. 

By Prof. Abdelghaffar Amoka

I know Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK), to some extent. In fact, part of the reason I submitted a sabbatical application there in 2024 was to get to know the university better, though I did not receive a response.

From what I know, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, is one of the fastest-growing universities in Nigeria. I have friends there. I also have very close associates pursuing their PhDs there, and they are doing very well.

A major reason for the university’s steady rise is something many people do not talk about enough: since its creation, successive governors of the state have largely allowed the university’s administration to breathe. That kind of non-interference matters. Universities grow when politics does not sit permanently on the neck of scholarship.

Its proximity to Abuja also gives it an undeniable advantage. Patronage from the capital is high. In fact, from some parts of Abuja, NSUK is easier to reach than the University of Abuja. 

Now to the uncomfortable part.

The graduation of a very large number of PhD candidates naturally raises questions. It should. In a country where too many people now chase titles over scholarship, any university that produces large numbers of doctoral graduates will attract scrutiny. That scrutiny should not be treated as hostility.

Every university has strong PhDs and weak PhDs. That is the truth. No institution is automatically exempt. Personally, I have not yet encountered a weak PhD graduate from NSUK, which is why I did not rush to join the noise.

But let us be honest with ourselves: when academics raise questions about standards, it should not be dismissed as envy, malice, or institutional rivalry. It should be seen for what it ought to be — a call to tighten the loose nuts before the system becomes attractive to those looking for the cheapest possible route to a title.

There is no doubt that we are a people that is in love with titles. That is why you will see an HND holder who is a political appointee with a name and titles like Chief Dr Hajiya XXXX. But with the recent decision of the Federal Executive Council on the misuse of the Dr title by honorary doctorate awardees and the prohibition of awarding honorary doctorates to serving political officeholders, the quest for the cheapest possible route to a PhD for the Dr title will increase. Meanwhile, the integrity of these degrees is in our hands. 

As academics, the university system is our immediate constituency. For decades, academics have fought governments to prevent the collapse of Nigerian universities. It would be a tragic contradiction if we were now to become participants in the internal erosion of the very system we once defended against external destruction.

Our degrees must mean something. Our universities must remain places where scholarship is earned, not merely awarded. Whether we admit it or not, the quality of our young people in the future is being shaped in our lecture rooms, laboratories, and supervision meetings.

By Muhammad Umar Shehu

Education has long been seen as the backbone of national progress. Any country that hopes to compete in the modern world must invest in an education system that prepares its young people with relevant knowledge and practical skills. Yet the situation in Nigeria today shows a worrying gap between what students learn in school and what the realities of the 21st century require.

For many years, the country’s curriculum has remained largely theoretical and disconnected from real life. Students spend long hours memorising information for examinations, but many graduate without the ability to apply what they have learned to real-world problems. Certificates are awarded, but practical competence often remains weak. This situation raises serious questions about the direction of the education system.

One major issue is the outdated nature of many academic programs. While the global economy is rapidly shifting toward technology, innovation, and knowledge-based industries, a large portion of Nigeria’s curriculum still reflects ideas and priorities from decades ago. Digital literacy, modern research methods, and emerging technologies are not sufficiently integrated into many learning programs. As a result, Nigerian graduates often struggle to compete in an increasingly digital world.

Another concern is the weak connection between education and the labour market. Universities and other higher institutions frequently design courses without strong collaboration with industries that will eventually employ their graduates. Employers complain about a lack of practical skills, while graduates face rising unemployment despite years of schooling. This mismatch highlights the urgent need to align academic learning with real economic needs.

Infrastructure problems further complicate the situation. Across many parts of the country, schools operate with overcrowded classrooms, outdated laboratories, and limited learning materials. Teachers often do their best under difficult circumstances, but without adequate support, their efforts cannot produce the level of transformation the country needs. When the learning environment itself is weak, even the most dedicated educators struggle to deliver quality outcomes.

Reforming the curriculum is therefore not simply an academic debate. It is a national necessity. Education must move beyond rote memorisation and focus more on critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving. Students should be encouraged to explore ideas, question assumptions, and develop solutions to real challenges within their communities.

Technical and vocational education must also receive greater attention. For too long, society has treated vocational training as a lesser option compared to traditional academic degrees. Yet many developed economies thrive because they place a strong value on technical skills and practical training. If Nigeria hopes to reduce unemployment and stimulate economic growth, it must elevate the status of vocational education.

Entrepreneurship education is another area that deserves serious attention. Rather than preparing students only to search for jobs, schools should equip them with the knowledge and confidence to create their own opportunities. Basic business education, financial literacy, and innovation training can help young people develop the mindset needed to build sustainable ventures.

Teachers must also be central to any reform effort. No education system can rise above the quality of its teachers. Continuous training, improved working conditions, and access to modern teaching resources will empower educators to guide students more effectively. When teachers are supported, the entire learning process improves.

Ultimately, meaningful reform requires collaboration. Policymakers, educators, researchers, industry leaders, and communities must work together to rethink the priorities of the education system. A curriculum designed with broad consultation will be better equipped to respond to national development goals and global realities.

Nigeria has one of the largest youth populations in the world. This demographic strength could become a powerful driver of development if the right investments are made in education. However, if the system continues to produce graduates who are not adequately prepared for the future, the country risks missing a critical opportunity.

Reforming the curriculum will not solve every challenge overnight, but it represents an important step toward building a more dynamic and productive society. Preparing young Nigerians for the demands of the modern world is not just an educational responsibility. It is a national imperative.

Muhammad Umar Shehu wrote from Gombe and can be reached via umarmuhammadshehu2@gmail.com.

By Aiman Fodio

As a concerned rank-and-file student at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), let me say this. Look around this group. We are on different levels: some have been here for nearly a decade, some for five years, some for six. It is a whole spectrum of experience. But I want you to pause and ask yourself one question: What have you observed about student leadership over your time here?

Aren’t these complaints we are lodging day in, day out, the same old tunes we have grown familiar with? What tangible change have you witnessed across the number of administrations you have seen come and go? The script, sadly, never changes. The concerns are always the same: school fees increment, access to accommodations, and, just recently, the NELFUND refund joined the party. And let’s not forget the usual guest stars—water and light issues—making their regular appearance.

The most painful part? The approach to these problems remains the same every time, so much so that you could write the Students’ Union Government’s response in your sleep. “We are in dialogue with management.” “We implore students to remain calm.” “We are aware of your plight.” It is a tired liturgy. But let us be fair—exempt that issue of protest. The real tragedy is that the SUG is often not given proper regard by the management. An SUG President will struggle to secure a simple appointment with the VC. If a concession will not work out, then… wallahi, this daily complaint cycle will never work out. Nothing will change.

This is precisely why people like me, who once stood a chance, withdrew our interest from the beginning. I speak from the inside: from my time in Gamji Memorial Club to serving as a serial senator, Chief Whip, and even Deputy Senate President in the SUG Parliament. I’ve seen the engine room. I have been asked so many times by those who saw this trajectory. “Why not run for SUG President?” They ask. The answer is these limits and the remote control. They make you lose interest because you know, no matter your passion or plan, you will ultimately fail those who gave you their loyalty and support. The structure is designed to frustrate genuine agency.

Why do our student leaders fail? Or, rather, why does the system ensure they cannot succeed? Both questions are intertwined. Off the top of my head, I can identify at least three (out of one hundred) reasons. One, a leadership selection process based on popularity and empty promises, not pragmatic skill. Two, a university management structure that sees student leadership as a necessary nuisance to be managed, not a partner in welfare. Three, the domination of the SUG space by the politically ambitious, rather than the service-oriented.

In this matter, I will dwell on the first: our own role as students in choosing the wrong pilots. It could be emotional: we vote for the most charismatic orator, the one who throws the biggest parties, the one with the slickest posters. It could be tribal: we vote based on faculty, department, or state of origin. It could also be a result of a poor understanding of the depth of the challenges ahead. We set our leaders up for a verdict of failure from the campaign period onward. We want them to fix in one semester what has been broken for a decade, and when they cannot perform magic, we brand them as sell-outs.

I have been there before. In my first year, I was a staunch supporter of a particular SUG presidential candidate. He spoke like Fela, promised like Obama, and had a slogan that was on everyone’s lips. Upon visiting our hostel to campaign, he was wowed by our living conditions. He said if a student could live like this, then he had his work cut out for him. I started promoting him as the leader who would finally make management listen. At the time, I saw management’s deaf ear as our only problem. I did not take kindly to any criticism of my candidate. But less than three months into his administration, I had turned to his critic. It was a case of disappointed love.

For one, I couldn’t stand some of his executives. I said if this man really wanted to fight for us, as he staunchly promised in his manifesto, some persons should not have been in his cabinet. When he started talking about “understanding management’s constraints,” I was incensed. All my life as a student, I had argued that students, being the reason the university exists, should enjoy basic dignity. I refused to evaluate or accept any administrative arguments. I concluded he had been compromised, as I was more interested in the militant implications. Meanwhile, our water situation got worse. I held him liable for failing to lead a strong protest as he had promised during his campaign.

That was how our dear messiah began to unravel. Ahead of the next election, I had found another messiah in a final-year student known for his fearless critiques of management on social media. I said this was the fighter we needed! By then, I was already in the parliament, seeing the gap between fiery speeches on the floor and actual results from the executive. I remember arguing for him in a hostel lounge. My friend, who was in the School of Environmental Technology, called to ask me, jokingly: “So how much did he pay you for this?” With that candidate’s dream going nowhere, I gave up on my search for a student messiah. Instead, I started thinking: “Let’s make do with what we have.”

That was why, when the next candidate was being marketed as the “bridge-builder” and “technocrat,” I was calm. I had become a realist. My worldview had evolved. Even later, as Chairman of the Bauchi Axis for NAUS, I saw how student politics at every level face the same structural walls. I had looked deeply at ATBU’s power dynamics and its complications. I said this candidate, relatively connected, would only try, but not much would change. The water problem he inherited only worsened as more hostels were built. Rather than face this common threat, the SUG and management resorted to politicking and finger-pointing. Meanwhile, frustration grabbed us by the neck, but only the SUG President carried the blame.

As we later saw, all the politicking was geared towards securing a peaceful tenure and a good recommendation letter from management. The cycle continued. That is how overmarketing begins again every election. People who previously abused and rejected a candidate become pilots of their campaign, creating fables and fantasies. I am so worried for the next set that I will say this: God help the next SUG President if, by their second semester, hostels still lack water; if the electricity is more off than on; if the NELFUND issue is still unresolved; and if accommodation is still a blood sport. They won’t find it funny!

Let me be very clear: there is nothing wrong with having expectations. In fact, to expect nothing will be a tragedy. However, ATBU will not change overnight—no matter what any SUG candidate promises, or how their supporters sell them. The management structure is rigid. We can’t reduce fees or increase water supply within the twinkling of an eye. Many good things take time and persistent, intelligent pressure. We don’t need to be deceived, or to deceive ourselves, at election times.

What then? We need to temper our pre-election expectations and sharpen our post-election engagement. We need to vote for the gritty pragmatist with a three-point welfare plan (Water. Light. Health.) over the flamboyant orator with a 50-page manifesto. We must look out for signs of diligent pressure and creative advocacy to avoid concluding within a month that a leader has failed. A President who fails to secure a fee reduction but installs and maintains 10 new boreholes has not failed entirely. Selling every candidate as a messiah is the issue, but even if they were the messiah, could they succeed in this system? That is the question.

But we must also demand that management stop seeing the SUG as a kindergarten government. A student leader who must beg for three weeks to see the VC is set up for ridicule and failure. Until that relationship is recalibrated into one of respectful engagement, we will remain here, singing the same songs of lament. It is all politics—and, sadly, politics in which the most important voters, the students, often empower the very system that frustrates them.

AND FOUR OTHER THINGS…

THE CV CANDIDATE

We must be wary of the candidate whose entire campaign seems designed to add a glossy line to their CV. You can spot them by their focus on “organising flagship events” and “international partnerships” while being vague on hostel water pressure. Their tenure is often a series of photo-ops with management, culminating in a glowing reference letter while the student’s condition remains unchanged. Ambition.

THE QUIET LOBBYIST

Conversely, let us not discount the quiet lobbyist. The one who may not be great on Twitter but is always in the Dean’s office, presenting costed proposals for water tankers or negotiating small but real wins on exam deadlines. This approach lacks drama and doesn’t fuel the “activist” brand, but it sometimes yields the only tangible results we see. Pragmatism.

MANAGEMENT’S BLIND SPOT

The university management often forgets that a frustrated, disrespected student body is a tinderbox. By neutering the SUG and denying it genuine agency, they create an environment in which peaceful channels are seen as useless, making spontaneous, unmanageable unrest more likely. It is a profound failure of strategic thinking. Shortsighted.

OUR COLLECTIVE AMNESIA

Finally, we, the students, suffer from collective amnesia. Every new election cycle, we get swept up in new promises and forget the lessons of the past three administrations. We refuse to hold candidates to their predecessor’s failed promises. Until we develop an institutional memory and vote based on record and realistic plans, we will be forever disappointed. Cycle.

Aiman Fodio is the former Executive Chairman of the National Association of University Students (NAUS) Bauchi Axis and a serial legislator during his time in ATBU Unionism. He is currently a final year student of ATBU.

By Hadiza Abdulkadir

The Federal Government of Nigeria has barred recipients of honorary degrees from using the “Dr.” prefix in official and professional settings, warning that violations could amount to academic fraud.

Announcing the decision after a meeting of the Federal Executive Council, Education Minister Tunji Alausa said the move is aimed at curbing the abuse and politicisation of academic titles.

Mr Alausa further clarified that only holders of earned doctorates or qualified medical professionals may use the title, while honorary awardees must instead adopt post-nominal forms such as D.Sc. (Honoris Causa).

The National Universities Commission has also introduced stricter rules, limiting institutions to three honorary awards per convocation, requiring prior approval, and banning awards to serving public officials.

The reforms follow an investigation that uncovered 32 illegal “degree mills” selling fake titles, as authorities seek to restore credibility to Nigeria’s academic system.

By Ibrahim Aliyu Gurin

There are lectures you attend and forget, and there are those that stay with you and encourage you to rethink familiar ideas. The 59th Inaugural Lecture at Bayero University Kano belonged firmly to the latter.

The BUK’s 59th Inaugural lecture delivered by Adamu Idris Tanko, FRGS, FANG, a Professor of Geography at Bayero University Kano, titled: “One World, Different Nations… and the Many Lessons to Learn,” offered a simple but powerful message: development is more than economic growth.

From the beginning, Professor Tanko explained that development is not a fixed goal. Instead, it is a continuous process that changes over time and across places. What progress looks like in one country may be very different from what it looks like in another.

In the past, development was mostly about economic growth, meaning how much a country produced and earned. However, over time, this idea expanded. Attention shifted to education, healthcare, housing, and later to environmental sustainability and quality of life.

Today, we can agree that growth alone is not enough. This is clearly shown in global tools such as the Human Development Index (HDI), developed by the United Nations Development Programme, which assesses health, education, and living standards. In the same way, economist Amartya Sen argues that development should be about improving people’s freedom and opportunities.

However, the lecture also showed that even these measures do not always tell the full story. A country can grow economically while many people remain poor. In other words, growth does not always improve everyday life.

This is why geography matters. Development is not the same everywhere. In richer countries, people may focus on better living conditions and environmental quality. But in poorer regions, the main concerns are still basic needs like food, shelter, and healthcare.

While the difference is visible in Sub-Saharan Africa, the region, including Nigeria, has great potential, especially because of its young population. At the same time, it faces serious challenges, including weak infrastructure, inequality, and climate-related problems.

Additionally, even where progress is visible, it does not reach everyone equally. Improvements in health or education can easily be affected by economic problems or conflict. As a result, development is often slow and uncertain.

One of the most important parts of the lecture focused on youth. As the lecturer noted, “our estimates suggest that over 60 per cent of the population in Nigeria is youth and under the age of 35.” This, in itself, should be a major advantage. However, many young people still struggle to find jobs after school, and their skills and energy are often underutilised. This creates a bigger problem because they must eat, and when legitimate means are unavailable, they find their own ways. In most cases, their formal and non-formal ways may not be legitimate and often lead to criminality, and this is not just about unemployment—it is about wasted potential.

To address this, the lecture called for new approaches. These include improving technical education, supporting entrepreneurship, and expanding digital skills. It also stressed the importance of the service sector in creating opportunities.

Interestingly, Professor Tanko also spoke about the role of sports. At first, it may sound a bit unusual, but when you think about it, it actually makes sense. In places like Kano, you see young people every day on open fields and street corners, playing football and other games. They show real passion and raw talent. The problem is that this energy often goes unnoticed and unsupported, leaving so much potential untapped.

If properly developed, sports can create jobs and opportunities. It can involve many areas such as coaching, healthcare, media, and event management. It also helps build discipline, teamwork, and confidence. In this way, sports can become part of a broader development strategy.

Overall, the lecture reminds us that development must reflect real life. It must focus on people, not just numbers. It must also take into account local realities and provide practical solutions. For Nigeria, this message is important. The country’s future depends on how well it supports its people, especially its youth, and, most importantly, on how it turns ideas into action.

It is a clear reminder to policymakers, scholars, and society that progress should be measured by how much it improves the lives of ordinary people. The real challenge is not just to grow, but to ensure that growth is meaningful, inclusive, and sustainable.

Ibrahim Aliyu writes from Baba Ahmed University, Kano. He can be reached via ibrahimaliyu5023@gmail.com.

By Muhammad Abubakar

The Federal Polytechnic Bauchi has announced the death of one of its staff members, Malam Ahmadu Maidorawa, following a motorbike accident along the ATBU Gubi campus road in Bauchi.

According to the institution, Maidorawa died on Monday afternoon as a result of injuries sustained in the accident. His sudden passing has been described as a profound loss to the Polytechnic community, where he served in several key academic and administrative roles.

Maidorawa was a former Head of the Department of Computer Science and the immediate past Dean of the School of Science and Technology. Until his death, he was the Deputy Director of the ICT Geospatial Centre of the Polytechnic.

Family members have announced that his janaza (funeral prayer) will take place later today at his family residence in Unguwar Bauchi, Bauchi.

Colleagues, students, and well-wishers have expressed grief over his death, praying for Allah’s forgiveness and eternal rest for the deceased, and for strength and comfort for those he left behind.

By Dr Eric Chinedu Omazu

On Saturday, 25 April, 2026, Professor Abdalla Uba Adamu bowed out of the service of Bayero University, Kano, upon attaining the mandatory retirement age of 70. The symbolism of that date should not be lost on anyone. The retirement date fell on a Saturday. The attained age was seventy. 

In mystical numerology every ten is reduced to one, each decade stands as a year and seventy years are but seven years, and seven years are but seven days. The Holy Bible records that God, the creator of the universe, rested on the seventh day, on a Saturday. And so did Professor Adamu. This is no coincidence. It was neither planned nor wished for. The stars merely realigned for a man whose whole life is a manifestation of a divine spark. He lived by his name, servant of Allah. And Allah honoured him with a rest on His day of rest.

Professor Abdalla Uba Adamu is a professor’s professor. His entire life is a classroom. In a world where preachers mount the rostrum to deliver sermons they themselves cannot live by, Professor Adamu lives by the highest standards he has set for himself. He excuses others when they try and fail to rise to those standards. The world, as he understands it, is a field of experiments and mistakes. His only rule is that failure should not be driven by impunity. Impunity is an affront to justice. 

Anything said about a great man is an understatement. In Professor Adamu’s case, what my mind knows and my heart feels cannot be fully conveyed by existing words in the languages I speak. This leaves me with only approximate estimates. In that light, Prof. Adamu is my Boss, father, mentor, teacher, friend, guiding light, and so much more that my approximations still cannot capture. The foregrounding of all these modes of being is his role as a teacher. He taught me how to live. No, not just how to live, but how to live like a human. With love, compassion, empathy, understanding, wisdom, respect and contentment. These, too, are understatements.

I first met Professor Adamu ten years ago when he was appointed the Vice-Chancellor of the National Open University of Nigeria. In that role, he demystified public office. I was a close witness to all that he achieved. 

So, mine is more of a testimony to the lived experiences I witnessed. For example, I witnessed an effortless resolution of one of the knotty problems in political philosophy: reconciling idealist and realist recommendations in public space. The idealist recommendation: simply follow the just. The realist recommendation: follow the powerful. The evil of the two systems is that the just without power is impotent, and power without justice is tyrannical. Now the conundrum: How do we make the just powerful or the powerful just? 

Put in another way, where can we find a man in whom justice and power mix? I swear by the heavens that I witnessed the resolution of this conundrum in the person of Abdalla Uba Adamu during his tenure as NOUN VC. If I were to generate a postmortem motto for his tenure in NOUN, it would be: Power in service of justice. This is based solely on what I witnessed. 

As a leader, Professor Adamu was guided by a mantra: only the known best action is worth taking. He dispensed justice, promoted scholarship, demonstrated kindness, protected the weak, maintained equity, and entrenched standards. He was so down-to-earth that clerks, gardeners, and security staff regarded him as one of their own. He was the only Vice-Chancellor they could stop on the road and whisper their words in his ears.

Beyond his human touch in leadership, Professor Adamu transformed NOUN in ways no one imagined. The infrastructure he conceived and built remains the cynosure of all eyes in NOUN. The reforms he initiated are the backbone of NOUN’s operation to date. 

The biggest of them all, he did all these and left NOUN with his integrity intact. Zero scandal. Zero allegation of corruption. Now he retires in peace of mind and happiness.

Congratulations, Sir, on your retirement. And happy 70th birthday anniversary.

Dr Eric Chinedu Omazu is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Philosophy, NOUN. He served as Special Assistant to the Vice-Chancellor during Professor Adamu’s tenure as VC, NOUN.

By Muhsin Ibrahim

After nearly half a century of dedicated service, Professor Abdalla Uba Adamu has formally announced his retirement from Bayero University Kano, marking the end of an extraordinary academic journey defined by intellectual curiosity, resilience, and lasting impact. 

Born in Kano in 1956, Adamu began his studies in education sciences before shifting to media and communication, where he made his greatest impact. This change was key, forging a career linking pedagogy, culture, and media scholarship. Over time, he became a leading figure in Hausa media, popular culture, and communication with a unique interdisciplinary voice.

He joined the university system on 24 July 1980 as a young Graduate Assistant, rose through the ranks with distinction, and, in 2014, contributed to the conceptualisation of the Faculty of Communication. 

Prof. Adamu’s career, spanning forty-six uninterrupted years, reflects a rare blend of dedication and innovation. From the Department of Education to the Department of Information and Media Studies, his trajectory mirrors the evolution of media scholarship itself.

Beyond the classroom and research, Prof. Adamu has been a consistent voice in public discourse, including his longstanding contributions to The Daily Reality, a platform he has not only enriched intellectually but also supported materially. 

Prof. Adamu’s reflections on retirement, posted on Facebook, capture a life lived with purpose. Yet, true to form, he makes it clear that this is no final bow. With ongoing research and forthcoming book projects, the scholar remains as intellectually vibrant as ever.

By Muhammad Sulaiman

A Professor of Plant Pathology and Mycology at the Federal University Birnin Kebbi (FUBK), Prof. Kasimu Shehu, has warned that fungal diseases are exacerbating hunger and posing serious health risks in Nigeria.

Shehu made the assertion on Wednesday while delivering the university’s 4th Inaugural Lecture in Birnin Kebbi.

The lecture, entitled “Invisible Enemies, Visible Losses: A Lifetime of Confronting Fungal Threats to Nigerian Agriculture and Public Health,” examined the growing impact of fungal infections on food production and public health.

The don said fungal diseases were responsible for significant losses in major crops, thereby worsening food insecurity across the country.

“Losses of up to 30 per cent of marketable produce occur due to fungal infections during pre- and post-harvest stages,” he said.

He identified maize, rice, groundnut, onion and vegetables as highly vulnerable crops, noting that poor storage and handling practices further increased contamination.

According to him, beyond reducing food availability, fungi also produce toxic substances known as mycotoxins, which pose serious threats to human health.

“ Chronic exposure to aflatoxins has been implicated in growth retardation, immunosuppression and increased disease susceptibility, particularly among children,” Shehu said.

He added that fungal contamination contributed to food insecurity by reducing both the quantity and quality of available food.

“ Contaminated crops may either be discarded or consumed despite health risks, thereby exacerbating malnutrition and poverty, especially in rural communities,” he said.

The professor identified high moisture levels, poor drainage and inadequate storage systems as major factors driving the spread of fungal diseases.

“ Elevated humidity levels in storage environments, as well as co-storage of infected and healthy produce, facilitate cross-contamination,” he said.

Shehu also warned that environmental and climate changes were accelerating the emergence and spread of fungal diseases.

He called for improved post-harvest handling, adoption of resistant crop varieties and increased investment in research and food safety systems.

“These constraints underscore the need for coordinated, multidisciplinary approaches to food safety mechanisms that integrate scientific research, policy development and stakeholder engagement,” he said.

In his remarks, the Vice-Chancellor of FUBK, Prof. Muhammad Zaiyan-Umar, who chaired the lecture, commended the lecturer for his contributions to research and national development.

The event attracted academics, including the immediate past Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University Gusau, Prof. Mu’azu Abubakar-Gusau, as well as students and stakeholders from the biosafety, agriculture and health sectors.

The inaugural lecture forms part of the university’s efforts to promote research aimed at addressing critical national challenges.