By Kabiru Haruna Isa
“We all die. The goal isn’t to live forever, the goal is to create something that will.” ~ Chuck Palahniuk
On Thursday 2nd September, 2021 the entire community of Bayero University received shocking and sad news of the passing on of Prof Abdussalam Abubakar Salisu of the Department of Pure and Industrial Chemistry. Abdussalam was born in Tumfafi town in Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area of Kano State. He hailed from a social milieu that is morally sound, culturally modest and geographically peri-urban. His background explains his predisposition, predilection and preference. He liked to always relate with people, who were ready to help and change the lives of others, especially those who were weak and poor. He played central role in mentoring and inspiring young people in his locality to go to school and realize their educational goals. He used his academic experience to guide the younger generations and solve problems that were bedeviling his community.
Prof Abdussalam was a passionate, committed and dedicated academic, who invested a lot of energy, time and social capital to teaching, research and community service. He was a sequestered scholar, who enjoyed resigning to his scholarly enclave to contemplate about life and his ongoing research. In spite of his love for intellectual solitude and soliloquy, yet he related with people to share his thoughts and worldview in a Hegelian dialectic. He often agreed and disagreed with his interlocutors but he made sure he did that in a civil and professional way.
Prof Abdussalam trained a number of both undergraduate and graduate students, who currently serve their nation in different capacities and at various places. The students he trained and his scholarly output would surely immortalize him.
He was so humble, down-to-earth, kind hearted and unassuming. He never allowed his academic title to make him feel larger than life and superior to even his students. He had an attitude of treating people equally regardless of their class, gender, social status or title. He was truly a symbol of humility and humanity.
We pray to Allah to forgive his shortcomings and have eternal mercy on his soul.
Kabiru Haruna Isa wrote from the Department of History, Bayero University, Kano.
3rd September, 2021
