By Aliyu Abubakar
As a youth corps member in 2005, I was torn between two promising job prospects. One was the potential of getting hired to teach as a Graduate Assistant in the Mass Communications Department of Bayero University Kano, and two, the opportunity of plunging deep into the pool of journalism practice. While my dream has always been to be a journalist and hopefully reach the pinnacle of the noble pen-pushing profession, I was, sincerely speaking, more attracted to, and more passionate about staying back on campus to impart knowledge and also grow into an academic.
So, a few days after rounding off the mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme at Local Government Secondary School, Ohiana, in Okene, Kogi State, I returned to Kano. Prior to my return, Malam Gausu Ahmad, the then Head of Department (HOD) at Mass Communications Department, BUK had written a letter on my behalf to the NYSC, requesting for my redeployment to BUK, so I could, in his very courteous words, “help with some workload in the Department.” He basically wanted me to start learning the ropes of lecturing. Sadly, the request fell on deaf ears!
I was however fixated on that big dream of landing a lecturing job, even when all pleas to get me redeployed to Kano returned negative. Having tried without success, Malam Gausu stepped in and acted like a true father and mentor that he has always been to us. He consoled and convinced me to stay back in Kogi, assuring that if the lecturing job was meant for me, I would definitely return and pick up the appointment. Therefore, in the spirit of accepting my fate, I deliberately opted for a teaching job at my place of primary assignment, despite the opportunity of practicing journalism at NTA or even Confluence FM, all in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital. However, instead of going to the Federal College of Education, Okene or the young Kogi State University at Ayangba, I ended up at a local council secondary school in Okene.
All along my one year stay at Kogi, Malam Gausu was tracking my progress, assuring me that once I am done with the national service, things will work out. Shortly after rounding off the NYSC in February 2006, I went back to BUK to demonstrate my availability for the GA appointment at the Mass Communications Department. Co-incidentally, it happened that one fateful day, the Late Musa Umar Kazaure, Daily Trust’s then Kano Bureau Chief, came visiting at the department, principally to see his old friend, Malam Gausu Ahmad. One of the items on the plate then was Daily Trust’s traditional offer of automatic job placements to Mass Communications graduates, who were privileged to have “emerged top of their class.”
Malam Gausu immediately summoned me to his Office where I met the Late Musa Kazaure. After all the salutations, the HOD said: “Daily Trust Kano Bureau Chief is here. They want you in Abuja on Monday for an automatic job offer. What do you think of it? Are you interested?”, he asked. He then sent off the Late Kazaure and came back to me. Before I even responded, he interjected: “But what do we do with the Graduate Assistant job that you applied for, which, though could take some time to be finalised, could also materialise?” he quizzed, now appearing concerned. I didn’t hesitate in my response. “HOD Sir, I love journalism, but lecturing is all I want to do Sir,” I said.
It was obvious Malam Gausu was not convinced with my answer. Therefore, he further inquired if I wanted an honest advice or I was just keen on hearing what would make me happy. He then said: “Young man, go and learn the trade. We can always invite you once the University’s Appointments & Promotions Committee (A&PC) has scheduled a date for the possible ratification of your Departmental Graduate Assistant Interview,” the HOD explained. Justifying further, he said by the time I am back from Daily Trust, the invaluable experience gained would have brightened my chances as added advantage for the GA job.
That advice by Malam Gausu, though discomforting at that time, turned out to be apt and crucial. Just like he suggested, I went to Daily Trust and learnt the little I learnt from journalism practice. Though I did not end up in the academia, like both of us badly wanted, Malam Gausu was instrumental in my decision to head to Daily Trust for some requisite experience. Fortunately, it is one counsel I always thank God I accepted, as it has opened up new vistas in my personal and work lives. Everyone who knows me knows how I relish talking about my early development at Daily Trust and how it has helped to shape my career as a Public Relations practitioner later in life. It was all down to Malam’ Gausu’s counsel.
Malam Gausu is not just about counselling or mentorship. Back in the days at BUK, he was, and arguably still, the father of print journalism in Mass Communications Department. Once you go into his lectures, you could tell that he was super proud and passionate about the journalism profession, especially the print aspect. His Newspaper Production, Features Writing and Critical Issues in Mass Communications classes were full of delight for students. Alongside the Late Abubakar Jika and Malam Haruna Ismail, they have helped nurtured a crop of budding campus journalists who fell in love with the art of writing. The trio demystified the intricacies and complexities of getting published in leading national newspapers and magazines. Despite the emerging threat of new media, some of us are still in love with print journalism, all because of people like Malam Gausu.
In the 2002/03 academic session, the 400 Level Mass Communications class was dichotomised based on the Print and Broadcast specialisations. While the Broadcast Class took five over six (5/6) of the entire class, the Print Class (which I belonged to) was left with about 15-18 students, just about one over six (1/6) of the entire class population. During his first appearance in the class for the Newspaper Production (MAC 4235) lecture, Malam was visibly elated. This is because he was going to have fewer students to attend to, and, in his words, “to sufficiently analyse, debate, challenge, discuss and dissect newspapers and how they get to the news stands.”
Malam Gausu obviously wanted our print class sessions to be a replica of the newsrooms he experienced at the New Nigerian in Kaduna or Concord Newspapers in Lagos. If he is not picking holes in some wayward, sensational headline casting, he is lamenting about why a particular issue, as topical as it was then, would be buried deep into the latter pages of a newspaper. Also, if he is not highlighting a story angle for someone to write something on, he is helping us book an interview with some of the newsmakers on the campus. The point here is Malam Gausu understand the nuances and politics of print journalism in and out. He has practiced it, he has taught it to students and he has embodied all the good virtues exemplified by the noble profession. Indeed, we have been very lucky to have benefited from his fountain of knowledge.
Malam Gausu is a man of faith, indeed a very spiritual person. When he took over as HOD, the Department was ‘bedevilled’ by some, often times man-made misfortunes, ranging from poor compilation of results to other administrative bottlenecks. Within that “period of plague”, Malam Gausu invited some Alarammomi (people who have committed the Holy Qur’an by heart) from within the Department. They met and repeatedly recited the Holy book, invoking the Almighty Allah to salvage the situation. This of course was complimented by his workaholic efforts to bring about positive change and redeem the Department’s image within the then Faculty of Arts & Islamic Studies (FAIS).
In 2002, I had the rare honour and privilege of participating in an Inter-Faculty Musabaqa (Quranic Memorisation Competition), organised by the then Munir Dahiru-led Student Union Government (SUG) of BUK. When I was announced as the winner of the 10 Hizb category and the news got to Malam Gausu, he celebrated as if I had won the International Qur’anic Contest for Nigeria in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He called me to his office, held the Certificate and prayed on it. He also promised to inform the then Dean of FAIS (Dr. Mukhtar Abdulkadir? I can’t remember) about the “remarkable success.” When Ibrahim Siraj Adhama, a student of the Department, (now a PhD and a Lecturer at the Department), mesmerized the whole world in 2002 to clinch the year’s International Qur’anic Contest in Saudi Arabia, Malam Gausu quietly led the celebrations. His support was also pivotal in ensuring that the Alaramma graduated well within the required time schedule. Malam doesn’t hide his love for Ahlul Qur’an.
Though highly principled, Malam Gausu is also very humble and unassuming. He is jovial and loves cracking jokes too. As MACOSA President in 2003, I appointed well over ten Special Advisers. Malam Gausu, who was to sign on their “certificates of meritorious service” felt the list of our appointees was too long. So, he called me into his Office and queried. “Why do you have to appoint plenty advisers, Mr. President?” I admitted that for some of them, they merit it, while for others, it was purely for reasons of inclusion and for some, it was to bring the opposition much closer. I also said that the appointments had no extra cost on MACOSA’s finances. Malam Gausu suddenly gave me a stern look, and said, “You sounded like General IBB, who would appoint everyone perceived as his critic into his Government! Good luck to you as you neutralise them all.” We all burst into laughter, and then Malam took his time to sign all the certificates.
Malam Gausu transfered his services to the academia in the early years of the new millennium, bringing about his vast journalism experience into the ivory towers. As beneficiaries of such experience, we could tell that Malam Gausu (now leaving as Professor Gausu) has paid his dues. I hear people talk of Professors Umaru Pate and Abdalla Uba Adamu as pioneers behind the unbundling of Mass Communications from one huge Department into a full-fledged Faculty of Communications. That is not contestable. But as he takes his well-deserved leave after attaining the mandatory retirement age of 70 years, even the two erudite Professors would attest to the legendary role played by the Zaria-born Professor Gausu Ahmad in laying the foundation which perfectly blended the town and gown together towards the emergence of a new community of communications scholars at the BUK.
Congratulations Prof! Allah Ya Sanya albarka. Allah Ya sa a gama lafiya.
Aliyu Abubakar lives in Abuja.
