Umaru Shehu
The death on Monday, October 2, 2023 of Nigerian academic and Professor Emeritus of community medicine, Umaru Shehu CON, OFR undoubtedly depleted the bank of eminent academic that ever passed through the nation’s citadel. The late professor Shehu will be missed for his impeccable personality and his remarkable contributions to the development of community medicine in the country. He died at 92 about two months to his 93th birthday.
Professor Shehu was not just an erudite scholar, he was distinguished and selfless. In a country where many placed personal gain above other considerations, Shehu was unselfish and committed to public good. He rose through the ranks within the medical field and held positions of medical officer, 1957-1963, Senior Medical Officer 1963-1965, Principal Medical Officer 1965-1966 and Assistant Chief Medical Officer in the preventive services division 1967-1968. Professor Shehu was known for his diligence and thoroughness as a medical officer.
His love for community medicine and education saw him politely declining a position offered him as the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Chief Medical Officer in the North-Eastern state. He rather joined the academia, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria and became a reader and acting Head of the Department of Community Medicine from 1968-1970; and later became the department’s first ever head. Many Nigerians particularly in the academia will fondly remember him as Nigeria’s first professor of community health and as one of the brightest minds that passed through the academia.
Born in Maiduguri, Borno State on December 8, 1930, Shehu’s elementary education spanned 1935-1940 in Maiduguri. He proceeded to Kaduna College in Zaria 1944-1947 and subsequently to University College Ibadan 1948-1953. He obtained his medical degree from the University of London and spent two separate periods at the University of Liverpool between 1953-1956 and 1966-1967 respectively. At the end of his academic foray abroad, he worked briefly as a pre-registration house surgeon at the Southport Infirmary before returning home.
Shehu was well known for his exploits in academia; beyond that, he was an activist for the worthy causes that he believed in. He founded the Kanem Borno Historical and Cultural Foundation and was one of the ‘three wise men’ who co-founded the Borno Elders Forum, others being Shettima Ali Monguno and Maina Ibrahim Damcida.
Shehu was a man whose shoe would forever remain a vacuum and too big to fill, while his cap very well deserved the many feathers that dotted it. In 1970, he attained the position of Professor of Community Medicine as well as Head of Department, Community Medicine at the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria between 1970-1978. He was Director, Institute of Health 1970-1977, and had additional responsibilities as Deputy Vice-Chancellor 1975-1976 and later Vice-Chancellor 1977-1978 in the university.
He also served as the provost of the college of medical sciences at the University of Maiduguri 1991-1993 and Sole Administrator of the University 1993-1994. His diligence, hardworking and exemplary leadership saw him as Vice-Chancellor, University of Nigeria, Nsukka where he made significant contributions to the academic and administrative development of the institution between 1978-1980.
Again, his footprints can be traced to the University College Hospital, Ibadan as Chairman, Board of Management 1991-1994. Professor Shehu was the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Bayero University, Kano 1993-1996.
He also served as Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, Governing Council at the University of Lagos 1996-1999. In these roles, not only did he function positively in the governance and strategic direction of the respective universities, he gave his best at all times. Therefore, in recognition of his outstanding accomplishments and contributions to community medicine and academia in particular, he was appointed as a Professor Emeritus in 2000. It was no surprise that tributes flew from all corners of the world when the news of his death was announced.
Government at all levels should go back to the drawing board and bring back the lost glory of education, if only to ensure that the efforts and achievement of Umaru Shehu and his likes do not perish in vain.
The Guardian
