Readers’ Comments
Time to relax and pause, thanks for another
circle of readers’ comments when my esteemed readers are allowed to express
their opinions on issues, which appeared in this Column. However, I am
dedicating the Column to the comments of my readers on the recent tribute I
wrote to my bosom friend, confident and motivator, Prof. Yusuf Zakari, which
was published on 27th April 2018, titled “Tribute
to Professor Yusuf Ibrahim Zakari: Adiu Bindawa’s Discipline and Hardworking
Ambassador”. The article enjoyed unprecedented readership; There were over
200 comments and more than 40 individuals’ “shares” of the article, which was
posted it on my Facebook. I am publishing few of such comments to further
present the modesty, dedication and selfless service rendered by Prof. Yusuf
till his death.
Before then, let me still crave the
indulgence of my dear readers and editor to bear my diversion from the
breakthrough issues being addressed by this Column. Last two week, I requested
the editor to publish the tribute of my close friend, Prof Yusuf Zakari whose
death momentously shocked me. Graciously, the editor, Mrs. Winifred Ogbebo granted
my request to publish in a different page, perhaps, thinking I was writing few
words but I had so much to write on Prof. Yusuf that one page couldn’t contain.
I wanted to talk on the negative impacts of the semester educational system,
which is being operated in our tertiary institutions of learning. This is
system is simply not suitable for educational system; it is killing the quality
of our education (well, this is a subject for another write up in future). I
wanted to talk about the reluctance of the tertiary Institutions at national
level to massively employ graduates with first or second-class (upper) degree
for development to become academic staff. Every university wants to use the
experienced and fully developed PhD holders as visiting scholars, direct
employment and so on. Thus, overworking such category of university staff. As
this category of personnel are retiring and getting older, who will take over
from them without deliberate effort to develop the youth? I wanted to talk on
how civil and public services give more work to result-oriented personnel; “the
result of hard work is more work” thereby promoting laziness and mediocrity
among the rank and files. Prof Yusuf was a first-class result-oriented academic
per excellence. Thus, he was naturally having more work whilst striving to
deliver at all times as stated in my tribute.
Yusuf’s former student, presently a physician in the city of Katsina,
Dr. Ali Yusuf stated a sympathetic situation of busy schedule without breathing
space. I am starting with over 300 words
the comments of Dr. Aminu Yakubu, a Chief Lecturer of Physics in Federal
college of Education, Katsina, Yakubu is my friend and classmate at secondary
school level. Dr. Yakubu’s revelation of Professor Zakari’s life is spectacular
as he brought out the archetypal life of Prof. Zakari, how Dr. Yakubu was one
year Senior to Prof. Zakari at undergraduate level studing BSc Physics, but by
dint of hard work and zeal to excel in academics, Zakari quadrupled his effort
to become one of the Yakubu’s teachers and eventually supervised his PhD
project from mere concept to reality.
This is exceptional phenomenon in academic Institutions.
I received with shock the news of the death
of Dr Zakari, whom some few hours to his death was promoted to Prof of Nuclear
Physics. May Allah forgive him and may his gentle soul rest in peace, amin. I
had three relationship with him during his lifetime: as colleagues during our
undergraduate, as friends as we discussed personal issues freely, and as my
Supervisor during my PhD program. As my supervisor, Prof Zakari assisted me
with a lot of materials, especially in the process of making proposal. He
always insisted on doing the right thing at the right time, he set aside
personal relationship and asserted himself as teacher and discipline mentor,
but appreciates good work. He treated me not only as a student but as a friend
as well. He made enormous contribution towards the success of my PhD program,
which I will never forget. One beauty about academic environment, you can see
clearly, he was one year behind me during my undergraduate program but through
dint of hard work and dedication he accomplished so much within a short period
and eventually became my teacher and supervised my PhD project from the
beginning to the end. During our graduate program, I observed characters; he
was very vocal, fearless and pursued his studies with all seriousness.
Professor Zakari made many of us what we are today as our mentor, by taking his
useful advise, showing concern to our challenges, providing both moral and
financial support and copying his exemplary life. He assisted several of us, as
his students and friends at BSc, MSc and PhD levels. Professor Zakari was among the few exemplary
personalities I came across in my school years, he was always ready to assist
students who did not comprehend his course or even courses of other lecturers
through a personal coaching and extra effort at no cost to the students. It was
his persistent encouragement and support that made some of us pass examination
of “Quantum Mechanics” with a flying color, an examination, which makes Physics
students spend several sleepless nights to pass. My friend/classmate, late Musa Saulaiman
Sharika of blessed memory and my humble self and many others were highly
indebted to Professor Zakari’s unlimited generosity and bounteousness. The death of Prof. Zakari is a great loss not
only to his family, friends, ABU community but to the entire nation and the
International family of physicists. May His gentle soul rest in perfect peace
and make Aljanna Firdausi be his final abode, amen,.
Dr. Aminu Yakubu
Federal College of Education, Katsina
May Allah grant him Jannah, This is a huge
loss to Ahmadu Bello University & Nigeria at large. He was hardworking,
selfless & dedicative to his work.
Thauban Bn Musa, Kano
Overall, Allah has done what is right at
the right time. He needs him more than we do. Prof Zakari, prestige is not
something that you can get over a short period of time, you were born into it,
you maintained it and you died in it, I personally do not know the words I will
use to qualify your life.
You were humble, simple, generous, kind;
considerate, trustful, sympathetic, blunt and cogent far and above Zakari was a
pious and virtuous believer in ALLAH swt. May Allah forgives your short
comings, May He erased all your sins and grants you mercies, blessings and a
permanent abode in JANNAHTUL FIRDAUS, Amen. May Allah continue to guides and
protects your family from any affliction, suffering and worries in their lives,
and have the determination to bear your lost, Amen
Musa Bindawa
The lost of Prof. Yusuf Zakari is a grate
loss indeed. I can remember when he once told me that he was having some
recurrent headache.
I asked him about his daily schedules.
After narrating to me how tight his schedules were, I realize that he had no
much space to rest. I advised him on routine medical check up and creating some
resting time.
He told me on the implication of not
utilizing even an hour of his life and said that he has to provide as much service
as possible within the remaining time available for him in this life. He always
want to maintain standard in educational sector in the midst of several
challenges militating against the standard. May Allah admit him in to Jannatul
Firdausi
Dr. Ali Yusuf, Katsina
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