The man Jibril Aminu @77: A tribute
Jibril Aminu, one of Nigeria’s elder statesmen and a man of many parts recently marked his 77th birthday on August 25, 2016. In the last fifty years, Aminu devoted his life to the development of Nigeria in several respects particularly in health, education, oil and mineral resources, foreign affairs and general administration. In each of the sectors he served, he left legacies, even if controversial, that have remained relevant to the country. An excursion into the public life of the fellow may perhaps persuade those who care to know little about him to understand his story.
He has attained the apex of his profession as a Professor of Medicine and Chancellor of a University; held important national and international positions, some of which are: Senior Lecturer/Consultant in Medicine and Sub Dean (Clinical) at the University of Ibadan; Pioneer Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC); Vice Chancellor, University of Maiduguri; Minister of Education, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources; President of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC); Member, Nigeria National Constitutional Conference; Member, Board of Trustees of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP); Ambassador of Nigeria to the United States of America (USA) and a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. On several occasions, he was honoured to prepare and deliver papers at University convocations, the Chatham House in London and the White House in Washington in the presence of American President, George Bush, among others.
Born on August 25, 1939 in the rocky town of Song, Adamawa State, he enrolled into the Song Elementary School in 1946 where he emerged as a bright kid and an active singer that he was nicknamed Mai Waka. His ability to sing, adventurous behaviour and high sense of humour endeared him to his fellow children and elders in the community.
In 1950, Aminu was admitted into the Yola Middle School. He had many friends; the closest being Mohammadu Gambo Jimeta (later the Inspector General of Police and National Security Advisor). Jimeta’s school number was 912 while Aminu had 910. Jimeta, a bigger fellow then, remembered that Aminu was the most brilliant but smallest boy in the class. His size exposed him to bullishness from the bigger boys. But he was able to stand his ground, and fiercely, too. Aminu’s stay in the Yola Middle School was short; instead of proceeding into Middle Two, he gained admission by entrance examination into the prestigious Barewa College in Zaria.
Aminu Song, as he was officially called was placed in Form 1A and registered as Student Number B929. His friend and mate from Adamawa, Ali Baba registered as B 930. His classmates included fellows like Late Ahmadu Kurfi who became a pharmacist later in life and Late Ali Baba, who served as a Minister under President Shehu Shagari in 1979-1983. There was also Abdullahi Bashir; the grandson of Mafindi from Jalingo. The class also had fellows like Dr. Ishaku Aliyu, a Paediatrician and late Professor Babayo Musa (BD Musa). The trio were later admitted in the same class in the Ibadan Medical School. Another great fellow in that class was Murtala Kurawa later General Murtala Muhammed.
From form 1-6 in Barewa, Aminu had consistently maintained position one with very clear margins. In the final West African School Certificate Examination (WASCE) in 1957, he scored A1 (distinctions) in English Language, English Literature, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, British Empire History, and a credit in Geography. It may be interesting to note that up to 1957, Aminu had ranked as the only second Northern Nigerian candidate to have ever scored a rare distinction (A1) in the English Language paper in the history of the WAEC organized examinations.
Upon his completion, he sat for the entrance examination into the only University College, Ibadan, but because he did not study Biology as it was not offered in Barewa, he was admitted to read Agriculture instead of Medicine. He declined and, as an alternative enrolled for the ‘A’ levels in Nigerian College of Arts, Science, and Technology, Zaria in 1958. Again, success smiled on Aminu in 1960 when he wrote the Cambridge GCE ‘A’ level examinations. He scored ‘A’ (distinction) in Chemistry and Physics and a ‘B’ (credit) in Zoology.
In 1960, Aminu gained admission to read Medicine at the University of Ibadan. After the first two years, Aminu and classmates wrote the much feared promotional examinations comprising papers in Physiology, Anatomy, Pharmacology and Biochemistry to qualify for the Clinical School located at the University College Hospital (UCH). He passed all the papers with distinctions. During the period, too, he won 100 pounds and books in a Kingsway sponsored National English Essay Competition. It was a lot of money then. His friend and senior colleague in the Medical School, Ahmadu Ali, (later Dr Senator Ahmadu Ali) escorted him to the premises of Kingsway Stores to receive the prize for an essay he wrote as his entry in the Kingsway competition on the theme of “Books are my Ladders to Success”. The story spread on the campus that a “Mallam from the North in the Medical School had won the Kingsway English Essay Competition.”
On the political front, Aminu and friends from the North at UI formed the Northern Peoples’ Congress (NPC) Club with Ahmadu Ali as the President and Aminu as its Secretary. Later, when Ahmadu Ali graduated, Aminu succeeded him as the President of the NPC Club. When he was in the clinical class, he contested, won and became a member in the Student Representatives Council of the University. In the final MBBS examinations in 1965, he emerged top of the class with distinctions in Surgery and Pathology and overall best in Medicine. In recognition of his performance, he was awarded prizes at the Convocation of the University in November, 1965 by the Prime Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa: Gold Medal for the Best Medical Student; the Best University Graduate of the Year; Sir Samuel Manuwa Medal for the Best Medical Graduate of the Year; Sir Kofo Abayomi Gold Medal for the Best Student in Community Medicine and the prize for the Best Year Four Student.
Upon completion of the mandatory one year internship as a House Officer, Aminu applied and secured the Commonwealth as well as the Northern Regional Government Scholarships for postgraduate studies in Medicine in the United Kingdom.
Upon graduation in London, he had the option of staying to work in the United Kingdom, but he declined the offer and reported to the Ministry of Health in Maiduguri where he was appointed a Consultant Physician in the State Civil Service with a posting to the General Hospital Maiduguri.
He was soon offered appointment as a Lecturer I and Consultant and later Senior Lecturer and Sub Dean (Clinical) in the Department of Medicine and at the College of Medical Sciences in Ibadan. Equally, ABU Zaria had offered him an appointment to teach in its Medical School but he felt that he would be happier in Ibadan to re-join his teachers and senior friends.
While Aminu was enjoying his job at Ibadan, General Yakubu Gowon appointed him the pioneer Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC) in March 1975.He set up the organization and nurtured it to maturity. He served the NUC and saw to the establishment of the second generation universities up to the end of his first term in October, 1979. Though, not frustrated out of the NUC, he declined a renewal and chose to return to the classroom at the Howard University Medical School in Washington DC, USA as a Visiting Professor and doubled as an International Scholar at the Cleaveland Clinic in Ohio, USA.
President Shehu Shagari appointed him based on recommendation to be the Vice Chancellor of the University of Maiduguri. He served for five years focusing on the reviewing and implementation of the academic and physical master plans and enforcement of strict quality control in the system. But, less than one year into his second term as the VC of UNIMAID, General Ibrahim Babangida appointed him as the Education Minister in August, 1985. Aminu accepted the offer and served to the best of his ability to expand the frontiers of knowledge in the country. Babangida transferred him from Education to the Petroleum Resources Ministry in 1989. It was a new terrain for him but by the time he left, his foot prints remained indelible.
A father of nine, Aminu is a recipient of numerous awards, recognitions and prizes in different parts of the world. He has five honorary Doctorate degrees from ABU, Zaria, UNIMAID, FUTY, NDA and BENSU. He is a recipient of the fellowship of four Polytechnics and three Colleges of Education, the Nigerian Academy of Science (FAS), the Nigerian Academy of Education, Royal College of Physicians (FRCP), West African College of Physicians (FWACP), Foundation Member, Nigerian College of Physicians (FMNCP) and the African Academy of Science. He was the second Chancellor of the Benue State University, Makurdi.
Aminu is an internationalist who believes in a strong Federal Nigeria. He is widely travelled and widely connected; he has visited all the continents of the world. His network of friends cuts across all physical, social and psychological boundaries.
Aminu is an internationalist who believes in a strong Federal Nigeria. He is widely travelled and widely connected; he has visited all the continents of the world