*Photo: Prof Abdulrashid Faruk Haruna*
Professor AbdulRashid Faruk Haruna, a man of many parts, has impacted positively on the educational, sporting, administrative, and socio- economic sphere of Nigeria, especially in the North, where he was spotted and nurtured into national and international stardom.
”Successful people bring success to what they do”, says Wayne Dyer.
This aptly captures the story of this gentleman academia.
His recent appointment by the Federal Government as the pioneer acting Vice-Chancellor Chancellor, Federal University of Education Kontagora, marks the beginning of a new era, in the new birthed institution.
This is considering his antecedents as an high achiever while serving as Provost, Niger State College of Education and later Provost Federal College of Education , Kontagora which necessitated the upgrading of the institution to a full-fledged specialized university.
Prior to his new national assignment, his two previous assignments have been described as the golden era and turning point of the two institutions, where notable and monumental giant strides in the area of academic Excellence, human capital and infrastructural development became the hallmark of his dynamic leadership.
Dr. Robert Schuller once opined that “Whatever you set your heart to do, it shall be surely yours.”
Worthy of note is the fact that Prof.Abdul Rashid Faruk Haruna is a charismatic leader, serious minded, and a team player as well as a strategic thinker, listening leader. His Philosophy has always been “the level of Education and educational attainment of a people, determines the quality of it’s leaders, the level of economic development and the nation’s global competitiveness”
As one of the characteristics of progressive emerging leaders from the North and by extension at this period of national rebirth, his name is often associated with remarkable feats and worthy legacy projects. In this regards, Prof. Abdulrashid Faruk Haruna has built a towering personality for himself as a great team player in the area of academic excellence, human capital and infrastructural development any where he finds himself.
Some of his remarkable and landmark feats he put in place as the out-gone Provost Federal College of Education Kontagora, before the nomenclature of the institution was changed to Federal University of Education Kontagora, include; the construction of new prototyped storey buildings as lecturers official offices with modern furniture and equipped with stationeries as well as renovation of students’ hostels, where hitherto it was like ghetto, which is now like heaven on earth.
Similarly, Prof. Abdulrashid Faruk Haruna, fondly called Prof Faruk by close associate and those in the sporting family, has used his magic wand as can be seen with the construction of ICT Centre, Geographical Garden, Laboratory and provision of portable drinking water. He has also digitalized students results and ensured web portal design aimed at quick access of students’ results.
Another is getting full accreditation for running all courses in the school of Arts and social Sciences. One other
major lofty feat of Prof. Faruk Haruna’s leadership is increasing access to higher education enrolment by getting the Governing Council of the institution to approve study Centers across Niger State . All these lofty initiatives became symbolic, leading to Presidential assent for a full fledged University of Education Kontagora..
It is equally pertinent to point out at this juncture, that Prof. Faruk Haruna’s vision on Poultry and synergy with Mainstream Foundation, in the area of fisheries, snacks baking and tailoring are already generating IGR for the institution and subsequently boosting the internally generated revenue base of the institution. The effervescent 1000/Multi- purpose Hall is also expected to host some social events, seminars, and conferences that will improve the IGR of the institution.
In the area of academic Excellence, Prof. Faruk Haruna’s visionary leadership has achieved peaceful and stable academic Calendar, as in the area of capacity building Workshop for both academic and non academic staff, sponsoring staff for conferences, hosting of National conferences by various institutions, procurements of additional desktops computers for the ICT Centers. The College recorded 100% success in the accreditation exercise for NCE Programmes i.e. in Economics, Geography, History and Political science, digitalization of the Library and connecting it to library of Congress as well as opening access to large Volumes e-books, journals and periodicals. .
Be it as it may, Prof. Faruk Haruna and the 6th Governing Council recognizing the role education play in the development of any progressive society, graciously approved the Directorate of Distance learning with a view to taking Education to the door steps of the populace at the grassroots and today to the glory of Allah (SWT) ,the Study Centers of the institution are in operation at New Busa, in Borgu local government area, in Mokwa LGA in Niger State.
He further spread the tentacles of the institution to Kebbi State with Study Centres at Zuru, Yauri, and Kubwa, in the Federal Capital Territory. What a Commendable Feats and a shining example for others aspiring to true leadership should emulate!
Vince Lombardi succintly said, ” if winning is not everything, then why do we keep score’s ? A peep into the wind of change on some infrastructural revolution put in place by Prof. Faruk Haruna’s lead dynamic leadership, is worthy of commendation, by men and women of goodwill who have penchant for progressive leadership, as can be exemplified from his monumental feats, with the construction and completion of the college 1,500 parameters fencing ( first phase Northern axis) aimed at curbing security challenge in the college as well as the completion of the 2nd phase 1,500 parameters fence, procurement of 15 seaters Toyota Bus (2017 Tetfund Zonal intervention), procurement of various teaching and learning laboratories and office equipment ( 2019 Tetfund Zonal intervention), construction of 250 capacity lecture theatre each for the school of secondary education Sciences and languages, construction of 46 seaters ICT Complex with equipment and furnishing as well as the construction of resource centre for the school of secondary education, Arts and social science programmes.
In continuation of Prof. Faruk Haruna’s gigantic intervention projects; he constructed 1000 capacity Multipurpose events Centre, construction of ultra- modern college library, renovation of Early Childhood laboratory (Tetfund 2017-2018 maintenance fund)construction of 1000 ICT and e-learning Centre( 2021 Zonal intervention fund) drilling of Borehole over- head tank(2021 Capital appriopration)construction of new 400 capacity in male hostel (2021 appropriation) provision of 240 Solar street lights (2021 Zonal intervention fund, construction of Entrepreneurship Centre as well as guidance and counseling Clinic and the installation of Solar power CCTV Cameras in the College.
In the area of students Welfare and well-being, Prof. Faruk Haruna and his amiable team, have shown tenacity for true service delivery.
Hence, the procurement of 3D double bunk beds for the students, prompt release of students results, training of highly disciplined and responsible students as worthy ambassadors of the institution, complete repairs of existing boreholes to boost water supply in the Male hostels as well as the renovation of two blocks of female hostels, renovation and reactivation of one hundred Computers and enhancing the connectivity in language laboratory, making it functional to full capacity, procurement and installation of 100 hundred Solar Streetlights and the installation of Solars Streetlights donated to the College by Mainstream Foundation, Federal Ministry of Works and Hon.Idris Garba Mai Solar.
Moreover, Prof. Faruk Haruna also embarked in the drilling of over ten motorized boreholes and the construction of ten thousand gallons capacity over head tank to Male and female hostels, facilitating and hosting of ICT based capacity building workshops in partnership with digital bridge institute and Nigeria Communication Commission, sponsoring of Staff for higher qualifications, regular payment of allowances, entitlements and facilitate the release of funds on Tetfund staff training for conferences attendance, institutional based research and teaching practice intervention grants to the institution as at when due.
Looking at Prof. Abdulrashid Faruk Haruna’s monumental feats as Provost Federal College of Education, Kontagora, I have no doubt in my mind that his recent appointment as acting V.C Federal University of Education Kontagora will usher in glorious moments for the new University.
*Fatai ibrahim is the Executive Director Prolific Writer’s Project Globally.