B. D. Musa: A star has fallen

For decades, his bestrode the medical profession and like a colossus, academics, physicians and administrators have passed through Professor Babayo Dukku Musa’s mentoring. Within and outside Nigeria, the professor has made his mark and BD Musa, as he was called, was an administrator and a professional of the old school. Brilliant, gentlemanly and self effacing, these traits showed early as friends, colleagues and former class mates gave testimonies of the deceased. Last Monday, Professor BD Musa died of heart failure in Zaria but was buried in Kaduna. However, his good deeds live after him and like Ceaser, the Shakespearean character, his probity; patriotism and strength of character will be history.  In part, his noble background, Barewa College Zaria and the northern Nigerian civil service moulded the BD persona.
At Barewa, his carriage and general disposition, according to Alhaji Shehu Suleiman, was gentlemanly and out of synch with juvenile pranks. Suleiman was BD’s class mate but were in different compounds with the deceased but the reserved student impressed him and they hit it off in 1952, becoming friends and leaning on each other. However, after the college, they parted ways as Suleiman branched to administration, rising to become Secretary of Kaduna state Government, before Katsina state was created. BD Musa, on the other hand, went to the Nigerian College of Arts and Science, before proceeding to University College Ibadan.
At that time, career choice was narrow and most northerners trooped to administration or teaching, the region’s critical areas of need, but BD Musa, Jibril Aminu and Isiaku Aliyu went against this common tide. This derring-do, as most people saw it, was a conscious  decision and not borne out of mentoring or career guidance, according to Justice Lawal Uwais, former Chief Justice and BD’s classmate. In fact, the class of `52 was an oxymoron as the students, from day one, knew what they wanted as most wished to be doctors, engineers or lawyers. Indeed, like the class `43 and `70, the set produced leaders of modern Nigeria, according to Alhaji Shehu Kaikai, former Secretary General of Barewa Old Boys Association (BOBA).
Amiable, brilliant and easy going, Uwais described BD Musa in superlative terms, so did Alhaji Yahaya Aliyu, another ex classmate of the professor. Incidentally,  from Barewa,  College of Arts and Science,  to University of Ibadan, Aliyu Yahaya was  with the deceased and  afterwards,  they flocked together at ABU. In addition, they married sisters and this kinship cemented the relationship and for 58 years, according to Yahaya, the bond had grown from strength to strength. Two days before his demise, the renowned linguist had phoned BD, enquiring about his ill health and the professor said he was getting better. Last Monday, he gave up to the ghost and the news, like a thunderbolt, jolted Aliyu Yahaya, as it did other friends.
Similarly, Professor Ango Abdullahi, Magajin Rafin Zazzau and former Vice chancellor of ABU, was a year behind the deceased in Barewa, College of Arts and Science and were at the Premier University together. In 1965, they started working at ABU, each pursuing his career and BD rose to become the director, Institute of Health of the university. The duo, through thick and thin, stuck together and eventually, Ango became Vice Chancellor in 1979. Under Ango, BD Musa was Deputy Vice Chancellor and they worked closely for about eight years. Naturally, BD was to succeed Ango and the outgoing Vice chancellor prepared his hand over notes for his deputy as his tenure expired. However, the powers-that-be, out of political consideration, went on a head hunting expedition to look for Ango’s successor. Significantly, Ango left in a huff and handed over to BD before the search was completed. From university of Calabar, Professor Nayaya Mohammed , an agriculturist like Ango, was brought  to displace BD Musa but  the eminent medical doctor kept his cool, worked with the new VC and helped stabilise the volatile university.After retiring, BD took on more  national assignments.
In the 90s, the Babangida administration wanted to continue ABUTH Shika, an abandoned project for 20 years, but it was in a quandary as to who to head the committee. BD Musa, according to reports, was appointed to head the project but the funds were to be routed through Kaduna state. However, as SSG of Kaduna state, Shehu Suleiman protested the arrangement and rooted for direct funding, arguing that BD was beyond reproach. On that note, the money was released and the project was fully completed. Ironically, the teaching hospital was BD’s last assignment as chairman governing board.
Similarly, BD was conscripted for another assignment by General Hassan Katsina, former governor of northern region. The general, according to Alhaji Shehu Kaikai, had approached President Ibrahim Babangida for the completion of the National Eye Centre, having been abandoned since the Second Republic. General Hassan told Babangida that blindness is a largely northern disease and the president should come to the rescue by completing the centre. Babangida, on the basis of accountability, demurred at first and but the general assuaged the president on that account. Hassan, according Kaikai, mentioned BD Musa as the right man for the job and the professor, without his stir, was made to head of the Task Force and down to specification, the deceased accomplished the assignment. Later on, BD became the chairman of the National Hospitals Management Committee.
In addition, the late professor was active in BOBA circles. In the 60s, Barewa College had a magazine and a section, according to Kaikai, was devoted to “Old boys news” and as an undergraduate, BD Musa wrote regularly in that column. In 1970, BOBA was launched nationally and the professor played a key role and subsequently, he became the bridge between the old and new members. BD, Kaikai pointed out, sided with the “commoners”, as the young Turks were called, against “the Lords” who called the shots. With time, the Lords depleted in number and BD rose in the Peking  order, becoming president in 1984. Kaikai was his secretary General and the duo worked in lock step, trying to uplift the association. In this regard, BD was a man of precision and he disliked lazy and ill informed people as his knowledge, Kaikai recalled, was almost encyclopaedic as he seem to know everything. “BD can commit everything of his”, Kaikai told Weekly Trust, “to both Barewa and BOBA” and he cited examples.
In 2006, he visited Barewa on a particular day and to his amazement, the meal was poor, the staff quarters were  in derelict state and the surrounding was generally dirty. The professor, from his own pocket, ordered some cows to be slaughtered for the students. In fact, he provided leadership and direction to BOBA, as he did at the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF).
At the ACF, the professor contributed to debates, decisions and committee assignments. According to Col Hameed Ali, one time Secretary General, the late Professor was a team player and whenever debates were going off hand and people were pursuing hard line positions, he called for moderation. In some cases, he asked for adjournments, especially for tempers to calm down. In 2006, when the current executive was to be elected, the chairmanship was zoned to the north east and BD was to contest with General IBM Haruna. Lobbying, politicking and high wire politics commenced and suddenly, diverse interests threatened the pan northern group. Like a gentleman that he was, BD stepped down for Haruna and the decision was ratified. That act of statesmanship saved the day and it is quintessential BD, a man whom Alhaji Muhammadu Gambo Jimeta, the former Inspector General of Police described as the glue that bound friends and classmates together. May his soul rest in perfect peace, amin.