When I received a text message saying that Professor Adamu Baikie wanted me to review his forthcoming autobiography, I simply obeyed my heart and not my head. Rather than reflect on whether I would have the time, or if I might already have another activity, I simply responded immediately in the affirmative. I had no idea what the book might look like. I was so thrilled for two reasons. First, although I have met this legend only once, his place among the pantheons of the great men and women of Nigeria in general, the North and the Middle Belt in particular make him stand out. That this great honour should be extended to me was in itself a humbling thought. His contributions to the growth and confidence of the body of Christ in the North should remain for us a source of inspiration and celebration. Secondly, only a foolish young person would miss the wonderful opportunity and privilege of reading the biography of so great a man.
Taken together with such legends as General Yakubu Gowon, Lt General TY Danjuma, Chief Solomon Lar, the late Professor Ishaya Audu, Professor Angulu, Papa Alaiyedeino, Dr Sadauki, JS Tarka, Patrick Dokotori, Dr Alex Fom, Ambassador Jolly Tanko Yusuf, the Miller Sisters, among others, they constitute the foundation blocks of the identity and badge of honour of the Christian minorities in the Northern Nigeria. Thus, now or any day, I would head in any direction where any of these men are being honoured. Today is a very significant day indeed.
All this aside, when I accepted to review this book, little did I know what I was getting myself into. I called Professor Baikie when I sensed that the project may have suffered a hitch knowing what publishers could be, I was wondering whether the project had been put on hold. Although I accepted this assignment before my status was slightly adjusted, my sentiments still remain fresh. When I called to find out whether the events would still go on, I was told that there had been a slight hitch. We agreed that in the interim, I would receive a hard copy so as to at least rush through. Two days later, I received a copy of the book from one Jerry Buhari only to discover that it was a staggering 730-page magnus opus. I was not daunted but I feared that I might not do justice to a work of this nature. The more I looked through the book, the more I wondered why I should be saddled with this honour especially given that there were many others, students, colleagues and extended family members who could have done a much better job. Up front, I want to once again thank the author for this great honour which he has done to me.
Against All Odds, the autobiography of Professor Adamu Baikie is a 730-pagebook made up of 20 chapters. The 20 chapters dwell on various aspects of the writer’s life from his childhood, his rich academic life, his engagement with larger society, the Church, family and friends. It is a rich history of life and friendship.
I will like to approach this review from four different perspectives. First, to look at the peculiar nature of the author’s background from his own eyes which are the eyes of faith. From reading this book, you would conclude that the author could as well have been very comfortable and even excelled on the pulpit as he did on the blackboard.
Secondly, drawing from the book itself, I will call attention to how faith in God and family have shaped the author’s very complex and chequerred professional life. Thirdly, I will highlight the complex web of his academic life spanning over four generations. Fourthly and finally, I will use the life and experience of this rare gem to interrogate certain contradictions in the Nigerian state by looking at what lessons this great life can teach us.
The book opens with a scene that could have as well been taken out of Alex Healey’s monumental work, Roots. The author introduces us to his life by narrating a tragic event which became the first step on a journey that would end up as complex as that of little Joseph in the Bible. His father, young Batshon, was scaring birds away from destroying his father’s crops when he was pounced upon and seized by invading Arabs slave raiders (pg1). That was the beginning of a journey that would take the young Batshon to Dikwa in Borno, where he gained his freedom in 1901. From there, he meandered to Mafoni, Ibi, Lokoja and then finally ended up in Zungeru. It was in Zungeru that he had contact with the missionaries of the Church Missionary Society, CMS an event that marked the beginning of his education and adventure in life.
The name Baikie was adopted after Mr. Batshon’s baptism from one missionary, Rev John Baikie, his mentor. The other details of the complex Baikie family tree are to be found on pg 25 of the book. The name Baikie itself seems to have been widespread around the world from Scotland to Jamaica. One reads of the spirited attempts by the author to find other Baikies around the world. One was found in Scotland but it turned out that this was no relation of his(p26).
On pg153, the author is ambivalent about the retention of the name Baikie. The author said that: It is ironical that the family from which my father adopted the name Baikie changed that name to Ogazuma, in 1963, my father adamantly refused to change from Baikie to Abdallah in spite of my personal protestations. However, earlier in the book, specifically on pg 28, the author, in justifying his father’s decision noted that:There are many who have adopted the names of their mentors for some sentimental or other reasons. They decided to do so to serve as an abiding memorial in honour of someone who meant so much to them (pg 28).
The next major theme in the book is his academic career and here, it is perhaps important to focus only on his epoch making and record breaking achievement as a Vice Chancellor in two Universities in Nigeria and one abroad. This is no mean feat and I will return to it. His choice as Vice Chancellor of the University of Benin in 1978 was part of the highly innovative moves by the federal military government for the time to truly create a pan Nigerian academic environment. While the author was sent to the University of Benin, Professors Umaru Shehu, Mahmud Tukur and Akingugbe were sent to Nsukka, Ibadan and Zaria respectively. Professor Baikie obviously was not excited by the news of his new posting especially given that he had come out tops in the interview for the same post in Ahmadu Bello University. Clearly, the seeds of the mago mago which had seen the unceremonial exit of the titan, Professor Ishaya Audu and would become part and parcel of the DNA of academia in ABU had already been sown. Professor Baikie himself noted that earlier on: When nominations were called for, information had it that I topped the list at the first ballot. However, for some strange reasons, the results were set aside and another ballot was called (pg 417).
At the news of his being appointed Vice Chancellor of University of Benin, while the author admitted that he did not have any feelings of disappointment nor was he downcast, but rather was nervous and sacred, his brother on the other hand was only half heartedly happy, and was hissing disconsolately (pgs 417-8). While they were basking in their philosophical prevarications about the pros and cons of going to Benin, it was their 88-year-old father who, on being told the news, brushed his anxieties aside and told him to: Thank God that he was lucky to be singled out among many and should therefore go to Benin and serve God, my conscience and humanity (p420).
The story of his stay in the University of Benin is told in chapter 14, pgs 424-488 where he served from 1978-85. It is interesting how the author dealt with the issue of his second term with such discipline and moral sobriety. There is no need to attempt a comparison with the current situation in our universities today.
At the end of his two terms as Vice Chancellor in Benin, the author returned to ABU to continue his teaching. He had barely settled down on his return form his sabbatical when he got the strange, unsolicited and unexpected news of his appointment as the VC of the University of Lesotho. The dramatic story is told in chapter 17 and runs through between pgs 505-572. It is a story that is a summary of what the complicated and inexplicable ways of God can be in our lives. It is a story of how God finds His own, a story that should discountenance those who have imbibed the popular yet false belief that our lives are determined by godfathers and dubious connections. The complex web of correspondences that were carried out above his head in the course of this job also show what humility, selflessness and contentment can do in a one’s life. For a man to have been a Vice Chancellor somewhere, and to come back and simply humbly ease himself into the system as a subordinate, is an amazing testimony of the personality of Professor Baikie. His time at the University of Lesotho, his trials and challenges, the most prominent perhaps being his triumph in a court case between the Chancellor and the Student Union over the closure of the University are all told on pg 527-530. He left that country with his head held high as a proud ambassador of our great country.
Becoming the first VC of the Nassarawa State University was also a very interesting story. Having been invited to Chair the Steering Committee for the development of the University, by Alhaji Abdullahi Adamu, the then governor, he moved on to become Chairman of the Implementation Committee and subsequently the pioneer VC. Again, it is a mark of the character of the author that he made no attempt to build himself into the script in the course of his job. When Governor of Abdullahi Adamu approached him to mid-wife the process for the birth of the new University, he simply reluctantly accepted. As a mark of his humility and leaving his life in the hands of God, he decided to give himself the appellation of Interim Administrator rather than Acting Vice Chancellor of the new University. The details of his tenure and his outstanding achievements are recorded on pg. 597-681. Today, I believe that most observers will concede that Nassarawa State University has become a beacon, attracting some of the best intellectuals in the country. It is a measure of the man and it is also important to note that the same University is now under the hands of an equally experienced academician, Professor Amali, the former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin who had also served on the first Committee. There is a pot pouri chapter which addresses various issues in the life of the author. Most of the issues are purely conversational and laid back. They also cut across time and space.
Having tried to give a slight bird’s eye view of the contents of the book, I now wish to make a few observations concerning the book itself and some tangential issues implicit in the life of the author, his challenges and how they relate to Nigeria’s larger challenges.
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