The Registrar of Bayero University, Kano , Malam Haruna Aliyu, alongside senior staff and academics of the institution, have showered glowing tributes on the outgoing Vice Chancellor, Professor Sagir Adamu Abbas, for what they described as his gigantic impact in transforming the university’s research, teaching, and community development.
The event, held on Saturday, 16th August 2025 in Kano, was organised to celebrate the end of Prof. Abbas’s tenure and to wish him well in his future endeavors. Speakers at the event described his five years in office as historic, noting that his leadership had elevated BUK’s standing in Nigeria and internationally.
Malam Haruna Aliyu recalled that in 2021 BUK was ranked outside the top 60 universities in Nigeria, but within two years of Prof. Abbas’s leadership, the university surged to the 4th best in the country. He noted that BUK also recorded another milestone by being ranked the best Nigerian university in terms of international visibility, by the Times Higher Education of London, a feat achieved for the first time in its history.
The Registrar also pointed to Prof. Abbas’s success in resolving the decades-long land dispute with the Danzakara community, which had dragged on for years. According to him, the resolution under Prof. Abbas’s leadership was one of the most historic achievements in BUK’s history, paving the way for the university to finally receive a grant and certificate of occupancy for its land. He concluded that the history of BUK could never be written without the emphatic and meteoric contributions of Prof. Sagir Abbas.
The University Librarian, Dr. Kabir Dahiru Abbas, described him as a man of integrity and vision who always stood for due process. He congratulated Prof. Abbas on his legacy, stressing that his leadership had set a standard for accountability and excellence.
In her remarks, Professor Hajara Umar Sanda commended Prof. Abbas for navigating the university through some of its most difficult moments. She highlighted that despite the twin challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and prolonged ASUU strike in his first two years, he still delivered massive achievements that positioned BUK on a higher pedestal. She described his tenure as fulfilling and wished him success in all his future endeavors.
Professor Yusuf Garba, Director of Academic Planning, remarked that Prof. Abbas lived up to the expectations placed on him, noting that he began his tenure with prayers for good health and ended it with gratitude for having completed his five years successfully. Similarly, Prof. Nura Ibrahim, Head of the Department of Information and Media Studies, stated that the University community made the right choice by supporting Prof. Abbas, adding that his leadership justified their confidence in him.
Other speakers, including Prof. Kassim of Engineering, Prof. Muhammad A.G. Zakariyya of Basic Medical Sciences, Dr. Gali Sa’idu, Prof. Fatima S. Koki, Kabiru Baba Mandawari, Comrade Sabiu, Professor Malami, Dr. Abba Ibrahim, Dr. Bashir Kaka, and Prof. Ali Abdullahi Tijjani, also lauded his achievements and prayed for his continued success.
In his response, Prof. Abbas expressed gratitude for the overwhelming tributes, noting that his accomplishments were guided by the University’s strategic plan document, which he successfully implemented by over 95%. He humbly reflected that although the first two years of his tenure were disrupted by the pandemic and industrial strikes, the remaining three were among the most productive in BUK’s history.
“We have tried our best to do what we can,” he said, “and sometimes difficult decisions had to be made, which may have upset some staff, but in the end, they came as blessings to the University.”
Prof. Abbas concluded by thanking Almighty Allah for granting him wisdom, strength and resilience to achieve the successes celebrated today.