ANOTHER GIANT LEAP FOR PROFESSOR NOK;

A MILESTONE FOR A.B.U., ZARIA

By Usman, Sule Machika

This is one of the most difficult pieces I have ever contemplated. The difficulty arose because of the attempt to congratulate self. How does one start a write-up of congratulating self? Surely, isn’t it absurd to do that? Well, in the words of Chinua Achebe, “The lizard that falls from the Iroko tree needs to nod its head to hail itself”’. This should be enough consolation to embark on self felicitation. The reason for self congratulation, a member of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and the university is indeed honoured!

A Professor of Biochemistry of University, Andrew Jonathan Nok (MFR) emerged the winner of the Nigerian Liquefied and Natural Gas (NLNG) Nigeria Prize for Science. Nok, a Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Science is also the Dean of the Faculty of Science, Ahmadu Bello University. He outclassed 25 others in wide-ranging fields such as engineering, agriculture, biology and chemistry, to grab the award.

It is another giant leap for Professor Andrew Jonathan Nok (MFR) in his young career, as well as an added milestone for the university. The prestigious science award in 2009 is another branded feather in the life of the renowned scientist. Both contemporaries and admirers, even the critics of Prof Nok are unanimous that the award is well-deserving. The reason for this tribute is in accordance to a Hausa saying, ‘yabon gwani ya zama dole’ – eulogizing an authority is inevitable, simply put, ‘praising an expert is a must! And off course, ‘in rana ya fito, tafin hannu ba ya kare shi’, (when the sun sets, a palm cannot obstruct it), literally ‘when the sun sets, a hand cannot cover it’. This is the best I can describe the Professor.

He was awarded the prize for his seminal work in discovering the gene responsible for the creation of Sialidase (SD), an enzyme which causes sleeping sickness (Trypanosomiasis). His research breakthrough is significant in forming the baseline for developing DNA based vaccines against Trypanosoma. The value of this breakthrough emanates from the 60 million people estimated the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2006, living mainly in rural parts of East, West and Central Africa at the risk of contracting sleeping sickness. In this guise, the Committee for the Nigeria Prize for Science noted that his submission “has the potential of leading to the development of a scientifically elegant and sophisticated solution to a predominantly African problem”.

It was with delight, yet not surprised to have heard of the award. Nonetheless, it unbolted many emotions. The young Andrew was born the very year the Sardauna of Sokoto laid the foundation stone of the university some forty seven (47) years ago. This award therefore has an umbilical connection to the great Sardauna of Sokoto, the leading founding father of the university, the man who laid the ideals of the university. With the award, AJ Nok has proved to be a great ambassador for the university, her traditions and ideals as set by the great man with the quality of his scientific breakthrough. It's very fitting that his contribution has now been fully recognized. It is a special tribute not only to Prof Nok, who faithfully stayed true to the vision of the founding fathers but also to those men of honour who laid the groundwork for establishing the university, the principles, serene and conducive teaching and learning atmosphere, men of foresight who envisaged many of these days of honour.

This is how I felt that the entire Ahmadu Bello University feel on the news of the award bestowed on Professor AJ Nok. What an achievement for both the professor and the University? The prestigious award is indeed an important leap for the University with or without the Webometric and Shanghai Jiang Tao University Rankings. AJ was raised and educated all his life in Nigeria and Ahmadu Bello University. He obtained his B.Sc, M.Sc. and PhD Biochemistry, as well as, all his working career, from Assistant Lecturer to terminal promotion of a Professor, in Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. He is a recognized internationally scholar for his significant contributions to scientific body of knowledge. He is the author or coauthor of more than 110 research papers in international peer-reviewed scientific journals and books. During his career he has supervised over 60 postgraduate students and numerous graduates in the university, who are spread all over Nigeria and the world providing leadership in science research community. He is a scientist of international repute, who could have gone to any university in the world but decided to stay at his alma mater. Ahmadu Bello University is proud to have nurtured AJ as well as extremely lucky to keep him.

This wonderful tribute to AJ’s standing in his field, is indeed well-deserved and a tremendous source of pride for the entire university. It represents not only the recognition for the many years of his dedicated work but also the standard of academic rigour of the university. Honours, I believe are individual rather than communal, but I am sure that a number of factors contributed towards AJ’s success. One cannot undermine the role of the family in his upbringing, various friends who provided the impetus and challenges for being more focus in an intensive competitive environment and off course the learning environment itself – this citadel – Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. This means that the award reflects the work of many others, particularly the support and encouragement of family and friends, and indeed the selfless ethos of an outstanding university that prepared such a great mind.

There is no moral courage as bestowing honour to one whom honour is due. The old axiom which states that, “Honour is given to whom honour is due” is not really in Toto so! There is nothing more far from the truth than such a bizarre statement. It is not quite true. For one of the most difficult things bestowed on human is really ‘honour’. Honour is never given to anybody on a platter of gold. At best grabbing and utilizing all the opportunities that passes one’s side, in fact in other instance, going out of one’s way hunting for such opportunities fearlessly and courageously, guided only by the spirit of serving humanity. It is only then that one easily claims all the honours due to one, otherwise they would simply pass one by – honours in this case elude even the true owner.

Professor Nok in this case actually wrestled and ‘deservedly’ wrenched out what belonged to him and Ahmadu Bello University. AJ was able to grab his share of awards because of his upbringing, training, toiling days long, burning the midnight oil while others slept on his steadily ascend step-by-step onto his career ladder and higher societal pedestal, as he accumulated knowledge and wealth of experience. Prof Nok is still gathering his honours, fighting where necessary, insisting on collecting those that are truly his, not waiting to be ‘given’, but rather grabbing his ‘properties’ again and again as Allah wished. Amongst such a number of awards,  AJ recently snatched an important National Honour Award granted by Mr President, the ‘Member of Federal Republic, (MFR)’, yet this political honour is not as important as this pure peer professional recognition by world class scientists to Nok and the university. This extraordinary honour recognizes Prof Nok’s groundbreaking scientific contributions as well as the true placement of the university among her equals.

Mine is double joy. Joy in enjoining AJ as he celebrates another long-over-due scientific recognition and off course Joy in disputed various critics on the Ahmadu Bello University ranking, despite it importance in university placement. Sir, your diligent hard work and immense erudition to whatever and wherever you are opportune to serve, have always thrust your forward for public entrusted accolades. It was these same sterling qualities that singled you out of the 25 contestants and the entire professional body had no option but to honour a self respected maven, whose inestimable contributions to their development re-enforced your endearment to them as well as to us. It seems you are caught in the web of recognition and honours. Again, I am certain that AJ would as ever live up to his billing to endeavour to continue to live, work and enhance the status of that professional body by maintaining its high professional standard at all times as he does for this great university.

This achievement no doubt will go along way in awakening the unconscious aspirations of the present and future generations. We particularly look onto the likes of Nok to be fearless and courageous in calling a spade a spade.

 AJ, I pray to Allah to continue to guide and bless you as you remain a remarkable prodigy to members of the university and the larger Nigerian society. This tribute is for your contributions towards consolidating the foundation of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and it is also for the University, for producing such a talent.

Usman, Sule Machika, wrote from Zaria.

Robot  # 1 | 25.09.2009 05:25

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