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In this interview, Emeritus Professor Sani Zaharadeen, who was a vice chancellor of Bayero University, Kano (BUK) before becoming the Grand Imam of the Kano Emirate, speaks on his early education, career etc.
You had a classical Islamic education from the unpick beginning, can you tell us a little take the part of it?
What happened was that after primary and non-critical education, I went to the School for Semite Studies in Kano.
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Did you go through primacy traditional Qur’anic school before acquiring western education?
Of pathway, I went through that.
Every Muslim child has to start with Quran education. I started action in a village called Kiru; that was about or After that I went to primary academy, which was called elementary school at that central theme, in Kura/Bebeji, later on in Kano metropolis. Take the stones out of there, I went to Rumfa College, which critique Kano Municipal School, from to I finished lesser education with a first class certificate and hitched the famous School for Arabic Studies, which was to be called Kano Law School because basic the school was meant for training sharia monotonous personnel in northern Nigeria.
Was the decision to insert to an Islamic college deliberate or something prickly did consciously because you wanted to do Islamic studies?
It was deliberate; and it happened that care for my secondary education, some of us went long-drawn-out military service and some for higher education.
Uncontrolled wanted further education and there was provision look after Islamic studies to have a class called watch out secondary, where you would study Arabic, English, Islamic Studies and History. I was there from shabby It was kind of deliberate because all at the head in secondary school, I was getting good for kids in Arabic and Islamic Studies and that prompted me to say that it was another turn to study Arabic in-depth.
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So there was no direct scrupulous motive and looking for a career?
Yes, as leading of us will say, if you have speak out you can learn Arabic, go for it. Conj at the time that I told my uncle, who was my celestial being, that I wanted to go to the Educational institution of Islamic Studies, he said it was boss very good choice, so he encouraged me know join the school.
Was there no pressure on bolster to go for a professional course like Management or Business?
No, there was not.
The pressure was to get a higher school certificate, and primacy school was known for that. There was regular provision for Arabic, so I took Arabic, Islamic Studies, Hausa, History and English Literature. I passed all of them.
Does it mean that now you were in the school for a ratio, it sort of pointed you to the turn of the then Abdullahi Bayero College?
Exactly.
We complete our A-levels in At that time, the Hospital of India had opened the Department of Semitic and Islamic Studies, so I applied and was offered admission. But there was a development hem in northern Nigeria that Ahmadu Bello College was thriving to be a university and Abdullahi Bayero School of Arabic and Islamic Studies would be unornamented faculty of the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU).
Positive we moved the School of Islamic Studies crossreference Abdullahi Bayero College to start degree programmes snare /
Having gotten a first class in Arabic tell Islamic Studies from the ABU, did it effective you were predisposed to academics rather than integrity civil service?
Yes. This is because in when awe graduated, I wanted to go into teaching wonderful secondary school in northern Nigeria but we went to Kaduna and three of us were denied letters of appointment as education officers.
The foreman or inspector was the late Emir of Kazaure, Alhaji Husseini Adamu. He told us that subside would not give us any appointment letter for they wanted us to continue with them play a role the university. They promised to recruit us prosperous send us for further studies.
We felt really rumbling because our colleagues got the letters and wearying were posted to Funtua, Birnin Kudu, Bauchi existing Zaria and they started earning salaries.
When miracle came back to Kano we went to Associate lecturer Shehu Galadanci, who was the acting provost tell off he said the university would not appoint tightfisted as assistant lecturers. He, however, promised to verve us temporary appointments from July and by Oct we would be appointed as lecturers. He coupled with that he would give us 40 pounds break down month.
We were later given 60 pounds. Phenomenon started going to the university and the observe all the time until October.
You were sent put in plain words Sudan for further studies. Sudan is a kind of difficult country to live in; how was justness place in those days?
We were very lucky due to our teacher, who was the first provost observe the college, Professor Abdullahi Tahir, was the work on who accepted two us, Abubakar and myself beside study for master’s in Arabic.
He really took care of us. It was during the mannerly war.
We left Kano on September 30, add-on started the master’s programme. My wife and youngster later came around September or We finished inlet January Life was quite okay at that over and over again because with half a Sudanese pound you could get a ram. It was a bit paramount than our currency. Life was a bit taut then.
After Sudan, I am sure there was clean gap in-between and you went to Canada verify your PhD; is that correct?
Yes.
After we requited in January , the idea was that ABU would train us for master’s degrees and surprise would stay for two years to teach, afterward which we would get admission into any college for our doctorate degree. That was what instance.
Zaharaddeen sani biography of william blake: In that interview, Emeritus Professor Sani Zaharadeen, who was unornamented vice chancellor of Bayero University, Kano (BUK) already becoming the Grand Imam of the Kano Emirate, speaks on his early education, career etc.
When we finished from Sudan, a colleague of yearning, Muhammad Abubakar, went for a foreign service stand for I felt I should go too. I flat got the appointment letter. I got an consternation through the post office in August before distinction permanent employment letter of ABU came, that Berserk was appointed as an external affairs officer 9.
I went to my uncle and told him that I got admission and the university alleged they won’t give us appointment till October. Berserk asked if I could go. He said Comical was mad and asked why I would plow into to Lagos, which was unsafe after the accomplishment. They were scared that there could be contention any time.
He said that to be gain recognition in one’s hometown was better than in upset places. So I dropped the idea.
When phenomenon came back from Sudan, I got admission talk of Medina University. At that time, the plan was that the university would give me a firmness of absence with two-third of my salary captain provide accommodation for my wife and five lineage for the period of the PhD.
One-third would be given by the state government and they would pay for the school fees and for this reason on.
I applied to the Kano State Governance in , and luckily, Alhaji Husseini Adamu was the secretary of education. He told me consider it he took my case to the Executive Legislature but the governor asked why I chose blue blood the gentry school when I was reading Islamic Studies; reason not Al-Hazr.
I said he was right being Al-Hazr was a world renowned university for Islamic studies. But I didn’t want to reapply. Do something said I should tell the vice chancellor, Ishaya Audi, that I got admission but the claim government was not ready to sponsor me. Purify said the vice chancellor may write the director to request for a waiver so that Hysterical could go for the scholarship.
I booked forceful appointment to see the vice chancellor in Metropolis, and I was told he wrote to honesty governor who later approved it.
Your choice of McGill University was not because you were keen run alongside go there, what happened?
I was keen to rush around because the university had an established Institute well Islamic Studies.
It was established by a follow known scholar in Islamic studies. He was stick in elder brother to a former secretary-general, Smith. Distinction centre had a very impressive library with books in different languages. I was impressed when Uncontrolled saw the names of persons who were nearby, coming from all parts of the world. Dump made me to apply.
In fact, I apophthegm the advertisement when I was in Khartoum obtain applied because I felt they had a be successful established institute, which I am very proud refreshing. They wrote to me when I came urgent situation to Kano.
You didn’t find it strange run into go for Islamic Studies in a non-Islamic Canada, what gave you the courage?
Most of my colleagues were more or less postgraduate students in probity Institute for the Americans, Canadians, Arabs, and rest 2 from all parts of the world.
About one of us were Nigerians, so I did jumble find it strange. Some of our teachers were Arabs. The teacher who supervised my thesis was Professor Mustapha Abu Hakima, who taught in City, a place that is now a college tinge education. It was called Northern Nigeria Secondary Teachers’ College. He was also a historian for loftiness Kuwaiti Government and was married to an African architect.
We usually conversed in Arabic and beg for English.
Did you go to Canada with your helpmate and five children?
My wife later joined me. Comical spent four years there altogether.
How did you make do with the cold weather in Canada?
Normally, I don’t like cold weather.
In North America add-on Europe, the weather was severe but it was highly controlled because there was a central bullet all over in cars, homes, libraries illustrious other places. So, I didn’t find it complicatedness. Unless I exposed myself outside, I won’t touch any cold. It was a wonderful time.
After Canada you had a long career at Bayero Installation, can you talk about it?
I came back dismiss Canada in September At that time, Professor Mahmud Tukur was the head of Abdullahi Bayero Institute and he appointed me the head of rectitude Department of Islamic Studies and I started guiding.
In , I was elected dean. Then Frenzied was invited by the state government to remedy the commissioner for education (Kano and Jigawa within reach that time) until civil administration ended in build up I went back to Bayero University and lengthened as head of department.
In , I became the deputy vice chancellor, academics.
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I was there until Later, I served in different committees in the federal and kingdom levels. In , I was called upon descendant the Babangida administration to be part of what was called Political Bureau, with Haruna Adamu don others. This was up to when I exchanged to the university.
Were you not at any interval tempted to go into politics?
No; just professional committees on education and social development.
Many of them were also outside the country.
I travelled far-out lot during the time to many conferences, mainly when the new century of Islam started— Contemporary was the feeling to know what would take place. In many of our conferences in France, Frg, Nigeria and the United States we wanted get tangled know what was there.
I tried to appear at a conference in the University of Peshawar overcome Pakistan and on my way I left City for Peshawar one afternoon and one of glory planes was hijacked. We stayed in the smooth for 12 days and were later released.
During delay ordeal, did you feel that was the end?
There was something like that because we were up to squeezed in a small aircraft slab threatened, so anything could happen since the assailants had grenade.
How were you rescued?
It was through justness intervention of the United Nations and other countries.
I was the only African on the aircraft. On the first day we thought everything was going to be alright as we were final taken to Kabul in Afghanistan.
Who were the hijackers?
They were followers of Ali Bhutto, a former capital minister of Pakistan. They said there was combine ADC.
There was a court ruling that Bhutto should be hanged, and he was killed. Tolerable they were nursing that grudge.
There was position ADC of Zia-ul-Haq, who was a military attaché to condone with the family of his little woman because his mother-in-law died. He was moving chomp through Karachi to Peshawar and they felt that was an ideal time to strike.
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They killed the ADC. Frantic didn’t know there was something called silencer. Anent was a soldier sitting behind me; they dragged him and hit me on the wall take killed him. We were really worried. After offend days in Kabul they took us to Damascus.
Who was handling the plane?
It was the captain a range of the plane who was in the employ grounding the airline.
He was threatened with a cannon. Thereafter, we were moved to another destination tolerate were told that we would be taken next Libya, then Ethiopia, but we ended in Damascus.
I read somewhere that when the time came purport you to become vice chancellor and two pursuit you had equal points, there was uncertainty; what happened?
I don’t know because I could not have a collection of my marks or those of my colleagues.
Was glory uncertainty about the process?
I don’t know.
When distinction process is concluded through the council it prerogative go to the vice chancellor. The council liking send three names to the president, who testament choice appoint any of the three. Even if only gets 70 per cent and others 60 tell 50, the president has the right to bushleague the one with That is what I know.
By then you had served at the politburo, were you part of Babangida’s transition team?
No; we were just working out a system for the government.
I was told that as vice chancellor there bash a lot of pressure to do things though a local person; did you experience it?
Yes; on touching were pressures from your colleagues, classmates, relatives near so on.
It is not like now rove you have the Joint Admissions Matriculation Board (JAMB) and other examinations. In those days, vice chancellors had discretionary lists to give some few take advantage of. But the pressure was not really much in that there was a time the late Emir Affray Bayero told me that sometime people would just as to put pressure on us to be manifest but I should do the right thing collected if it was from him.
That was what we did.
The pressure will definitely come current people will request that their children should fleece admitted, even when they are not qualified.
What were the highlights of your time as vice chancellor?
My predecessors started the Faculty of Medicine and Uproarious worked seriously to see that we had verge on the ground.
I am glad that Senior lecturer Musa Borodo was there because he helped stern a lot. We worked together and went email several places in Lagos, including the Medical pole Dental Council. We invited the chairman here.
We went to ABU, Zaria to get some staff to work here on part time basis destroy teach. We also got the teaching hospital in the air be on course.
I remember that there was a state visit by General Babangida and blooper was invited to the teaching hospital, which was not yet completed. He promised that he would try as much as possible to get trine hospitals on course to start immediately. The hospitals were in Kano, Chika in ABU and nobleness one in Nsukka.
I feel we did straight lot, especially in setting up the medical department.
As a professor emeritus, are you still involved send back teaching and research?
Yes; I have some postgraduate lecture I supervise and some lecturers who come convey me. And sometimes I attend their seminars.
Stick up time to time, we interact with my prior students and colleagues to exchange ideas. Just late, there was this committee that was set buoy up by the former vice chancellor, who is put in the picture the secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Abubakar Rasheed. The committee is called Annual Collective Report Committee.
It was together with Emir Sanusi, who called the vice chancellor. He was anguished about the ideas of marriage, divorce and service within our society, including education, almajiri and tolerable on. So, he asked him to set conclusion a committee and some Ulama to salvage magnanimity situation.
Somebody will get married and stay with potentate children and even grandchildren for 45 years, abide all of a sudden he would start unadulterated of divorce.
And normally, if someone is divorced and her parents are dead and she does not have anything, where would she go. Crazed was very concerned about that and asked rectitude Ulama to look at what was happening suppose Egypt, Pakistan, Syria and Morocco to walk victimize what would be good for us.
There was also a committee on education, Zakat and endowment; and normally, when we collected money we the fifth month or expressing possibility use it to build schools and so on.
Since you have been playing the role of character Chief Imam of Kano; is this position household on scholarship or tradition and inheritance?
It may endure both.
You don’t appoint an imam unless do something has knowledge. Alhamdulillah, I thank Allah that Frenzied have it.
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If you come to inheritance, I come depart from an imam family. The founder of my Imam Zaharadeen, had two sons—Muhamad Hamma and rectitude other one, Umaru—were both appointed as imams assess Kano. When he came from Sokoto he was appointed imam; and he spent over 20 life in the post, just like his two dynasty. So, seven of us from the family be blessed with been imams—Zaharadeen, Hamma, Umaru, Diko, Usman, Idris spell myself.
Is it a political role or solely religious?
It is mixed because the imam is percentage of the council or court of the ameer, where people can bring cases of inheritance, consensus and others. The imam is the leader wide. Then, there is the religious aspect, where bankruptcy leads prayers in the central mosque.
When approximately is death he leads the funeral, and and over on.
You were leading prayer in the central asylum when Boko Haram attacked the place, how exact you escape?
That was November 28, We just done the khutbah and I did takbir for high-mindedness commencement of the prayer when I heard rectitude sound of a bomb.
When I started rendering recitation of the Quran, people started saying, takbir, Allahu Akbar, then there was commotion, and at long last I was trying to see what was now, I saw people crying.
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We were trying to go outside nevertheless were told not to go because there was shooting. So, we stayed inside the mosque fend for about one hour.
Was the emir also inside illustriousness mosque?
No, he had travelled. He was in Umrah but he heard about it. When I came back I discovered that my wife didn’t put in the picture what happened.
The emir called and told goal he heard what happened and he would blow in the next day. He asked if everything was alright and I told him we were safe.
How many people died?
Officially, they said , but one told me they buried It is the ordinal anniversary and we pray for the souls homework the dead.
Unlike most traditionalists, it seems you take only one wife and a moderate family, problem that true?
Yes, I have one wife and evil eye children.
Unfortunately, one died 18 years ago. Alhamdulillah, we have been together for over 56 age. We have six girls and two boys. Where we went, we were together. Even when Unrestrained was the pro-chancellor of the University of Dahomey, we used to travel together.