Prof. Kolo: A colossal intellectual loss

The death of the 62-year-old Professor Ibrahim Adamu Kolo last week Saturday, November 3, 2018 was a tragic shock that left me and those who never knew he was slightly indisposed devastated. I never knew when he called me last on phone that death was coming to take him so soon. We both lived 33 of his 62 years on earth as intimate friends. For three days, I felt depressed and confused each time I sat to draft this dirge. As a Muslim, I admonished myself with the verse Qur’an 2:155-156 which gives glad tidings to those who when afflicted with calamity say “To Allah we belong and to Him is our return”.

Kolo was a versatile scholar, a meticulous intellectual, an eloquent speaker, and a man of great courage and determination. Prof Kolo was a prolific writer and extensive reader. He was blunt and disposed to rationalizing ideas. He liked practical solutions to challenges. He was ever ready to defend his opinions and justify his positions on issues. He disliked religious controversies. Kolo was a professional counselor and child rights advocate. In spite of his enthusiasm for proper things to be done properly, he was yet full of jokes. Prof Kolo was a man who strongly believed that hard work does not kill. He lost their father when he was a student at the Advanced Teachers’ College, Sokoto. He toiled to train all his brothers who are today graduates; one of them (Abdullahi), is an Associate Professor at BUK. His mother died in Minna in 2013.

Prof Kolo had two master’s degrees; M. Ed (Special Education) from Bayero University, Kano (BUK) in 1987 and M. Ed (Guidance and Counseling) from the University of Jos in 1988. He earned a PhD in Gifted Education from BUK in 1994. He joined BUK as lecturer II in 1990 and rose to become a professor in 2003. He was a Fulbright Scholar (September 1999-2000) at the University of Georgia, Athens, USA. He authored 6 books and co-authored 4 others. Prof Kolo had over 60 papers published in peer-reviewed local and international journals.

Between 1978 and 1988, he taught at WTC Gulu; GSS Rijau; GTC Mokwa; GJSS Eyagi, Bida; and Federal Government College (FGC), Kwali, Abuja. He was a lecturer at the College of Education Sokoto (1998-1990). He was appointed Provost, Niger State College of Education, Minna (2001-2009). He was appointed Vice Chancellor Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University (IBBU), Lapai, (2010-2015).

Kolo was one of the few teachers I met when I took up appointment in 1985 with the Federal Ministry of Education, Lagos, and was posted to teach at FGC, Kwali, Abuja. Kolo stood out then as a workaholic. My passion for reading and writing brought me closer to him at Kwali. On a daily basis, Kolo bought New Nigerian and any other newspaper. During the night prep for students, I used to sit in his office and we would together read the papers. He was the Senior Boarding House Master (SBHM) while I was the House Master for Ikenga House.

One night in 1986 when the prep was over, he locked his office to go to his house and I headed for the male hostel area because it was my turn to go round hostels to ensure that students complied with ‘light-out’ regulation. While on my way back to my house, some students had (unknown to me) gathered in the dark at the football field that separated the hostel from staff quarters. When I was halfway into the field, they started pelting me with stones. I scampered for safety and escaped into Kolo’s house. He had not gone to bed. So, he changed into a sports short and thick singlet. He led me to the then Vice principal’s house, Mr. C. I Dureke and told him said “we must go to the hostel to fetch out the culprits. He led the three of us to the hostel area as I followed them from behind because I was still encapsulated in fears. That’s how Kolo’s doggedness enabled us to fish out the scoundrels.

When he left Kano in August 2001 to go and assume duty as Provost, Niger State COE in 2001, he came alone and passed the night in my place. We left the following morning (which was a day to his taking over at the institution) and lodged at Doko Hotel after our arrival in Minna. He said he wanted our arrival unannounced. We did not go out of the hotel until the following morning when we drove to the institution. He often called me to come to Minna if he had any serious matters to discuss with me. It was during one of such visits that I introduced my old friend, Dr. Abubakar Kawu who was also a lecturer in the same institution, to Prof Kolo. In January 2015, he called me to come and join him to IBBU Lapai to take over as Vice Chancellor.

Kolo was good-humoured in character. He was full of cheerful expressions. He would call you with a pet name or title or call your name in a jovial manner. He could make you laugh even when you prefer to remain inaudible. In October 2012, I had prepared to travel to attend a conference on Arabic manuscripts at the University of Ibadan when he called me on phone to pass through Minna because he wanted to see me.

I arrived in Minna after dusk amidst heavy rain. The university security guard at the gate of his house told me the VC had gone to sleep. I introduced myself as Prof Kolo’s brother but the guard who actually did not know my relationship with him said he did not know me as Kolo’s brother. His mobile lines were not connecting. Suddenly, I got his call and told him I was outside his house. When he came out and I told him what transpired, he asked the security man, “Are you my mother? Why did you say he’s not my brother?” Our bond was really that of two brothers.

In 1996, I took the manuscript of my book, Man in Transition, to him in Kano. We took it to a business center along Ibrahim Taiwo road in Kano. When we returned with Prof Kolo to where he had parked his green Daihatsu car, two policemen on guard around the area said we were under arrest for parking there. They seized his car key. I went to beg the inspector who was in the foyer of a local residential house, which they said belonged to a relation of the then Head of State. After begging him, the inspector asked me to go and collect the car key. When I conveyed Oga inspector’s message, the policeman holding the key quickly shouted and told the inspector that I came back to abuse him; a statement that angered the inspector. When Prof Kolo removed his valuables and said he was ready to leave his car them, they then gave him back the car key.

Sometime in 2010, myself and Prof Husam of the NDA, Kaduna, had challenges with off-setting the cost of the book we published in honour of late Professor Ali Naibi Suwaid. When I contacted Prof Kolo, he bought 200 copies of the book for the library of Arabic Department of BUK and the main library of IBBU Lapai.

In October 2011, Prof kolo offered me appointment to the position of Reader at IBBU Lapai. Although he sincerely wanted me to join him at the institution, my failure to accept the offer did not anger him as he appreciated the personal reasons I gave him. That never affected our relationship.

The large crowd that attended both his funeral (janaza ) payer and the 3-day fidau prayer in Minna reflected the treasured personality that Prof Kolo was. Giving his contributions to the development of education particularly at the tertiary level in the state, nothing done by the Niger State Government would be too great to immortalize him. The least would be a book on his life and his intellectual contributions to knowledge and humanity. We will surely miss a versatile scholar. May Allah (SWT) grant him eternal mercy and make Al-Jannah his final abode, amin.

Prof. Ndagi wrote from the University of Abuja.