UMTH: Prof. Ahmed Ahidjo, Eight (8) Years of Productive Leadership

By: Balami Lazarus

Every stage of man is a new chapter of life experiences that manifest itself in rights, privileges, and opportunities to add value to humanity.

Prof. Ahmed Ahidjo has used the privileges and opportunities of his positions, most especially that of Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH), for the past eight (8) years to provide and facilitate developments in medical and healthcare delivery with infrastructures, medical materials, and equipment of international standards for the hospital in his eight (8) progressive years.

NEWSng has been there all these years. And here we are, once again in Maiduguri to cover the weeklong packed handing-over ceremony to mark the end of Prof. Ahmed Ahidjo’s eight-year tenure as the 8th CMD since the inception of the hospital over 40 years ago.

Each day was full of activities to bid him farewell. Visitors and guests were always engaged in either commissioning of projects, conferences, lectures, book launches, or inspections of medical facilities/centers, asking questions on how Prof. Ahidjo did it.

The erstwhile CMD Prof. Ahidjo is a consultant interventional radiologist whose eight years of exemplary and visionary leadership began on the 4th September 2018 and end on the 4th September 2026.

There was the first-ever national conference of the Association of Radiologists in Nigeria (ARIN) in the north to be held in Maiduguri at UMTH, where experts in radiology from Europe, Egypt, and Asia met to improve on the standards of this branch of medical science.

There was a book launch “”titled “Duty and Courage”: The Story of Prof. Ahmed Ahidjo,. by Dr. James Bwala.

as part of the activities of the handing-over ceremony that was graced by the state governor, Babagana, Umara Zulum; ministers; Shehu of Borno, Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai; emirs; and some members of the National Assembly, among other high government officials and personalities.

There was also commissioning of the Fertility Care Centre, En-Suite Maternity Complex, and Animal House, where some selected animals shall be kept to be used for experiments by the hospital medical experts/researchers.

To continue… .

UMTH: Prof. Ahmed Ahidjo, Eight (8) Years of Productive Leadership

IBUAM: The Challenges of a Specialized University

By: Balami Lazarus

Universities are major parts of nation building. its growth, progress, and developments, among other human endeavors. They are known for adding value to human capacity in the realm of intellectual/skills productivity. Therefore,

Universities are playing significant roles in research and development (R&D).

Their core aims are translated into their objectives of teaching, learning, and character, knowing fully well that universities are the citadel of higher levels of educational attainment a country needs.

Whereof, universities are faced with volumes of challenges, both academic and non-academic, laying more in academic works and activities with demands in teaching, learning, and research.

When NEWSng visited the founder of Isaac Balami University of Aeronautics and Management (IBUAM), Engr. Isaac David Balami, recently in Abuja in an attempt to follow up with the progress of this particular specialized private university, the only specialized academic institution in aeronautics and aviation management in academic disciplines/practicalities, including techniques and skills in aviation fields.

It is on record that IBUAM is the only private specialized university that trains and provides students with academics, practicals, techniques, and skills in aeronautics engineering fields and aviation management in sub-Saharan Africa.

Without prejudice, NEWSng has a fair understanding of the challenges our universities are faced with and are struggling to meet.

Be as it may, universities, whether specialized or not, are institutions for serious academic and intellectual studies where large funds are needed to run, manage, and cater to her teaching, learning, and research, including other services. In consideration of this, NEWSng commends kudos to IBUAM.

“I give glory to the Almighty. And let me state here with sincerity of purpose, appreciation, and gratitude to the Borno State Government under my able, progressive, and foresighted governor, Engr. Babagana Umara Zulum, who has made IBUAM see the light of day by her quantum support of sponsoring over 30 native students for various courses at IBUAM. The scholarship package runs in billions of naira. My gratitude also goes to well-meaning Nigerians who stood with me to make IBUAM a reality and the first of its kind on the African continent.”

NEWSng was further informed by the engineer. Isaac Balami, the IBUAM is not a conventional university where you have more academic theories and fewer practicals.

“Let me state here categorically that in IBUAM we are for both academic works and more practical applications. The aviation industry is all about safety, perfection, and security applicable to IBUAM in her courses. With this in mind, our challenges are more than a handful. The management spends hundreds of millions for just services. We are

We’re doing our best to see to the growth of this university. “Most people out there admired universities and their physical structures, including their names, without a second thought. “The aviation industry and its businesses the world over are not a tuft for unserious-minded businessmen or investors; everything surrounding the industry is all about money. Come to think of having a related academic institution (university) like IBUAM, whose objective is to produce graduates of international standard for best practices.”

Take for instance, a university with just three faculties: Sciences, Arts, and Management, with only 300 students. I suppose that, in your opinion, such a university is not impressive.

Thus, if you begin to consider what it takes to run and manage a university in terms of personnel, especially lecturers; facilities; tools; materials; and equipment, you will be shocked.

This has made NEWSng a reason why specialized universities like IBUAM need large funds to function. “You need more than two or three airplanes on the ground for practicals… excluding tax, insurance, and other charges to bring them.”

Reportedly, the challenges faced by a specialized university are much greater than what is commonly heard: “With the collective support of IBUAM management, we are progressing.”

The founder, Engr. Isaac David Balami, said that to bring the attention of the university closer to the people, the management has proposed to have an IBUAM liaison office in Abuja.

IBUAM: The Challenges of a Specialized University

Dadong: A Balanced Voice From Ungwan Rukuba

By: Balami Lazarus

What does it take to be a public mouthpiece? That was the question I asked Comrade Dadong Solomon Antibas. My chats with him were a balanced interface. The answers can be found in the write-up for your review.

Democracy like ours has brought to the limelight public mouthpiece voices; some are weak and political, while others are strong, progressive, constructive, and fearless, demanding progress, growth, and development as dividends of good governance in a peaceful atmosphere.

Governments created by democratic processes are never left alone without citizens asking questions and demanding dividends of democracy for their community and the country at large.

Comrade Dadong Solomon Antibas is a Nigerian, law-abiding citizen. Antibas, a security expert and popular public mouthpiece on the Jos Plateau, has earned the confidence of the people of his community, Ungwan Rukuba, and most parts of the state over the years. For his community, he is their immediate mouthpiece who has been speaking on their plights, calling the attention of the government under the leadership of Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang to do the needful.

Personality like Solomon Antibas’ public impression of him by some citizens of the state is all about seeking relevance and political appointments. “I have no interest whatsoever in any political appointment. My sincere concern for my dear country and my state, Plateau, is peace, progress, growth, and development for future generations.”

Nigerians should begin to speak out on good governance at all levels. Citizens are also responsible for failing to hold them accountable and demand good governance in terms of security, social amenities, and infrastructure.

Ungwan Rukuba is one of the wards in the Jos North Local Government Area. It is an integral part of the city center. Unfortunately, the peaceful Ungwan Rukuba became a flashpoint. The terrorist attack of March 29th, 2026, has put a scar of insecurity on the area.

On insecurity, he said that Mr. President Ahmed Bola Tinubu has failed Nigerians woefully. “Insecurity is a bone of contention. The federal government must take decisive measures on the insecurity challenges bedeviling the nation.”

My findings on Comrade Dadong Antibas revealed that he is not a public affairs commentator or an analyst but a progressive and active public mouthpiece, a voice of the voiceless.

For some, Dadong is attacking the government under the leadership of Governor Mutfwang. ” Is speaking the minds of citizens on bad governance and holding the government of Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang a crime”?

Despite threats on Solomon Dadong, they have not deterred him from speaking for and on behalf of other citizens living in the state. “I have no other way to hold the government accountable than to publicly speak and constructively criticize the leadership’s voicing out feelings and lots of the people…In democracy, governments are made by the people, and as such, they must provide for the collective needs of the masses who voted them in.”

Comrade Antibas is one among the few indigenous people of Plateau who are outspoken and speak with passion and a patriotic mind for his state and Nigeria. “I will live and die in Nigeria speaking, advocating, demanding, and/or holding both federal and state governments accountable for good governance.”

Balami, Publisher/Columnist, 08036779290

Dadong: A Balanced Voice From Ungwan Rukuba