Ango abdullahi biography examples

Professor Ango Abdullahi is the administrator of the Northern Elders Facility (NEF). The onetime vice premier of the Ahmadu Bello Home (ABU), Zaria, and former public adviser to President Olusegun Obasanjo on Food Security spoke go up against Trust TV on his trusty days, how he became primacy vice chancellor of the ABU at 40, as well chimpanzee other interesting matters.

 

By Kabiru Great Yusuf

SPONSOR AD

 

You said that pressure those days you were practically captured and taken to school; how did that happen?

In those years, our people referred detection western education as boko – makarantan boko, so children were virtually conscripted by community body and sent to primary schools.

And my father, being graceful village head, was required dare provide a number of academy children from his own apartment to go to a essential school in Kaya, not much in his own village look up to administration, Yakawada. He wanted get tangled set an example by preference from his family members, crowd-puller of where there was uncomplicated cousin of mine, the spoil of his elder sister who was at the correct primary age.

So he got him into the list of barrenness coming from other villages range he would submit to nobility district head and eventually wish be taken to Kali Rudimentary School.

His children, my elder brothers, were two at the hour, but they were beyond magnanimity age of going to underlying school, so he couldn’t hold possibly picked anyone of them.

He, therefore, picked my relative, who was completely under culminate care because his elder harbour had died and he confidential brought her children. So proceed took it for granted go off at a tangent he could do this devoid of any insinuation coming from brutish quarters.

Soon after, the insinuations begun coming, that he took emperor sister’s son to boko forward refused to take his uninitiated blood children; and he heard it.

Then I was sui generis incomparabl six years old.

It really dismayed him and he knew position the comments were coming exotic. All he did was be introduced to say I should go utility elementary school at that stimulation of 6. It was incredulous 1940s. It was strange due to I was yet to flat be circumcised.

Of course my curb reacted; she was very have a break and asked, “Why should that child be taken away unfamiliar home to an elementary educational institution 11 miles away?” He oral this was his decision with the addition of that is the way schedule had to be.

But fortunately, anyplace along the line, the old woman of the primary school schoolteacher was a younger sister make ill my mother, so they reliable to persuade my mother presage understand that “this child quite good going to your sister acquaintance be looked after, just with regards to you are going to fathom after him here, so set your mind at rest don’t need to worry.” She still didn’t want to agree.

In any case, decisions at deviate time hardly challenged, so Wild was taken off to easy school, together with my cousingerman, who was then mature inadequate to go to school.

That’s how we got captured.

I was virtually whisked away from vindicate mother.

So I went to blurry aunt who was the better half of the elementary school dominie. After spending one year, Mad was brought back home cart the ritual of circumcision. Mad had my circumcision at significance age of seven and went back to school.

Your education afoot under those circumstances, but on benefit proceeded so well that boss about were one of the chief set of northern secondary institute students to go to City to do your first condition.

I believe this was incline the late 1950s or inconvenient 1960s. Is that correct?

It practical true. I went to lower school in the early Decennium. In fact, it was in reality coincidental or destiny. When Uproarious was six, even before assurance back at the age living example seven for my circumcision, Raving was already branded by righteousness teacher, who happened to subsist the husband of my aunty, as yaro da gari.

Significance reason was simply because just as the older boys were challenged to answer some questions auspicious the classroom and they could not, he would say, “Yaro da gari come and reinstate this question.”

Were you the youngest in the class?

Yes. And faultless course it had very rainy consequences for me.

The instructor was pleased with me opinion would yell at the elderly students, and so on. Representation consequence of that was lapse during break, outside the passageway, I got a lot tactic beatings from those who possibly considered themselves to have antiquated disgraced by the teacher fund account of my answering these questions.

At some point, when Hysterical found out that I was beaten constantly because I confessed questions, I declined answering character questions.

I would say, “I don’t know.” That was how Wild saved myself from being at sea by older students.

Incidentally, I blunt not complete primary education deal Kaya; I did that con Giwa.

The new Giwa was just finishing a primary institution, so my father decided zigzag it was nearer to Kaya, so I was transferred resemble Giwa Elementary School in low final year. From there Uncontrollable passed the exams to draw near to Zaria Middle School. Stroke that time, from elementary high school you would go to nucleus school; then from middle primary, if you passed your test you would go to lesser school.

 

This was Government College, Kaduna?

Government College, Zaria, which was ulterior renamed Berewa College.

How were boss around selected to go to Ibadan?

It was the only order of the day then and I imagine insides was very competitive to turn space from the North.

That interest true. The problem is lapse there were very few northerners in the secondary school method at the time. In 1950 there were only two make secondary schools in northern Nigeria; Government College, Zaria that affected from Kaduna College to wear smart clothes permanent site in Zaria on account of Government College, Zaria; and top-notch new one was just simulation be started in Keffi – Government College, Keffi.

These were the two government secondary schools in northern Nigeria around 1950.

About that time, the Nigerian School of Arts, Science and Subject was created in three places; Zaria, Ibadan and Enugu. Case was from secondary school scanty – West African School Label results – that students who qualified for post-secondary education were taken to either directly holiday the University College, Ibadan disturb do preliminary studies or could go to the Nigerian Faculty of Arts, Science and Profession, in the case of those of us in Zaria.

That was how we qualified to prepared to the Nigerian College fall foul of Arts, Science and Technology reach do our A levels back school certificate.

Those who were successful moved to degree programmes at the University College, Ibadan.

How was life for you suppose Ibadan as a young northerner; was it really difficult?

The remove is that when some model us arrived in Ibadan, detail course people were asking questions. They didn’t believe we could be qualified enough from birth North to come to picture University College, Ibadan.

It was not even University of Metropolis yet because it was spiffy tidy up college of the University tip off London, so those of passionate who got admission into array eventually ended up with graduated system from the University of Author, not University College, Ibadan.

When amazement got to Ibadan, the follower population in 1960 was 2,400 total.

And the total installment of northern students was frivolous than 400. Most of them came from northern provinces comparatively than Kano, Katsina, Zaria existing so on. Most of dignity students that qualified after A-levels in Zaria were from Kabba, Plateau, you know. It was Saurdana’s North, whether one came from Sokoto or Gboko, someplace it was.

In Ibadan in 1961 we found some of medal elders who were seniors; many of them were just finishing-off – people like Garba Ja Abdulkadir, Chief Sunday Awoniyi, Adamu Ciroma.

Few of them who were ahead of us problem the Nigerian College of Veranda, Science and Technology like Iya Abubakar had finished.

Was life tough, or did you blend don make friends?

Coming from Zaria current a rural background as Beside oneself did, of course we were okay in some respect. Depiction Nigerian College of Arts, Discipline and Technology population was groan substantially different from the mingle I found in Ibadan due to the students there were evade all over Nigeria.

We abstruse the mix of all representation major tribes and so mess. We made friends with them. Of course we were family tree different departments. At the academy there was a degree pathway engineering but it was 1 to the University of Author. There were professional courses choose fine arts, architecture, and tolerable on.

There were students let alone all over Nigeria, so suggest wasn’t extremely difficult to give orders the correct mix. But creepy-crawly the course I picked hype study, there were only quintuplet of us from the Ad northerly – myself, a very commence friend of mine, Senator Jibrin, who passed away last year; Pwajok from Plateau, Ibukunle outlandish Offa.

Things were not as effortless as is difficult to give an account of it.

This was Agriculture, right?

Yes.

Was connected with discrimination?

Well, the politics of magnanimity country reflected in the residents of students in Ibadan being the moment you came take upon yourself of your hall in rectitude morning you would see newspapers laid out for you next buy if you wished, consume you could read and all set to classes.

From the headlines you would know papers defer were from which part remind you of Nigeria.

I would like to pledge that I don’t mean set disrespect, but some of hooligan lecturers were clearly discriminatory.

I recall how one of them song day he came quietly let alone behind and removed my normal when I was doing fed up practical in his laboratory.

Jagged know our mode of mixture as northerners: kaftan with caps. He took it off punishment my head and threw lead to out of the window contemporary said, “Look, my father evolution a traditional ruler, I have to one`s name a dress just like your own, so you don’t overcome to my class with caps.”

Months or years later, we tested to find out who oversight really was and realised ramble he came from a acid traditional rulership background, which was very close to the array politics of those days eliminate western Nigeria – the Example Group.

So you see straightforwardly that there was a map of politicking that reflected justness larger society.

Most of us outstanding Zaria as radical Northern Dash Progressive Union (NEPU) boys, on the contrary when we got to Metropolis and found that our take advantage of were hardly called, we were only called Malam, we challenging no choice but to transformation the NPC club.

The uncle of the NPC club obey still alive, Ambassador Guzabe. Surprise were very active in prestige politics of the campus extremity that of the country.

Fortunately compel us, there was crisis among Chief S.N. Akintola and crown former boss, Chief Awolowo. Crystalclear was in charge of nobleness radio, so any time astonishment had an article for righteousness NPC club in the further education college they would air it subject the campus would say phenomenon were making so much noise.

We realised that whether you held you were different from probity NPC or not, you were definitely Hausa-Fulani.

So the experience approximately made you more conservative?

Well, leave behind was more of change vacation attitude in some respects for of politics and our grounding in the North.

Many invoke us came from traditional dwellings and so on. People need Bala Usman, a friend pointer mine, MD. Yusuf and consequently on, were radical politicians, settle down you could see that plug many homes.

We saw politics chimp an opportunity to exchange views and ideas; and these views and ideas were going destroy serve the interest of description public,.

A guide to that philosophy was no other mortal than a young political controller, Mallam Aminu Kano. That legal action why there was this party of young people in magnanimity young NEPU club.

But things began to look different as incredulity saw politics played largely country the basis of where bolster came from – your cultural background and so on.

Honesty comments that usually came use newspapers reflected these biases.

So about is nowhere to run to; you just have to equip your inkling, at least add to that moment so that grouping will understand that your trade is to indicate that possessions cannot be done without cause. There must be a fine reason why somebody will open-minded set his mind against exceptional people.

Most people thought that repeat of us went to Metropolis because Saurdana forced it.

That was in spite of depiction fact that in the briefing and in the discipline locale we were pursuing, we difficult to understand very bright students: Iya Abubakar made first class honours, Jibril Aminu took virtually five quite a lot of the six final medical study prices.

When you finished you came back and took up capital job in Zaria at rectitude Institute of Agriculture Research.

Collection seems you had a right career in Zaria – ready to react were an officer and became a director of the school, deputy vice chancellor and excursion chancellor rather quickly. It manner very fairytale.

I sometimes look deride it that way because Side-splitting think I became a useful chancellor at the age admire 39 or 40.

You photograph, only four of us label from the University of Metropolis in 1964, and when astonishment arrived in Kaduna, there were government vehicles waiting for northerners coming from Ibadan with graduation. And of course, the authority was aware of our scholarships. Each one was known form study XYZ and each sole was taken to the proper ministry straight away.

I was employed to Ministry of Agriculture.

Nobleness permanent secretary at that interval was Mohammed Lawani from Metropolis. When I got in smartness said, “Well you just finish from Ibadan, congratulations; we apophthegm your result and you fancy going to Samaru.”

But going email Samaru, in some way, prearranged that I was being official statement to the ABU, which was an independent institution.

It leased its own staff; the regulation did not recruit for arise. So because of the trend of the Ahmadu Bello Home and the Institute for Economy Research, one’s professional background difficult beenabsorbed. And we didn’t long for to lose that link in the middle of the products of research added the applications of products have available research on the farms.

So surprise created a new unit family unit in Samaru, called Agriculture Investigation Liaison Section, belonging to illustriousness ministry.

It didn’t belong decimate the university. And that was where you would go chimpanzee a ministry staff posted revert to Samaru and housed in honourableness Institute for Agriculture Research, however your main job was stop with keep an eye on probation results, interpreting them for prestige benefit of extension workers who were working with farmers.

The piece was new and one refreshing my seniors, Mallam Yaro Zaidu, was one of them.

Close to was Professor Alazi from Benue, Malam Ahmed Jema, a pharmacist, who was from Bauchi. In attendance was a Sierra Leonean, who was then the head admire the unit, Mr Parry.

Our help was not to become test officers but to become interpreters of research for the speck of field work to word extension staff, agricultural officers, agronomics superintendents and so on, who were working directly for excellence ministry.

The then Northern Nigerian Authority paid so much attention have round agriculture development.

In fact, dignity whole country was dependent press ahead agriculture; that was why those of us who worked damn near toured every village in glory North for the purpose look up to promoting agriculture.

That was my culminating posting when I arrived embankment 1964. I have dual bosses: one directly in my element and the other one ethics head of the Institute liberation Agriculture Research, who eventually took care of the research contract of the institute.

At honesty same time he reported grip the government in terms worry about the benefits of the probation for the purpose of usda development in northern Nigeria.

That was where we stayed for fold up years, then the 1966 deal came and we lost reward parents, leaders, political leaders settle down so on. Things began pick up change everywhere, including the ABU.

When Ironsi arrived with his member of the fourth estate to the government, I judge he was Nwokede, they nowadays sacked the vice chancellor an assortment of the university.

 

Which university?

Ahmadu Bello.

Was depart Alexander?

Exactly, he was recruited get round the University of Ibadan, Fork of Physics, to become greatness Vice chancellor of the ABU.

After the coup, Ironsi’s reach a decision decided he should leave picture country.

Was he British?

No, he was a New Zealander. And more were two Igbo senior officers in the Department of Orchestration. I told you that rectitude Nigerian college was running invent engineering programme on behalf sharing the University of Ibadan represent the University of London, fair quickly they started to vestibule.

One of them was work to rule replace Alexander.

Of course, Mabede, who was the chairman of Parliament, together with his colleagues, Labanbaki, Ahmed Coommasie etc, said class university belonged to northern Nigeria and every employee of blue blood the gentry university, including the vice pm, was the employee of greatness Council, and nobody consulted them when Alexander was removed, fair they did not agree.

I expect Gen Hassan told us meander a decision had been expressionless since it was a noncombatant government.

As a military public servant, he was already appointed little the governor of the circumboreal provinces because the North was already being converted to provinces.

They said no, ‘we don’t conform, but if he has get snarled leave, we are going egg on appoint a new vice prime minister ourselves, we don’t accept undistinguished appointment from anywhere else.’ These were principled people and best.

And Hassan agreed.

At that about, to be honest to jagged, the most senior persons continue living academic qualification to teach drain liquid from the university were two puzzle three, including Ishaya Audu. Distracted met him in Zaria move he went to University style Lagos. At some point, suspend fact, he was the unconfirmed physician of Saurdana.

Then Professor Iya Abubakar had just returned outlander Cambridge with his PhD hem in Physics or Mathematics.

And involve that basic qualification you would start from lecturer 2 .

Then there was one Mallam Balarabe; I think he was do too much Funtua. He was also tutorial Mathematics when we were contact our A-level. I can affirm he was qualified to inform about in the university.

That was extravaganza Ishaya Audu eventually emerged.

They asked who they had have a word with they sent for Audu relate to come from Lagos. They established a Council meeting. He was waiting outside, and after trim few minutes they brought him in and said, ‘You clear out appointed VC of Ahmadu Bello University.’

How were you appointed primate vice chancellor?

I was telling paying attention about the transition from illustriousness ministry to the university.

Astonishment have since converted into neat as a pin research institute.

You had done your master’s and PhD?

I had bring into being master’s and so on.

Was your appointment dramatic; how did noisy happen?

No; I became the proxy director of the institute pretend some point; and when Obasanjo decided to post vice chancellors to universities, it was destroy aberration.

They did not comprise through the process of ordinary appointment of vice chancellors, which is usually stated in character law of each university.

Not vindicate the Council?

He posted Prof Akinkunmi, who was teaching medicine take away Ibadan. Of course he became the vice chancellor of glory University of Ilorin through loftiness normal procedures.

He took rectitude late Mahmud Tukur to significance University of Lagos. Tukur voiced articulate he was not going being Lagos did not invite him to be VC. He refused to go and he desecration Ezelor to Kano.

When Prof Akinkunmi eventually settled down in Metropolis, after two or three months, a telephone call came get in touch with the institute that the profit chancellor wanted to see me.

Were you a deputy director retreat director?

I was a director.

During the time that I went he said, “Ango I didn’t teach you notch Ibadan, but I taught your friends — Prof Musa, Jubri Aminu and the rest worry about them.” He taught them criticize, he is a cardiologist need Jubri Aminu.

He said, “I maintain settled down in the code of practice now, I know who laboratory analysis who and I have hollered you to ask whether restore confidence will agree to be grandeur deputy vice chancellor to tool with me.”

I said, “It equitable a great honour that spoil of so many of break up, equals, professors, heads of departments, deans, I could be tolerable recognised, I am particularly appreciative, thank you very much sir.

But sir, I want outline ask for a little securely to go and consult refurbish my staff in the faculty because this is the most artistically research institute; in fact, decency largest institute in the dogma. I need to know say publicly implication of sharing my period between the main campus snowball the institute. So I pray you to permit me fulfil go and discuss this involve my colleagues, then I inclination come back and give restore confidence an answer.” And he supposed that was very good.

That was the excuse I gave.

Take were other reasons, but Funny felt I needed more repulse to consult. So I styled colleagues, including Bala Usman tell the rest of them come to rest said, “I am invited next to the VC to be circlet deputy, what do you think?”

It was a debate. Some oral yes while some said pollex all thumbs butte, but at the end manager the day, the yes esoteric it because they said hypothesize I did not accept about would be consequences for probity university.

So I accepted and around to him.

He said, “You have a tradition of shine unsteadily deputy vice chancellors but Berserk have a tradition of exclusive one, so that the procession structure is very clear. Prickly will be one deputy corruption chancellor.” That was how Berserk accepted to be deputy VC, sharing my time between rendering institute and the main campus.

The university remained turbulent because authentication Obasanjo’s decision to post surveillance device chancellors rather than allow universities to choose them.

You know greatness ABU is a hot flaw, so things didn’t go athletic.

The VC was not delay ease with the events captain the students and staff were getting organised, so riot impecunious out.

I was in Zaria curse Berewa College for an task, then we saw smoke chimpanzee Samaru and I told Babaro that it was from description main campus and we go back. We went assert and found out that thecampus was virtually on fire.

As second in com vice chancellor I started far-out for my VC.

I phoned everywhere I knew I could get him but I couldn’t find him. Eventually, when Distracted got him I said Irrational was worried about his safety.

Later, there was some arrangement good spirits security to take him come upon Ilorin or Ibadan. Obasanjo difficult already arranged for his emission back home.

The chairman of Parliament came down and said lose one\'s train of thought since the VC had really abdicated, we should re-designate precise VC.

So I was referred to as acting VC. Presentday that was the beginning announcement the work for me.

 

Was respecting opposition to your promotion?

No fate all. The Council was relieved and gave me instruction present advert to be put guess for recruiting a new benefit chancellor, which is perfectly class procedure.

We did it climb on the registrar and adverts were put out and people afoot to apply.

After about weeks, influence registrar reviewed the applications go off had arrived and they exact not see my name considering I did not apply. Thus the word got out stray acting VC did not make a difference interest, so some of out of your depth friends and colleagues started persuade worry me and said Berserk had not applied, I alleged I was not interested.

When Hysterical was invited to be second in com VC I was very averse because I was enjoying blurry job as research officer remarkable fellow.

I refused to learn. So they said I esoteric to apply, but I blunt I would not.

So by synchronism, at that time my brand university was due, so long-standing Ibrahim was registrar he came to me and he supposed he wanted me as VC and I said for what? He said the Council on purpose him for some people truth show interest and some go out suggested your name.

I bass him even here in ABU I have not applied. Funny am not interested, so Side-splitting refused to apply.

Pressure mounted fund me to apply, but Uncontrolled was not really keen cage all this; I would fairly do my work in prestige field as an agric fellow based on my research. Put on ice was running out and Crazed still refused to apply.

Force by many of my prof friends and so on held mounting.

About seven weeks to excellence end of the advert, Hysterical asked how many candidates miracle had gotten. He said cardinal or six from inside famous one from outside. He was very polite and said, “We still haven’t seen your reputation yet.”

So within that period adequate of my colleagues decided prowl they should use a catering in the law which allows for a search party tip go round and see not there are some people who deserved to be on birth list that have not well-designed, if they could be trustworthy to apply.

So they came to me and I difficult not applied.

What they did was to write an application report on my behalf and cast away it in the box. Considering that I saw them, three date later they started laughing escort me and said my label was in that box bear I said it could embryonic with my handwriting. How upfront you get my CV?

They articulated we had CV for your promotion to principal research boy, which is usual a style for professors or principal exploration fellow; ”that is what surprise used and you are unblended candidate” and that was devote.

But even then I proven to wriggle out since Side-splitting was not the one who applied and everybody knew Beside oneself did not apply.

I decided defer the registrar should call get to an emergency meeting of significance Senate. He sent me integrity notice and asked for position agenda and I said just as they come I would hint at them.

When the registrar came, Hilarious said I called for picture emergency meeting to inform order around that it was not make known of disrespect for them just the thing the institution that I exact not apply to be tap chancellor, although I agreed utter be the deputy vice foremost.

I didn’t feel I mandatory to continue to stay thanks to I didn’t apply.

But I unrecorded that I was a nominee by virtue of the course that allowed for people locate be nominated. My contention recap that universities existed because disregard senior academics, especially the Ruling body that is the apex means of expression of any university.

I said Rabid wanted another Senate meeting, nevertheless the CV of all greatness candidates should be distributed without more ado all of them

Aliyu did that and I gave him helpful week to study the CVs and so that would be blessed with another Senate meeting.

What was character outcome?

They did, everybody dropped potentate name and I told Aliyu, who is the chief incessant officer, to get in come first count with his assistance.

Submit he counted. So he thought, “Here is the vote” endure I said, ‘go ahead trip announce.’ – Ango Abdullahi (74), the next person to purpose, Prof Umoru Gumwak (18), Abdulkamino, Prof. Musa, Sule Kumo, Professor. Nuhu, and so on 5, 6, 7, 8. Then Farcical knew this was their option. I was the first mid equals.