One memorable afternoon in my final year at the University of Ilorin, I was walking down the popular walkway around the varsity’s faculty of arts and my mind wandered aimlessly through a myriad of issues. As the clock ticked away under the glare of the afternoon sun, my thoughts meandered through uncertainties: our project defence had been scheduled for the next day yet I had barely put finishing touches to my thesis, due to a combination of factors beyond my control at the time.

Soon, I got to the faculty of communications and information science and wobbled into the office of then Dr Saudat Salah Abdulbaqi, my project supervisor and then head of mass communication department. In her usually gentle, motherly tone, she expressed concern about how far I had gone with my project, then instructed me to come to her residence later in the day.

Later in the afternoon, I was at her residence outside the campus and throughout the evening and late into the night, despite her tight schedule, we both pored over tons of documents, crossing the T’s and dotting the I’s. It was a rare privilege, I must say, especially for a super-busy academic and thought leader like Dr. Albdulbaqi. By the early hours of the next morning, the thesis had been put in shape, thanks to her unparalleled dexterity in statistical analysis.

In the end, it was as though I had the burden of a heavy-duty truck lifted off my shoulders and, quite expectedly, the project defence and presentation went smoothly.

Few months ago, the University of Ilorin announced the conferment of professorship title on the amazon whose motherly care, academic influence and leadership direction impacted many of us. Not only was her rise to that enviable position phenomenal, she also made history as the university’s first female professor of mass communication.

Such an incredible feat!

Professor AbdulBaqi is without doubt an inspiration through and through, having spent decades combining expertise in development communication, media studies, gender advocacy and public relations, with towering influence among (Muslim) women not just within the Ilorin emirate and across (northern) Nigeria, but even far beyond.

It’s a testament to her brilliance that, in her decades-long journey towards excellence, she has garnered numerous accolades both in academic and professional life: she was ‘Best Student in English and Islamic Studies’ during her undergraduate years, and was recipient of the Awang Had Salleh Award and Education Trust Fund Scholarship during her Postgraduate studies, among other accolades.

Apart from her academic brilliance and decades of teaching experience, she has equally proven her outstanding leadership qualities, evident during her tenure as the Ag. Head of the Department of Mass Communication at the University of Ilorin. Her communication and public relations expertise remains equally evident in her track records at the Kwara State Television Service, Nigerian Paper Mills Ltd., and Unilorin 89.3 FM, among other outfits where she contributed and shone brightly.

It is no surprise that because of her contributions to the field of Public Relations, she was honoured with the prestigious title of Fellow of the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (FNIPR), an esteemed recognition in the PR profession.

In his path-goal theory of leadership, Robert House argued that a leader’s behaviour is motivational and acceptable to subordinates when conceived as a source of satisfaction. When the leader facilitates and rewards effective performance, he or she must have created an achievement-oriented environment for organizational development. Professor Abdulbaqi exemplifies these traits.

Back in our days at the University of Ilorin, the one thing that intrigued me (and I did mention it in my departmental valedictory speech) was how Professor Abdulbaqi combined motherly care with firm, no-nonsense discipline; never allowing one principle to distort the other in her interactions with students. She is the one lecturer that would deliberately break down all student-lecturer barriers in her interaction with nearly every student, opening her wide arms to everyone, showing genuine care and interest in their personal goals and life challenges.

But quite interestingly, she wouldn’t hesitate to reprimand the same student the next minute once he/she errs or fails to take his/her studies seriously. If students had unfettered access to any lecturer—at home, in her office or, even, while walking down the road—that lecturer was Professor Abdulbaqi. Yet this amazon, who knew nearly every student in the faculty not just by their names and surname, but sometimes by their middle names, would gladly remain firm in her disciplinary position once the situation demands so.

Back in the day at the faculty, Professor Abdulbaqi took perhaps the most dreaded course among communication students (research methods/statistical analysis), a testament to her brilliance and patience. She also enjoys the rare privilege of having deep understanding of the entire gamut of media practice—radio, TV, print, PR, development communication—with a blend of theoretical knowledge and real life (practical) experiences.

It’s, therefore, no surprise that one other important area Professor Abdulbaqi remains outstanding is mentorship. And for her, it doesn’t matter whether you offer her courses or not, or whether you are in the mass communication department or not; every student is her student, her mentee, her daughter, her son—and they all deserve care, attention, and mentorship.

In any case, it could be argued that the entire mass communication department of the University of Ilorin is made up of lecturers who excel as great mentors—from Alhaji Liad Tella, who taught me how to fly on the wings of sentences; to the inimitable Professor Lukman Adesina Azeez, who exemplifies brilliance; to Dr Lambe Mustapha, whose diligence and interventionist support remain unforgettable; as well as Barrister Abdulraheem and Drs Adisa, K.K Kadiri, Omolosho, Mustapha, Abubakre, La’aro, Abubakar, Udende, Arikewuyo and others, including the ever-supportive Mr Tajudeen Yusuf.

Apart from being a mother, mentor and project supervisor, I worked as a volunteer alongside Professor Abdulbaqi while studying at UNILORIN—most notably on a magazine publication—and the opportunity provided insights into her sense of diligence, hard work, and commitment to numerous projects in the academia, Ilorin community, PR/communications circles, and the Muslim world, especially on issues that revolve around the empowerment of women—irrespective of creed and tongue.

Once, in my third year in Ilorin, a challenging experience I had while editing the department’s flagship newspaper (UNILORIN WATCH) troubled my mind. But Professor AbdulBaqi and Dr Mustapha would provide direction, giving insights into how the experience would shape my journey after school. And they were right.

“A mentor is someone who allows you to see the hope inside yourself,” quips Oprah Winfrey. I remember the Ilorin moments today and appreciate Professor Abdulbaqi (and Dr Musty) for the words of encouragement and mentorship.

As she climbs this new ladder, may God in his infinite mercies ease her path.

Congratulations, Ma.

Oladeinde is the business & economy editor of Premium Times