Columns
Prof. Ahmed Ahidjo’s reappointment, a reward for notable achievements

Prof. Ahmed Ahidjo’s reappointment, a reward for notable achievements
By: James Bwala
It did not come to many as a surprise. Professor Ahmed Ahidjo, a renowned Interventional Radiologist deserved it. It was a result of hard work and for those who know the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, UMTH before and the glaring difference today, one would agree to the facts on ground. It could not have been possible but one man working with data makes it happen. Today, the UMTH as being referred to is the largest hospital in Nigeria housing some of the best brains in the medical profession.
When I got the hint of his reappointment as CMD last night by the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria Muhammadu Buhari, I knew it would happen. The note I received reads: “President Muhammed Buhari has approved the reappointment of Professor Ahmed Ahidjo as the Chief Medical Director University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital for a second term tenure of 4years”. I recalled our discussion during an interview with the Professor when my colleague, having heard him speaking on his achievements and award, concluded that for his achievements there must be a concomitant agreement for him to continue with the good work he is currently undertaking at the UMTH.
The reappointment which was conveyed to him by the Hon. Minister of Health on Friday, July 1, 2022 at the conference room of the FMH is to take effect from 3rd September, 2022. In the last three and a half years of his administration at UMTH, Professor Ahmed Ahidjo has brought a lot of changes in the management of the health system. The Professor of Interventional Radiology has combined both technical and managerial skills to change the way and manner things are done in the hospital making staff attend the best practices through behavioral change.
While congratulating Professor Ahidjo on his reappointment, the Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire reminded him of the enormous responsibilities of his office and the yearnings of the people for effective and responsive healthcare services.
The Minister also advised the CMD to justify the confidence reposed on him by the President, Muhammadu Buhari commander in chief of the armed forces federal republic of nigeria and urged him to work with all stakeholders to ensure industrial harmony in the health sector and in support of Mr President’s Change Agenda.
The Professor has carved a niche for himself in his ability to turn around the physical structure and operational structure of the hospital within a short period of his appointment as CMD. During an interview recently, he answered some boggling questions about management skills he acquired to be able to work wonders in the administration of the UMTH.
Also Read: Kashim Shettima: An epitomic genre from Borno
According to him, he only had leadership training in health. However, having been a leader since his days as student’s union leader, Professor Ahmed Ahidjo developed and learnt by the ropes over a period of time to manage people and resources in making the difference in any area of development that he found himself. Therefore, when he came on board as the CMD for the first time he came equipped with knowledge on what is expected and what to do to change the old system and to bring in new and workable ideas that translated into what the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital is today. From a 630 bed rated hospital to a first class hospital and the largest in Nigeria with 1200 bed capacity.
Recently, Professor Ahmed Ahidjo was recognized by the National Productivity Centre and selected for an award where Mr. President was in attendance and so much was said about him from being a specialist to a good Manager of human and capital resources. One of the areas for recognition is that he was the first person to introduce Interventional Radiology Service in Nigeria and the West African sub-region.
Also the award was as a result of the work he has done at the Maiduguri Teaching Hospital to free bed space from the female and male medical ward through the construction of an extension for an 85 beds extended Kidney centre, to building the first stroke dedicated centre in the whole of West Africa, a 150 bed capacity as well as building another 150 bed capacity trauma centre, which was dedicated centre for the treatment of burns
Professor Ahmed Ahidjo held from Askira/Uba local government area of Borno state, in northeast Nigeria. He is from a village called Yimirgo and started his early primary school at Yimirgo Primary school from where moved to Government Secondary School Uba where he did his form one to three.
In those days, they would choose the best student to go to science schools. So he was chosen to go to WAKA Biu science school to complete his secondary school. From there he went to ABU Zaria then it was the school of Basic Studies, where he did his A levels. He return to Borno state and register at the University of Maiduguri to study medicine. Thereafter, he started his residency training programme – that is the Post Graduate medical training to become a Consultant.
Professor Ahmed Ahidjo was at the West African College of Surgeon faculty of Radiology and also the National Post Graduate College of Nigeria bagging two fellowships with specialization in Radiology.
Immediately after that, he felt the need to further his education, so he went to the Medical University of Vienna in Austria where he studied Interventional Radiology and became the first person in the West African sub-region to do interventional Radiology. He was also at the University of Washington to further study interventional Radiology as a specialty. He completed that study within a year and returned home to establish interventional Radiology in Nigeria.
Administratively, He was Head of Radiology Department at the University of Maiduguri and University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital for almost ten years. He became the pioneer Head of Radiography Department to start training of Radiographers in the 19th Northern states. He also became the Deputy Provost College of Medical Sciences for a period of two years. Thereafter, he became the Provost, College of Medical Sciences University of Maiduguri.
He was also the secretary National PostGraduate Medical College of Nigeria in charge of Radiology training in the country for a period of four years in Lagos. From there he became the Chief Medical Director –UMTH. Within the period he also worked at the World Head Organization’s Headquarters in Geneva in Charge of all the Radiology devices globally with 198 member countries.
He was also a Research Scholar at the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences in Maryland. Since becoming the CMD for over three years now he has been working in the office.
Professor Ahmed Ahidjo is happily married with Children. How wishes are big and part of that is the transformation being witnessed at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital in Borno state.
Prof. Ahmed Ahidjo’s reappointment, a reward for notable achievements
Columns
Osama, For Good Governance and Social Justice Through the Radio

Osama, For Good Governance and Social Justice Through the Radio
By: Balami Lazarus
Osama. Does it ring a bell? Yes, it does on the Plateau. The Osama I am writing about is that individual who is known for his good works for humanity on the radio and outside the studio. Osama is a gentleman but is outspoken and has a mind of his own.
My Osama in this context is a personality, a brand, and a trademark. Osama is a broadcaster, radio presenter, and popular comedian on stage and in the entertainment industry in Jos-Plateau and beyond. Since the writing is sailing, I will later reveal the identity of who this young man is and why he is so passionate about good governance.
The fights for human rights, social justice, and good governance have been the cries and topic of discourse of so many Nigerians, especially good governance. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and human rights activists are the leaders in these struggles, whereby their roles cannot be overemphasized. The quantum of spoken words, public lectures/enlightenment programs, workshops, seminars, etc., has not brought many changes in our systems because there was little or no action by you and me as Nigerians.
I remembered when I was very active in the struggle for human rights and social justice. As Deputy Secretary General (DSG) of Democratic Alternative (DA), we were much concerned with democratic alternative processes and social justice with a whiff of good governance, and this has been the case for some NGOs, as I know.
I came to understand from my experiences that, as a country, we have good public-oriented programs, but our major challenges are implementation and follow-up that come with too many talks but no individual action or collective responsibility because many Nigerians are fearful, and this has made me a one-man advocate/crusader for human rights and social justice. Like the subject of this work.
Now back to the subject. Osama is a brand package, fearless advocate, and mouthpiece for good governance on the Plateau through Town Hall, a popular radio program aired by JFM 101.9 FM. Jos is widely listened to. He was born as Ehis Akugnonu. But Osama has overtaken his certified name. Therefore, my continued use of Osama is justified in this work because I realized that many times your other name (also known as) tends to dominate and overshadow your real name.
Osama is redefining the fight for good governance by personal efforts through follow-up and speaking on them, putting the government on their feet to improve and do better. ‘I am for good governance, and I will continue to speak on this matter.’ He is purposefully driven by his passion for good quality and better systems to have an enabling environment where the systems are working for progress and development.
Balami, a publisher/columnist 08036779290
Osama, For Good Governance and Social Justice Through the Radio
Columns
In Marriage Nest, Spouses Are Dying Ignoring Red Flags and The Panacea (2)

In Marriage Nest, Spouses Are Dying Ignoring Red Flags and The Panacea (2)
By: Balami Lazarus
I saw it coming. As a writer, my works and I have been verbally attacked several times. I raised an eyebrow at how some readers react by using bad language on issues, opinions, and views. Well, that is their way of expression when they are displeased, but I feel it is grotty.
And here is the conclusion of the “controversial piece,” as one caller puts it. For me, there is nothing controversial about this discourse but the truth of the grotesque happenings in married homes. And the way out, as I earlier wrote, is divorce.
Recently there has been an inflation of brutal murders in marriages; those killed are mostly women and children, and fewer men. What justification does one have to continue in a marriage where there are threats, violence, and unhappiness generated by the presence of either the husband or the wife? And unknowingly one becomes prey hunted by an in-house predator.
Sharks areamong the most intelligent aquatic animals. Their sense of smell is very sharp; they can smell and detect blood or any red object in water from a far distance and come for it at near the speed of light. Therefore, women’s body chemistry is like that of sharks; they sense and notice things easily. But what is wrong with many of them in marriage that they are unable to detect landmines or red flags early in their marriages? Where there is a threat to life with the intention to hurt, harm, and/or cause grievous injury or death, that is when they realize they are living in gross bondage if they are lucky to come out of it alive.
As students at Pluto College Sharam in Kanke-Plateau State, we were told and made to understand as boys to treat our girl students with love and care and be there for them when the need arises. That was one of the lessons that came from the late Dr. Sumaila Ndayako (Rector), as he was known and called. As boys, we dared not humiliate, insult, or threaten them in any way; rather, we were to take them as our sisters by extension. This has taught me to respect and care for the opposite sex.
Moreover, my association, membership, and experience with some human rights organizations have enlightened me with rights, liberties, and freedom garnished by respect for individual differences, rights and privileges, consent, and action. With this knowledge put together, I consider marriage never a do-or-die affair but a privilege with consent to be a husband to a woman who also has rights/consent to be a wife and live in matrimony. Why then humiliation, abuses, and domestic violence?
I have observed in my experience as a married man that if you take away some women from their husbands, they will die, and vice versa. Despite the domestic violence and abuses inflicted on either party, he/she is willing and prefers to die in such gothic marriage situations because one among them has a deep spiritual attachment to the marriage. This is common in Christendom, where “till death do us part.” My question here is, what kind of death? Intentional, accidental, or natural? This created injunction clause does not hold water in life-threatening marriages.
Living in a shark-jaws marriage, I always blamed women who had seen the red flags but refused to leave such marriages and the house-husband (husband). I further came to understand that patience and the pretext that all is well have caused damage to both spouses in terms of emotional and traumatic agonies and some to their graves.
Therefore, spouses that are trapped in this valley of death with its quagmire should know that marriage is a thing of choice. Likewise, divorce is permissible as a panacea for both to be alive to breathe freely.
Balami, a publisher/columnist, 0803677929
In Marriage Nest, Spouses Are Dying Ignoring Red Flags and The Panacea (2)
Columns
In Marriage Nest, Spouses Are Dying, Ignoring Red Flags, and The Panacea (1)

In Marriage Nest, Spouses Are Dying, Ignoring Red Flags, and The Panacea (1)
By: Balami Lazarus
In the quite beautiful town of Zhimbutu, where men held sway, lording over their wives, some with brutality, few with love,
care and romance others in different ways. While some women are also lords over their husbands with impunity. Fear of getting married gripped young ladies seeing the ways their mothers were being treated and relegated to the background in the affairs of their homes as married women.
The home of Mr. and Mrs. Kwanchinkwalo Xhosa is full of regrets, anger, and bitterness, where Mrs. Xhosa has been treated as an object in the marriage partnership. The red spots were obviously fermented with bubbles ready for brewing.
Similarly, some good number of marriage homes are full of regrets where love, peace, and understanding
and harmony are strangers rejected and kept in a labyrinth of doom where one of the parties is placed in a perpetual tan of unhappiness surrounded by fear in the thickness of smoke, a forced resident.
Long before, now as a young man, a legitimate product of marriage. I took marriage as a mere secular social contract of partnership bounded in love and understanding where two have agreed to live together as husband and wife in matrimony.
However, I have never taken marriage to be a do-or-die affair, which has been the stock of some persons, even when and if the two—husband and wife—can no longer live together, having exhausted reasonable avenues to no avail. Here I am.
for outright divorce as a panacea for the final dissolution of the marriage.
To this day, I have been asking myself, why did I even get married in the first place? For sex, procreation, companionship, norms, tradition, or obligation? While marriage to a larger extent has deprived me and many others of some air of freedom and liberties to do or not to do at any space of time, I suppose. Moreover, the enterprise called marriage has taken away the ‘who’ in many men and
women and made them something else. It has further forcefully taken the lives of many spouses who ignored the red flags and fear of divorce. And besides, many have taken upon themselves to live or die in an unhappy/venomous venture of marriage that is infested with ‘dysentery’ and ‘cholera,’ where death is lurking because husbands or wives lack the guts, will , ability, and/or capacity to invoke the dead-end solution.
Let me now punctuate the work with some questions: Were you forced into it? Was it under duress? Was it at gunpoint? I believed the answers were all no. What will then prevent an individual from liquidating his unprofitable marital interest in such an intense business called marriage to be free from wahala that may likely result in crime?
In such a situation, I advocate for divorce as the only and final panacea, which has a comfortable place as a clause in my dictionary of marriage. Divorce is rarely used in some quarters, no matter what. While my wife and I have sincerely agreed in the course of our marriage journey that at any point in time, with or without any reason/cause, either party can quietly and peacefully walk out of the marriage to avoid who knows what?
In the history of failed marriages and crime findings, it has been shown that one of the parties is forcing his/herself on the other spouse because one of them has a profound and compounded emotional or spiritual attachment to the marriage. The case of the late Mrs. Osinachi Nwachukwu (2023), the gospel singer, was a classical example. Patience and excessive spiritual attachment led to her being killed by her husband, one Mr. Nwachukwu. The same is also applicable to men who fall victim in the hands of their wives. This situation has created two prime suspected killers living in a marriage cocoon.
Balami, a publisher/columnist. 08036779290
In Marriage Nest, Spouses Are Dying, Ignoring Red Flags, and The Panacea (1)
-
News1 year ago
Roger Federer’s Shock as DNA Results Reveal Myla and Charlene Are Not His Biological Children
-
Opinions3 years ago
THE PLIGHT OF FARIDA
-
Opinions4 years ago
POLICE CHARGE ROOMS, A MINTING PRESS
-
News1 year ago
EYN: Rev. Billi, Distortion of History, and The Living Tamarind Tree
-
Columns1 year ago
Army University Biu: There is certain interest, but certainly not from Borno.
-
ACADEMICS1 year ago
A History of Biu” (2015) and The Lingering Bura-Pabir Question (1)
-
Opinions1 year ago
Tinubu,Shettima: The epidemic of economic, insecurity in Nigeria
-
Politics2 weeks ago
2027: Why Hon. Midala Balami Must Go, as Youths in Hawul and Asikira/Uba Federal Constituency Reject ₦500,000 as Sallah Gift