PROF IDRIS MOHAMMED
I am still in shock at the loss of this collossus of public health, clinician and administrator par excellence, whose impact on my life endures all the way from 1970 to his demise this morning. A Founding Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Science, his academic and professional interests were far reaching. When the Nigeria National Merit Award Governing Board was in neglect for over 3 years, it was he who persuaded Abacha to resuscitate it, with him as the Charman charged with responsibility of doing so, a task he accomplished so very well. Who knows, it would otherwise have died a natural death.
He was instrumental to influencing the late VC Ishaya Audu of ABU to pay my fares to London in pursuit of higher education in January 1971.
He was the first medical officer of health in Northern Nigeria in the early sixties under the Sardauna Sir Ahmadu Bello. He then joined Ahmadu Bello University where he became the first Director of the Institute of Health.After his numerous successful exploits including at at the UNN Nsukka, and the WHO as country representative (WR) during which time he brought innumerable public health benefits to Nigeria during late Olikoye Ransome-Kuti’s equally impactful tenure as Nigeria’s Minister of Health.
Upon retirement from WHO, humble Umaru Shehu came to me in my CMD office at UMTH and asked that he be engaged in daily teaching, research and service in the Department of Community Medicine. It was more appropriate, I thought, that he be appointed a Professor of Community Medicine at the Univetsity of Maiduguri, while the UMTH appointed him consultant public health physician.
So it was that this indefatigable tireless professional insisted on attending my twice weekly medical ward rounds, along with resident doctors and medical students. It was a sobering experience for me.
When it became time to appoint Emeritus Professors, it fell on me as Provost of the College of Medical Sciences to process and recommend his nomination to the Higher Degrees Committe of which I was a member of 5 where I defended it, then to Senate where it was duly approved.
Professor Emeritus Umaru Shehu, CFR established the National Programme on Immunization on which Board he served as Foundation Chairman. When it was time for him to move on I was offered the Chairmanship which I accepted with trepidation, though I considered it an honour and a privilege of high proportion.
I miss Professor Emeritus Umaru Shehu dearly and sorely. May his gentle kind soul rest in perfect peace in Jannatul Firdaus – Ameen.
– Professor Idris Mohammed, FAS NNOM FRCP MD FNAMed (Dan Isan Gombe)