Even before his formal coronation, a lot has been said about the person of Professor Pate and his works. But it is still okay to add one or two words on the teacher many see as “a rare gentleman from northern Nigeria who has impacted positively on the development of the media and the grooming of media teachers and practitioners.”
The students he tutored in the last 26 years at the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) and other citadel of learning here in Nigeria and abroad can be found in virtually in all sectors, especially the media, public relations’ arms of government and private establishments, universities and the political arena.
Many of us will never forget him and will remain eternally grateful to him because, apart from being a guide, he has remained a source of inspiration, ever ready assist.
He has endeared himself to many through his unmatchable mastery of the names of virtually all his students. And despite his enormous responsibilities, he is always willing to listen and assist whenever the need arises.
When the news of his appointment filtered some months back, it naturally gained prominence because almost all his friends, colleagues and students believe that the Lamido of Adamawa has made the right choice by conferring the title of Kaigama of Professor Pate.
“Good news and an honour to our Mallam. May the Lamido reign for many decades,” remarked Mohammed Rabiu Wada, one of the students of Professor Pate who now works at the information office of the Federal Polytechnic Bauchi.
“Masha Allah. The honour is for all of us,” said Mallam Abdullahi Bego, the Special Adviser on media to the governor of Yobe State.
Gidado Bello, another ex-student of the rare teacher remarked that “Prof. Pate has now joined the prestigious league of revered king makers of Fombina Empire (Adamawa). May Allah help and guide him in his conduct in the service of the Emirate.”
Austeen Jave in his own submission pointed out that “Indeed, true diligence never goes unrewarded. Your (professor Pate’s) steps have been steady and sure and I trust you will also contribute meaningfully to this new cause. Congrats and remain blessed.”
The traditional title of Kaigama, which means Chief of Defence Staff of the Emirate, and also one of the 12 kingmakers in Adamawa, dates back to the reign of the Muslim founder of Adamawa Modibbo Adama in 1809. Since then, the title has remained with Pate’s family. The new Kaigama is succeeding his brother, Abdulrahman Pate, who had earlier succeeded their father.
Professor Umaru Pate is a Professor of Media and Society in the Department of Mass Communication at the University of Maiduguri. He is also a visiting lecturer to many other universities in Nigeria.
He is a Fellow of the Society for Peace Studies and Practice; Associate Chair holding Member of the Association of Communication Professors in the Commonwealth (Canada), an affiliate of UNESCO and the Vice President of the Communication Association of Nigeria (CANI).
Until recently, Professor Pate is the Head of Mass Communication Department at the University of Maiduguri, Borno State.
He was born on January 4, 1964 at the District Head’s Palace in Song in former Adamawa Division, currently, the headquarters of Song Local Government, Adamawa State. His maternal grandfather, Ardo Song Saadu was reigning as the District Head of Song, then.
Umaru’s father, Alkali Usman Pate served as a court clerk and later judge in several area courts in the old Adamawa Division before taking up the title of the Kaigama of Adamawa in 1978 after the passing away of his elder brother, Kaigama Bashiru.
In 1971, Umaru Pate was enrolled into the Nassarawo Jereng LEA Primary School in the old Adamawa Division from where he completed in 1976 to proceed to Government College Maiduguri.
He finished in 1981 and emerged as the student with the best WAEC GCE O’ level examinations results in the Arts in the school for that year. In 1982, he joined the College of Preliminary Studies, Yola, for the IJMB course that qualified him for a Direct Entry admission into the University of Maiduguri in 1984.
Upon graduation with a Degree in Mass Communication in 1987, he was retained in the University on the recommendation of the Head of Department for the mandatory NYSC service year.
In the course of the service year, he was competitively picked by the University Convocation Committee to represent the graduating students as the Valedictorian of the year at the Convocation ceremony of the University.
From 1985-1987, he served as the President of the Gongola State Students Union (GOSSU) in the University of Maiduguri, in addition to holding Departmental assigned responsibilities and editing the very popular but critical Scorpion Campus Magazine.
Professor Pate took appointment as a Graduate Assistant at the University of Maiduguri in October 1988 and immediately left for the University of Ghana, Legon, on fellowship for a Master of Philosophy (M.Phil) Degree in Communication Studies and completed in 1990. In 1993, he enrolled for a PhD Degree at the University of Maiduguri and graduated in February 1997.
He rose on the academic ladder to become a Professor of Media and Society in October 2007. At different times during his pre-degree and degree study period, he had worked as a part time reporter, newscaster/reader and presenter at the FRCN Kaduna and NTA Yola.
In addition to his normal academic and administrative responsibilities in the University, Professor Pate is actively engaged in wider community services that include writing and commenting on national and international current affairs; offering capacity building services to media and civil society organizations in and out Nigeria, consulting for agencies and participating in official assignments at State and Federal levels.
At different times, he has received grants or served as a National or International Consultant to agencies like the USAID, UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF, UNESCO, EU, the World Bank, NACA, Panos Institute, FMOH, INEC, FES of Germany, DFID of the UK, the Ford Foundation, and The John D. and Catherine T. MaCarthur Foundation, among others.
Few of his national and international assignments include the membership of the Federal Government Committee that formulated the National Policy on Community Radio; Member of the African Population Advisory Council; Member, African Council for Communication Education; Member of the Jigawa State Technical Committee for the Establishment of State Television Station; Served on several Accreditation and Resource Verification Panels of the NUC and NBTE for Communication programmes in Universities and Polytechnics; National consultant that represented Nigeria’s government in the Joint Assessment of Nigeria’s World Bank HIV/AIDS Development Project (MAP) Implementation, 2001-2006; National Consultant for Behaviour Change Communication in the Development of Nigeria National HIV/AIDS Response Review and National Strategic Framework Development 2005-2009; Lead Consultant: Institutional and Technical Capacity Assessment of States on the Implementation of NNRIMS (NACA/World Bank); Co-Lead Consultant, Review and Development of the National Behaviour Communication Change Strategy, 2004-2009; Editorial Consultant to some national media houses; Lead Consultant: UNDP study on the Assessment of Media and Democracy in Nigeria (1999-2012) and Consultant for the evaluation of the performance of some community radio stations in Anglophone West Africa.
Currently, Professor Pate is serving as an External Examiner for the Masters and PhD programmes at the University of Lagos, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Enugu State University, IBB University, Lapai, Covenant University, Otta and the University of Jos. He is also a Visiting Professor to the Bayero University, Kano and the Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Yola.
Professor Pate is widely published and acknowledged in the Nigerian communication scholarship circles. He has mentored many upcoming scholars and professionals through postgraduate supervision, joint researches and publications and counselling.
As we look towards his coronation on Saturday, 29th June, 2013, we all say “Barkama” to our wonderful professor and role model.
