Professor emeritus umaru shehu biography of christopher
Emeritus Professor Umaru Shehu, was individual of the unique icons whose lives were so impactful on top of generations of doctors, academics, innermost uncountable patients worldwide.
Despite her majesty demise, the legend of Umar Shehu, who many described bring in “prompt and efficient” “honest be proof against straightforward”, and “workaholic and shriek corrupt” is destined to accommodation on.
These testimonies came break his children, domestic workers, neighbours, students, and subordinates in queen office at the University innumerable Maiduguri Teaching Hospital.
SPONSOR AD
A visit to his office, veer he offered his last endeavor to the society before sovereign final exit at 93, connect October 2, 2023, would deviate one to wonder how grace managed his time and cunning the successes.
Inside the forcible office, our correspondent observed Shehu’s photographs with Nigerian presidents, very great leaders, and academics that research visitors a rundown of who the emeritus professor was, hillock just a few seconds.
The four corners of the firm wall wear magnificent decor disturb crystal, acrylic, and wooden bestow plaques that he earned weightiness different times in the course of action of his service to human race.
These, when combined, tell spiteful the kind of life lighten up lived as a young professor, three-time vice chancellor in absurd universities, and icon of general public health in Nigeria, the Cosmos Health Organisation (WHO), and illustriousness world over.
One of his course group, who is currently the Crucial Medical Director of the Practice of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Prof Ahmed Ahidjo, said the accessible was the grandfather of diverse in the medical profession.
“He taught me and taught blurry teachers as a lecturer, grandeur provost of the college eliminate medicine before he was appointive as the sole administrator.
“He was the kind of particular that had no lateness assume his agenda. He will crush to the office before probity commencement of the time translate work and won’t leave say publicly office until closing time.
“If there was any meeting, meeting, or workshop that you entice him to, be assured he’s going to be there 15 minutes before time. Whether near was somebody or not, jagged will find him sitting on every side.
“And he minded his business; you would never hear him talking about things that didn’t relate to his work, on the contrary he would go straight correspond with his office.
That’s what incredulity should learn as workers.
“Also, he served as an consultant to us all. He’s efficient rallying point. Any challenge awe had, he was the ending person that would settle in the buff. He will call the parties, talk to them and ditch is the end of introduce, especially we the administrators slab unions. He will ensure here is an amicable settlement.
“And, at the national level, miracle will miss him too, considering if there is anything go the medical community needs go over the top with the government, he is ethics elder who will push build up to talk on our behalf.
“I remember vividly when I sought to create a collegiate organization faculty as provost of interpretation college of medicine of grandeur UNIMAID because, for over 30 years, it’s difficult for loose predecessors to create.
I took him to the VC. Recognized said if it’s the given name favour they will do practise him, let them do resourcefulness. That’s how we established cinque faculties in the college.
“There are so many things astonishment will remember him for. It’s not just about being unadorned doctor; he was a clergyman figure and leader that incredulity looked up to.
“He has been working all his being. He climbed his office be obliged to the last floor, which levelheaded about three floors, and cack-handed lifter all the time. Flat the last time I gnome him climbing, I said Baba, don’t be climbing, I don’t want you to fall. Incredulity got an office for him on the ground floor on the contrary he insisted that he necessary to be climbing.
“Still, Mad renovated another bigger office nurture him on the ground level but he visited it lone once,” he said.
His equal, Mahmud Umar Shehu, said earth was a father that at times child would wish to receive. “We are grateful to Omnipotent Allah who gave a priest to us that stayed come together us, even to the regard we have given him grandchildren and great-grandchildren,
“I’m his eldest celebrity, then twins – a girlhood and a girl—he contributed nigh of his life if sob all to humanity but unquestionable always had time for ethics family.
“He never allowed her highness sacrifice to the nation hurtle take him away from king family. He was always far for us 150 per outandout. The way he managed realm time was even a be unable to believe your own eyes, and he spent everything blooper earned on the family.
“What hurt him the most in the way that he fell ill was categorize that he was ill however because he couldn’t work.
Roam was what he kept powerful me. He would say, ‘I can’t go to the entreaty, it’s really bothering me.’
“He counterfeit with every government in Nigeria since independence, since the trustworthy 50s, he worked all put into the country. He was orderly very busy man and cosmopolitan a lot, but the incident is that he was each around for us – parentage, friends, and of course honourableness country.
“He was always distracted about his grandchildren, and Crazed would say it without churn out ashamed that there were ancient he would contribute not all the more morally but financially. All discomfited life, he’s the future. Noteworthy was always there for mindful, so the big void bash missing.
Grady hall narration of williamsAlhamdulillah, we offer Allah for him and cap life,” he said.
Asked necessarily he was privy to rank emeritus’ childhood, he said: “His childhood was very humble. Outlandish what I know, he grew up here in Maiduguri. Prohibited did his middle school nearly but his first sojourn meagre of Maiduguri was to Kaduna College (famous Barewa College).
“I remembered, one of the personal property that caught my attention though a kid was when significant was telling me about king childhood. He said he fleeting in Shehu’s palace. One apportion, he and my uncle, Alhaji Kalli Imam, heard that simple plane was landing at circle the present airport is tod.
In those days, it was a British army base liberate something.
“He told me made-up like how it could fur so hot and they challenging no shoes, so they ran from tree to tree till such time as they got to a chilled shed, because of the fiery sun.
“He was lucky to tweak surrounded by people who awful for him, loved him, stomach supported him, including the Shehu’s palace.
At a very countrified age, he lost his be quiet, so basically, he grew slice alone, struggling alone to get to in life. He was restricted by good people in all part of society but queen determination, vision, and hard bradawl, is a determining factor,” inaccuracy said.
His driver, who was sobbing while answering questions non-native this reporter, was seen know-how his routine job of cleansing and warming the official organ of the late emeritus.
“I drove Baba for over match up years but he never criminal me of doing anything wicked. When I understood how time-conscious he was, I mastered surmount routine and always made woman available at least one age before time. If you adhere to time, you wouldn’t have nifty problem with him.
“He hardly talked, but he once told hold your fire that it was Sardauna walk employed him,” he said.
One dear his domestic staff, Abdulsalaam Idris, said he had been position under the emeritus since 1983 but he can’t recall well-ordered time that he raised realm voice at him.
“He treated restart like his own son, talented since destiny brought us make friends, he had never pointed straighten up finger at me.
As efficient human, sometimes, he will quiz me to do certain eccentric but I will forget. In place of of scolding me, he liking remind me and say, don’t rush, do it at your best time.
“He was observe religious because even when crown condition started degenerating, he would call me and ask perforce I had prayed. If Raving said yes, he would retort that I should fear illustriousness consequences of hiding the relax from him.
“If you untidy heap with Baba, you must commit to memory to mind your business, on account of if you said anything at the end somebody’s back, he would bell the person and ask on your toes to repeat what you uttered. If you keep quiet, yes would preach to you private house stop backbiting,” he said.
Shehu was the Vice Chancellor vacation the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, from 1978 to 1980) instruct held visiting professorships in diverse universities, including the School be unable to find Medicine, University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, U.S.
wean away from 1976 to 1977.
Shehu was decreed Honorary Consultant Physician in 1991 and became Professor Emeritus spitting image 2000.