By Abubakar J. Adamu
Since his assumption of office as the Registrar of Ahmadu Bello University, a year and a half ago, Dr. Isah Mohammed Abbas has not known peace in the hands of the Vice Chancellor, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Professor Abdullahi Mustapha. The vibrant and indefatigable young man has been terrorized, molested and threatened by the VC and his co travellers. Indeed, the VC did not hide his disdain for the young man that even in his letter of appointment; he made it known that Dr. Abbas should only serve for a single term. His reason for not wanting to work with the gentleman is known only to VC.
Prior to his appointment as the Registrar of the University, Dr. Abbas was a senior Lecturer in the Department of Political Science at the same university and before then was the immediate past Registrar of the Petroleum Training Institute, Effurun near Warri. A patriotic and a gentleman of high moral integrity, during his sojourn at PTI, Dr. Abbas transformed the institution to a truly national institution and spearheaded the introduction of many programmes at both national and higher national diploma levels. He also recruited experienced and professional staff from all over the country and it was to his credit that staff started to enjoy the petroleum sector salary structure up till today. A very straight forward, dedicated and a committed gentleman who does his job with all sense of responsibility, Dr. Abbas says it as it is and abhors corruption in all ramifications, a factor that is making some people jittery.
Dr. Abbas is somebody who wants things done the right way devoid of any under hands dealing. He offers advice in line with what the rules and regulations say and does not cut corners. He is rigid when it comes to the application of rules. This could be said to be his greatest undoing and in a country like ours people with these tendencies are rear and hardly tolerated. Uncomfortable with Dr. Abbas’s uncompromising attitude and his inability to coerce him, the VC openly threatened to destroy the hard earned career build by the Registrar over the years during one of their management meetings. To actualize his threat, he suspended the amiable gentleman as a prelude to terminating his appointment in spite of lacking the powers to do so. He usurps the powers of the Council and threatens to terminate his appointment if he fails to resign using the Acting Chairman of the Council.
A businessman who used his connection to become the President of ABU ALUMNI Association became the Ag. Chairman of Council of the University after frustrating the former Chairman, Arc. Bunu Sheriff Musa whom he perceived to be an impediment to his ambition of securing contract jobs. The Acting Chairman who once served in the discredited Council of Kaduna Polytechnic and indicted in a white paper found his way into the ABU council using the ALUMNI Association.
Efforts to get the VC reverse the suspension of this gentleman have fallen on deep ears. The Honourable Minister of Education may not be aware of the debacle taking place in this premier institution.
I am therefore using this medium to appeal to people of conscious to come to the aid of this gentleman and save him from the clutches of this ungodly, heartless and merciless people whose only stock in trade is to amass wealth at the expense of the system. This people should not be allowed to succeed in their dastardly act of removing this man from his duty post without a just cause. Ahmadu Bello University requires this type of people at the helm of its affairs, who will look at the system first before any other thing. Let Dr. Abbas be please.
Abubakar J. Adamu
No. 15, Rijiyar Lemo Street, Zaria
