Dr. Yusuf Bala Usman first memorial lecture: A review

By Baba A Zarabe
(bilaltijjani01@yahoo.com)
‘Bala was the best man I ever knew, and the best friend I ever had. I would not mind joining him anytime, anywhere he is now’... --Prof Kyari Tijjani
ON Saturday, December 9,2006 at Arewa House, Kaduna , the 1st Dr Yusufu Bala Usman Memorial Lecture was held to commemorate the first anniversary of the devastating demise of the legendary firebrand, radical scholar-activist,and his epochal life of unwavering commitment to knowledge, freedom and justice. On that occasion , three books were also launched:a collection of tributes to Bala Usman, compendium of some of his essays on historiography, and the proceedings of a seminar organized by the Zaria-based Centre for Democratic Research and Training (CEDDERT),a brainchild of the late great intellectual icon, pan-Africanist and humanist.
Following remarks by the chairman of the occasion, the venerable Alhaji M.D Yusuf, Dr Alkasim Abba, a Bala protégé, set the tone for the occasion with his welcome address. He brilliantly encapsulated the entire gamut of Bala’s eventful 60-year sojourn on Earth, foregrounding a lifetime of scholarship, activism and leadership, and the accompanying accomplishments and vicissitudes.
The day’s lecture simply titled “Bala, the scholar” was delivered by no less a person than the erudite scholar and Bala’s soulmate and alter ego, Prof Kyari Tijjani presently of the University of Maiduguri. The learned professor had arrived at ABU Zaria as a postgraduate student where he met his colleague Bala Usman, and the “intellectual spiritualism transformed into human companionship” took place.
His paper highlighted most of Bala`s life, his unquenchable thirst for knowledge, his intellectual brilliance, his contributions to nation building and freedom movements, his extraordinary confidence in the Blackman’s abilities, his altruistic concern for the common man, his principled challenge to value-laden imperialist prejudice masquerading as knowledge, his participation in progressive partisan politics, all these and much more in Kyari’s characteristically lucid delivery which included a polemical attack on what he considered as the uncharitable aspects of Adamu Adamu’s “so-called tribute” to Bala Usman
The first book titled ‘A life of commitment to knowledge, Freedom and Justice: Tributes to Yusuf Bala Usman{1945-1960}’, was presented by Prof Monday Mangvwat, former VC, University of Jos. Due to time constraint, all he did was to extract from the numerous tributes the beautiful adjectives and adjectives phrases used by the writers to describe the person Bala Usman.
He then threw a challenge at the audience by asking how many of them could rightly claim even a fraction of the positive attributes conveyed by the adjectival qualifications. Then the eloquent Professor gave an anecdote about the rigor of Bala’s scholarship. As a postgraduate student of Bala’s, Mangvwat had presented 13-page paper to his supervisor. Bala shortly returned the write-up along with a 32-page comment on it!
The second book titled ‘Beyond Fairy Tales’ was presented by another Bala protégé , a renowned scholar in his own right and a dynamic administrative icon , Professor Abdullahi Mahdi. He cursorily surveyed the historiographical writings therein and declared rather ominously that Bala’s death had indeed marked “The end of an era,” a re-echoing of Adagbo Onoja’s position. He then recommended the book to students of history and the general reading public.
The third book under the title‘ Nigeria and the Reform of the United Nations’, was presented by Dr Ayuba Hudu of the department of political Science, ABU Zaria. He remarked that when the book was earlier presented to him for critical review , he set out to “demolish” it, but instead ended up being “demolished” by the book. He had no choice but to recommend it to the public. The programme was well attended by people from all walks of life and from various disciplinary backgrounds. The event had coincided with the PDP gubernatorial primaries, so governors had to send their representatives after pressure to shift the event, already severally postponed, failed. General Ibrahim Babangida and Vice- President Atiku Abubakar were represented by Air Marshal Hamza Abdullahi and Prof A.D. Yahaya respectively. Many people bought copies of the books, made and pledged donations to the proposed Bala Usman Centre to be built in Zaria. The government of Katsina state endowed a professorial chair in history at ABU in honour of Bala Usman to the tune of over 70 million naira.
Nuhu Ribadu and Nasir el- Rufai also attended. The latter who had arrived very early left before it was time for goodwill messages but not before making generous donations. Ribadu showered encomiums on Bala Usman and reminisced on his student days at ABU where he and others were “shaped” by Bala Usman. It would be recalled that the last public event Bala attended was a seminar organized by the EFCC. However, Bala would certainly have been scandalized by the increasingly partisan and unmistakably selective disposition of the EFCC. Students turned the event into a photo opportunity with Nuhu Ribadu, the scourge of politicians. By the way, student unionism has sadly been reduced to beggary, sycophancy, hedonism, financial corruption and other signposts of decadence.
I had wished to know whether el- Rufai, an out-and-out brutal capitalist, would also claim to have been “shaped” by Bala Usman. Bala might be impressed by the facade of orderliness and cleanliness in Abuja , but he would certainly have frowned at the class cleansing of the poor. Theatrical bravado, dramatic demolitions and cruel expulsions have served to conveniently eclipse otherwise glaring failure on the part of the FCT administration to adequately provide basic social services like water supply, healthcare, security, transportation, street lighting etc, let alone staff welfare. That is why el-Rufai and his boss do not impress me as much as they apparently impress many gullible Nigerians and foreigners alike. Also the Chief Judge of Borno state, an ABU alumnus, paid glowing tributes to Bala Usman. A man of towering height and intellect, Justice Kashim Zanna could, if need be, administer justice even physically! Many others also spoke; but where was Okello Oculi?
Bala Usman was an enigma of some sorts, even those who did not like his ideas, methods and guts identify with him, admire and appreciate him for among other things his unflinching patriotism, his readiness to stand against odds in matters of principle and his single minded devotion to the pursuit of knowledge. It was clear that he did not suffer fools gladly in his dealings with his students, colleagues and the Establishment. His so called arrogance and impatience were well-meaning. I particularly like Bala Usman for his trenchant and uncompromising intellectual demolition of ethnic chauvinism and religious bigotry. Relationships were destroyed and countless lives needlessly lost across Africa due to tribalism and ignorance fuelled by cynical manipulations of our differences by decadent bourgeoisie, imperialists and their domestic surrogates. Bala had fearlessly confronted both our domestic and foreign exploiters. He had turned down numerous offers of political positions and lucrative fleshpots, preferring instead to read, write, teach and tell the truth to power. Such a man should be eternally celebrated and immortalized. May Allah forgive his mistakes.
Dr Abubakar Siddique Mohammed gave the vote of thanks on behalf of the organizers ie CEDDERT and the Abdullahi Smith Centre for Historical Research. While mentioning the family of Bala Usman [seated before him], Dr Mohammed lost his voice, then broke down in tears, and just handed over the microphone to the MC, Kalli Ghazali. There was silence and not a few eyes misted. Palpable emotions filled the hall. Masana sun tafi! Bala Usman was a doting family man. One of his sons, a splitting image of his father, spoke on behalf of the family. He affirmed that the struggle must continue until “total liberation of Nigeria ” is achieved.
The event was not without its fair share of glitches. It started late,the public address system was poor and barely audible, and light went off for about a minute. Arewa kenan! But all is well that ends well. There is no better way to conclude than to borrow the instructively loaded words of the articulate DVC of ABU, Prof Yakubu Nasidi: “long live Bala Usman!”
Baba Ahmed Zarabe, who wrote from Mairi Ward, Maiduguri, posted this piece on Amanaonline.com