Malam Umaru Tanko Abdullahi: A Tribute to A Beloved Lecturer
By Sir Ibrahim (Aquinas)
The Department of Political Science and International Studies ABU Zaria has lost one of its research panels Malam Umaru Tanko Abdullahi.
Malam Tanko was friendly and soft to the serious students, and of course tough and hostile to the lazy ones. The former earned him some respect and the latter stamped him its opposite.
Malam was that type of a “no-nonsense lecturer” but being that, doesn’t stop him from making fun with his students. I could recall when we were in one of his classes “Politics and Law in Africa” Malam said he would give us the simplest CA. We were all happy.
Then, Malam Umaru Tanko Abdullahi requested us to submit our notebooks as our CA. On conditions that whoever has a complete note pass that CA and whoever doesn’t have a complete note, fail.
As final year students, how could one expect us to write a comprehensive lecture note in a single book? So, We began to complain. Then Malam laughed and said he would not collect our notebooks that day but he would collect them, the day after.
He gave us instructions that all his lectures should be compiled using handwriting, he warned us that all our handwriting should reflect the previous lectures’ handwriting.
Unfortunately, very few among the students were serious to put down his lectures completely, we rushed to them and borrowed their notes, we made photocopies and spent the whole day drafting notes in our books. Despite all this sacrifice, none of us complete his note before the submission day.
On the day of submission, Malam gathered our notes and go with them. Everyone was afraid of being punished with the red pen.
Later on, Malam came and told us that he observed that the entire notes were a copy of three students’ notes. As a result, he would punish the three students who lend their books and reward those who copied from them.
All of us would hail please Sir “Justice with Mercy”. He then laugh and said he was just joking and approved pass mark to all of us!
InnalillAhi wa’inna ilaihirrajiun! Today, Malam Umaru Tanko Abdullahi is no more. I miss the frown on his face, I miss his hyper-medium smiling and I miss his jokes.
Malam I forgive you and I pray to God to forgive you and grant your soul eternal rest. We love you, sir!
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