By Mohammed Agboola Tahiru

In the last couple of weeks or thereabout, quite a number of articles and commentaries in honour of Prof. Shuaibu Oba Abdulraheem dominated the social media network especially Ilorin.Info and facebook.

Indeed, this illustrious son of Ilorin and the Talba of the ancient city deserves all the accolades and many more. More than 20 years ago, myself and 3 others met enroute Kano on Kwara Express. We all had one thing in common - to see Dr. Oba (as he was then) at the Bayero University Kano for assistance regarding admission to the University. For me personally it was my third successive year trying to enter a tertiary institution. The preceeding years despite doing well in the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board examinations, Unilorin situated in my State of origin denied me the opportunity even though I hail from the State and should have been promptly considered (as per catchment area).

When we arrived at Kano, that great city that has of late become a hotbed of insurgents, we met 2 others of similar mission to Kano at Festing Road, Sabon Gari where the Kwara Express bus berthed. That same night we were all taken to his residence (on the permanent site of the University) which surprisingly accommodated so many other natives of Ilorin. The then Dr. Oba listened to us, perused through our credentials and asked us to spend the night in prayers for the success of our mission. The following morning, all five of us (3 of us from Ilorin and the 2 others from Offa and Patigi respectively) assembled in his office, got another prep talk and he personally followed each of us to our respective would-be departments where he cajoled, begged and made cases for our eventual admission. The rest as they say is now history and as humbly as I can recall, all five of us are doing great in our various endeavours. All Praises be to God Most High. This scenario I am sure is peculiar to thousands of others.

That is the stuff Prof. Oba Abdulraheem is made of; helping and helping and helping people. Thousands of University graduates will testify to his benevolence. It was all in a bid to improve the human capacity development of his community. It was no surprise thereafter that his tenure as Vice-Chancellor of Unilorin laid the foundation for the applause the University receives today. As the first Ilorin native and Muslim to occupy the position, Prof Oba undoubtedly showed commitment to probity and accountability as well as supervised a revolutionary return of discipline and decency in the general conduct of the affairs of the University. The sobriquet "Better by Far" for which the University is widely known today was bequeathed to it by the landmark achievements of Prof. Oba at a time the Nigerian University system was inundated with Lecturer’s strike as well as students’ cultism. Since his time, the academic calendar of the University has remained the most stable in the country.

Prof. Oba Abdulraheem has remained an enigma. While numerous of our community leaders and so-called political leaders revel in flaunting their achievements even as we all know they were self-serving and of pecuniary advantage, Prof Oba has used his God given opportunities to selflessly impact on the lives of others. I join other well meaning Kwarans to wish this God-fearing gentleman a successful tenure as he commences another term as the Executive Chairman of the Federal Character Commission.

No weapon fashioned against you shall prosper Insha Allah. Wallahu Yah simuka minnan Nas. Amin.

Mohammed Agboola Tahiru works with FMBN (Ltd). Ilorin.