Date: 2021-03-16

It was last Friday(March 12,2021) at the well attended special prayers held for the repose of the soul of the late Alhaja Shifau Anike Baba Alafara(1943-2021),the mother to the very industrious Secretary of the Ilorin Emirate Professors' Association (IEPA),Prof. Abdullahi Baba Alafara(b. 1968), at Alore Quarters,Ilorin, that the very active and fraternal Chairman of the Association, Prof. Sulyman Alege Kuranga(b. 1957),a former Chief Medical Director of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, informed me of the passage of one of the respected elders of the Association and indeed the entire Ilorin Emirate community,Prof. Salihu Suleiman at the age of 86.

Recognising yours sincerely as the "megaphone" of the umbrella sociocultural organisation of the good people of Ilorin Emirate and as someone who imposes on himself, the responsibility of documenting and disseminating information on the life and times of accomplished indigenes of the nation's most unique traditional political entity ,Prof. Kuranga informed me that the distinguished academic passed on two days earlier. He did not stop at that,he also encouraged me to do my usual stuff on the man without further delay with a view to letting the people and friends of Ilorin Emirate know more about the departed egghead, and what his demise mean to us as a people.

Despite my tight schedule, I could not say "No" to the former Director of Academic Planning of the University of Ilorin. Would you say "Aya fe igi gun tele,ki kumon anan re o to ha si para"?

I must confess that procrastination prevented yours sincerely from meeting the late scholar when he was alive. I had secured the assistance of a relation of his towards the end of last year who promised to take me to him. He even booked an appointment with the Professor to that effect. But unfortunately, I could not "make it". No thanks to official engagements.

It was therefore a huge personal regret for me when I learnt of the death of this illustrious compatriot. I knew that with his death, Ilorin Emirate has lost an hero. I have also missed a great privilege of interacting with a great man and one of those who gave their yesterdays for the greatness of our community. If I had met him as planned, this piece would have been more comprehensive, far richer and more authoritative.

The death of Prof. Suleiman coming in close succession to those of the Honourable Justice Abdulkadir Orire,CON,(1934-202),the pioneer Grand Kadi of Kwara State; Alhaji Umaru Aminu Saro,MFR,CON,the Sardaurna of Ilorin (1940-2021); Alhaja Baydhawu Kuranga and Alhaji Safii Usuf Olodo(1929-2021),among others, which happened since the beginning of this year, in addition to the harvest of deaths of several distinguished senior compatriots recorded in the preceding year, makes the incident of the demise of the foremost egghead more discomforting. This is because the death of those outstanding forebears who were repositories of knowledge posses serious challenge to a community like ours as such incidences are similar to the complete incineration of precious libraries,archives, galleries and museums stocked with rare materials.

Prof. Salihu Suleiman,a cerebral academic, shrewd administrator and accomplished diplomat, was born in 1935. He was an outstanding Member of the famous Araoyo family,which also produced the illustrious founder of the famous Arabic and Islamic Training Centre(Markaz),Agege,Lagos State,Shaykh Adam Abdullahi Al-Ilory(1917-1992),among several others. Araoyo Compound,as the name suggests, is peopled by those whose ancestors migrated from Oyo-Ile to Ilorin for political, religious and intellectual reasons ,like several others,following the transformation of Ilorin into an Emirate. The ancestral home of this phenomenal scholar is situated along Kamaldeen Street near the very popular Omoda Roundabout,Omoda Quarters,Ilorin.

Upon the completion of his primary education, Prof. Suleiman proceeded to the then Provincial Secondary School (which is now known as the Government Secondary School), Ilorin. He was a Member of the first set of students who attended the institution after its upgrade to a full fledged secondary school. His contemporaries at the institution included Dr. Shehu Abdul Kadir,who was well known among his contemporaries as Oba Oju-Ekun. Dr Kadir,who was also the pioneer Head Boy of the Provincial Secondary School, Ilorin, died as the Daudu Alapa. Others were the late Alhaji Ayinla Ajikobi;and the second Khalifat Adabiyyin,Shaykh Ahmad Olayiwola Kamaldeen Al-Adabiyy (1938-2020),among others.

His successes at the school certificate programme earned him admission into the then highest educational institution in the erstwhile Northern Region,the Nigerian College of Arts,Science and Technology(NCAST), Zaria. He was among the first set of graduates produced by the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. He graduated from the institution in 1963 after the then (NCAST) metamorphosed into the great Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

For his postgraduate studies,Prof. Suleiman attended the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom, from where he earned a Post Graduate Diploma (Masters degree equivalent) in 1970.Determined to reach the top,Prof. Suleiman proceeded to the Ohio State University, Columbus Ohio,United States of America, where he studied between 1972 and 1974.He was consequently awarded his PhD by the institution in 1974.

Having received the highest obtainable academic qualification within a record time and from one of the universally reputable institutions of higher learning,this renowned academic returned to Nigeria to impart knowledge. He was swiftly engaged as a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Fine Arts, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

Not quite long after his appointment and assumption of duties as a Lecturer,Prof. Suleiman was deservedly appointed as the first African Head of the Department. He also served as the Dean of the Faculty of Environmental Design, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

His successes at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria,boosted his fame far and near. His administrative wherewithal and academic excellence subsequently attracted the attention of the University of Maiduguri, which invited him to establish the institution's Department of Creative Arts in 1981.He was also the founding father of the School of Environmental Technology, Bauchi in 1993.

As a versatile professional,Prof. Suleiman was invited by the Federal Government of Nigeria to serve as an Envoy. He subsequently served between 1984 and 1987 as Nigeria's Ambassador Plenipotentiary and Extraordinary to Iceland and the Republic of Ireland. He was appointed by the then Head of State,Major-General Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR(b. 1943) and certainly not without the patriotic input of the then Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters/Deputy Head of State/Vice-President,the late Major-General Abdulbaki Babatunde Idiagbon(1943-1999) and the then Minister of External Affairs, Prof.(then Dr)Ibrahim Agboola Gambari,CFR(b. 1944),who is incidentally the Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari.

On the completion of his tenure in the realm of diplomacy where he gave a very good account of himself as a glittering patriot,Prof. Suleiman returned to the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where he continued with his core responsibilities of teaching, research and community services.

As an academic,Prof. Suleiman was not a local champion. He was a much sought after scholar who offered multivarious services to other institutions of learning within and outside Nigeria. He was from 1987 to 1990 an External Examiner to the University of Ghana. He was also a Visiting Professor to the Minessota State University, Minneapolis in the United States of America,to mention a few universities which enjoyed his services.

On his attainment of the age of 65 in 1990,Prof. Suleiman retired from the services of the Ahmadu Bello University,Zaria. But as an untired teacher,who was determined to contribute more of his quota to national development, Prof. Suleiman invited to join the services of the Abubakar Tarawa Balewa University, Bauchi. He was immediately appointed as the Dean to the School of Environmental Technology, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi. He held the position between 1990 and 1995.

He was again invited by the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) Kuru, Jos,where he served as the Directing Staff between 1995 and 2000 .He returned to the School of Environmental Technology (SET) at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University,Bauchi,where he continued to do what he knew how to do best from 2000 to 2010.At the age of 75,Prof. Suleiman felt he has done enough as far as regular teaching in the University was concerned and he consequently retired from public service.

Prof. Suleiman has a special place in the history of Ilorin Emirate. He was the second indigene of the community to be elevated to the exalted rank of Professor. He was preceded by only Prof. Saka Nuru(b. 1935),a distinguished scholar of Veterinary Medicine; and followed by Prof. Ibrahim Agboola Gambari,CFR(b. 1944),who specialises in International Relations. Prof. Suleiman was the first Ilorin-born academic to be appointed an envoy and the third Ilorin indigene to serve as a resident Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to a foreign land. He was preceded as an Ambassador by Ambassador Abubakar Garba Gobir(1934-1996) and Ambassador Abdulkadir Muhammad Sambo Imam,who was Nigeria's Ambassador to the Arab Republic of Egypt in the 1970s and a secondary school Islamic Studies teacher to the late Professor. This classification is without prejudice to the amazing career of the one and only "Gbogbo-Iwe" of Ilorin, Alhaji Saadu Alanamu(1912-1996) ,the penultimate Waziri,Balogun Alanamu and Balogun Agba of Ilorin who served as the Agent-General of the defunct Northern Region to the Great Britain between 1960 and 1963.

This great son of Ilorin was a Member of the Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union during his days at Zaria. He was also said to be a Patron of the Bauchi Branch of the Union when he sojourned in Bauchi. He was equally a distinguished Member of the Ilorin Solidarity Club to which he delivered an anniversary lecture in 2012.

Assessing his life and times,the Chairman of the Zaria Branch of IEDPU,Dr Abdulwahab Salman Adisa,described the late Prof. Suleiman as a very nice and easygoing man who would always be remembered for his patriotism. To Dr Adisa,Prof. Suleiman was a blessing to Ilorin, a perfect gentleman and a man whose impact is still being felt in Zaria more than three decades after his glorious retirement from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

The same view was shared by Dr Binta Sulyman,a daughter to one of the godfathers to the deceased scholar and pioneer Registrar of the National Open University of Nigeria, Alhaji Hamidu Gambari Erubu(b. 1931),MFR,CON .Dr Sulyman, who was a student of Prof. Suleiman and now an Associate Professor at the Kwara State University, Malete,described the late scholar as a rare gem and a patriot who was always after the progress of indigenes of Ilorin Emirate and others who passed through him at one time or the other. To her,Prof. Suleiman was an icon and a complete teacher who took it upon himself to monitor the progress of his students even many years after graduation. She recalled that Prof. Suleiman,who she met as a Professor on her admission into ABU,Zaria,as an undergraduate in 1978, was one of those who insisted that she must not limit her academic qualifications. According to her,Prof. Suleiman was always encouraging younger ones to be the best they could be.

Prof. Suleiman, who died peacefully in his sleep on Wednesday, March 10,2021 at his Ilorin Residence, was survived by a wife, 10 children and 11 grandchildren.

On behalf of the National President of the Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union( IEDPU),Alhaji Aliyu Otta Uthman, fsi,I sincerely commiserate with the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji (Dr)Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, CFR on the death of a precious son of the Emirate. May I also condole Engr. Suleiman Ayinde Yahaya,the amiable Danmasani of Ilorin and President of the GSS Old Boys Association and his members on the loss of a distinguished alumnus of the famous institution. I also sympathise with all the relations,friends,associates,students and colleagues of the Prof. Suleiman on the death of a great scholar,exemplary mentor and an outstanding leader.

It is my prayers that Allah forgives his shortcomings and may he also grant him Al-Janat Fridaws. I also beseech Allah to afford his children and loved ones the fortitude to bear his departure to the great beyond. Aamiin.

Imam is National Publicity Secretary, Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union.