When I learnt of the death of Nigeria’s first Emeritus Professor Umaru Shehu on Monday, October 2, 2023, my mind went straight back to the one and only opportunity I had of sitting with him for an hour. It was a newspaper interview we (together with my editor at the time Abdulkareem Baba Aminu and colleague Amina Alhassan) had with him in May 2012 for the Weekly Trust (now Daily Trust on Saturday).
Sure, one hour may be too short to fully grasp and comprehend the complexities that make up a person’s personality, but in that single encounter Prof Umaru Shehu made an indelible impression on me enough to last me a lifetime. Very simple and straightforward. Witty I must add. No airs, nothing. I remember asking him after the interview “Can you please stand up for a photograph?” And he said “Of course, I can stand up.” He was already up before finishing that statement actually, which left me feeling ill at ease. May be I misfired, may I was misunderstood, I said to myself. Abdulkareem however thought it was an opportunity for then octogenarian to show us his fitness.
For the interview, there was no question we asked that he refused to answer, straight to the point and no rigmarole. For instance we were surprised that despite being a man of many firsts, and rich career full of outstanding accomplishments, he never succumbed to the allure of politics.
“I trained as a doctor and I was going to serve my community as a doctor. I became a civil servant and I continued in the service until I retired. It’s not like these days where some public servants engage in other endeavors to make more money,” he said, adding that “I was active during the days of the Sardauna, Obafemi Awolowo, and Nnamdi Azikiwe but it all ended in discussions or debate amongst my peer group. Interestingly, I haven’t seen or heard of anyone in my age group who has gone into politics at my age, except top civil servants, of course. So it wasn’t my interest right from the beginning.”
He also recalled his younger days, mostly during the colonial era based on the British colonial perception, as interesting. “I did all my fighting in my younger days in elementary school,” he would say when asked why he never engaged in tit-for-tat even when provoked. “I have passed that stage and don’t think anyone can get me to the point of being angry. I don’t quarrel but I can argue; it never goes beyond that,” he said.
Talking about his early education, he said “In those days there was only one elementary school in Yerwa, there was no Maiduguri then. There was also only one provincial school, what we call Middle School. Then I also went to Kaduna College, the only secondary school in the whole of northern Nigeria then. All those days, I seemed to do well. In those days, there was no matriculation board as we were examined by the college and given a certificate. So when I finished in 1947 I went back to Yerwa. In 1948 when I gained admission to the university that was when I began feeling that education could continue.”
Indeed, he continued with his educational pursuit, which took him to the University College Ibadan from 1948 to 1953 and then to the University of Liverpool between 1953-1956 and 1966-1967. He started working as a pre-registration House Surgeon, Southport Infirmary, United Kingdom in 1957.
While many in his shoes would gladly write books on their trajectories in life, or welcome others to do it on their behalf, Prof Umaru Shehu never gave much thought to the idea. He spoke about a publisher he became friends with “and anytime we met he would tell me that he expects at least two books from me: an autobiography and another on public health.”
The publisher would tell Prof Shehu that he had two ingredients which could make it easy for him to write a book. “He said I had my diaries where everything that has happened in my life since 1953 was documented. Secondly, he said, I have presented papers in different countries and on different topics. He believed I could put all that into a book form and get them published.” That publisher didn’t succeed.
But his biography ‘Prof Emeritus Umaru Shehu – A Life of Sacrifice’ was eventually published by Abdulrahman Sade (Sadaukin Bauchi). The elder medical statesman narrated how it happened. “One day, Abdulrahman Sade, then an undergraduate of [University of Maiduguri] came to me and asked if he could read through some of my diaries and I obliged him. He went through and said the diaries were an interesting read and could be put into a book and I told him if he so wished he could go ahead and do just that. So he took most of them, reviewed and compiled them into a book form. So I congratulate him for taking up the challenge and also carrying me along.”
During our interview, we wanted to know the secret behind Prof Umaru Shehu’s longevity and his answer suggested that we were not the only ones interested in finding out. He said “When people see me they keep asking what keeps me going. I always reply it’s either of two things I didn’t do, which were I never smoked or indulged in drinking. My classmates who indulged in them unfortunately are all gone now. Allah showed me the path and I believe he showed me in different ways not to indulge in such. In addition I do exercise and play lawn tennis and nothing out of the ordinary.”
But while some were intrigued by the elder statesman’s longevity, which allowed him to remain active for long and contributing significantly to the advancement of medical knowledge worldwide, others were threatened by it. He shared an interesting story with us thus: “About three years ago, I got an anonymous text from someone asking me what I am still doing, hanging around offices and hospitals. He said he was sorry to say but one day my corpse will be found in my office or a hospital. I thought about it and said well if only I could choose where my corpse will be found, first I would like it to be found in the mosque in Mecca. My second choice will be in the mosque in my house in Maiduguri and thirdly, in my workplace.” This answer inspired the title of our interview: “Three places where I’d want to die, by Prof Umaru Shehu”
When we pressed further, he said the question of retiring should be reserved for his students. “The students I taught are now professors, the students my students taught are also now professors. So I always tell them anytime you notice that Professor Shehu is behaving strangely, please don’t hesitate to let me know and I will gladly retire because I know the time has come for me to finally quit and rest till when Allah calls.”
That call came sadly but inevitably on Monday — some 11 years after our interview — and Professor Shehu answered while still active and in absolute control of his senses. The call came after more than nine decades of living, nine of which were spent in active service to humanity through community medicine and public health practice.
Prof Umaru Shehu was born in December 1930 (his biographer mention 1929) and led an exemplary life full of lessons, especially for those seeking to succeed in public life. He achieved twin fame in academic and healthcare sectors. He was at various times a fellow of the National Postgraduate Medical College, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic) of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria; Vice Chancellor at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN); Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Bayero University, Kano, and the University of Lagos, among others.
May Almighty Allah forgive his shortcomings and strengthen those impacted by his passage.
- Abubakar is Editor-in-Chief of Dateline Nigeria (dateline.ng)
