Professor Buba Garegy Bajoga: A man of exceptional intellect

This week recorded some deaths. Among them is that of Professor Buba Garegy Bajoga, the vice chancellor of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi, between 1984 and 1994.

The late former vice chancellor of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi, between 1984 and 1994, Professor Buba Garegy Bajoga, has been described as a man of exceptional intellect and uncommon commitment to national service.

The Gombe State governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, who wrote through his media aide, Ismaila Uba Misilli, also described Bajoga as a renowned academic, accomplished engineer and elder statesman.

The governor recalled that the academician, who died at the age of 88, played a critical role as the chairman of the Committee on Tertiary Institutions in 2020, noting that the committee’s report provided direction and added momentum to the ongoing repositioning of tertiary education in the state under his administration.

“Prof Bajoga was a man of exceptional intellect, integrity and uncommon commitment to national service. His counsel, experience and patriotism greatly strengthened our efforts to reform and reposition tertiary education in Gombe State,” he said.

Born on February 11, 1944 in Nafada, Gombe State, he lived a life dedicated to education, leadership and national service. He earned his B.Sc in Electrical Engineering from the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) in 1968 and a PhD from the State University of New York in 1972.

He became a professor at ABU in 1984, served as the pioneer provost and later, the first indigenous vice chancellor of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi for over a decade. He also contributed to national development as managing director of NITEL.

He later played a pivotal role in the evolution of the ATBU), where his contributions were instrumental to the institution’s attainment of autonomous status.

Beyond the academia, Prof Bajoga made far-reaching contributions to Nigeria’s telecommunications and engineering sectors.

He held several influential national appointments, including directorate and managing directorate positions at the Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL). He served in various capacities at the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), helping to shape policy, regulation and institutional governance in the sector.

At various times, he was a member of the Board of Directors of NITEL (1985); member, Technical Sub-Committee on NITEL (1988) and member of the Board of Directors of the Nigerian Communications Commission (1993). He also served on several committees of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), and later, as managing director of NITEL. He was a Foundation Fellow of the Academy.

We lost a father, guardian, mentor – Salisu Umar

In his tribute on the late professor, Abdullahi Salisu Umar, an engineer, wrote: “I had the privilege of being taught by the late Prof Buba Garegy Bajoga during my postgraduate programme at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. When the posting was released and I saw that Prof Bajoga would be my supervisor, I was honestly nervous and unhappy. I knew his reputation – meticulous, disciplined and deeply serious about academics – and I feared I might struggle to complete my programme under his supervision. To my surprise, I became the first among my colleagues to complete my MSc.

“That experience taught me that behind his strict standards was a mentor who genuinely wanted his students to succeed. Prof Bajoga was the very definition of discipline and integrity. Despite his age, I had never seen anyone who kept to time the way he did. If he made a promise, he kept it. Even when he could not attend lectures due to health issues or emergencies, he would personally call to inform us.

“That simple act spoke volumes about his respect for students and his unwavering sense of responsibility.

“I remember that one day when I visited him at home, he was going through my project work on mobile network optimisation. Then he received another visitor – Dr Bashir Gwandu – then an executive director in the NCC. Prof told him, “Dr Bashir, these are the types of people you want at the NCC; look at his project.

“That was how I was invited for an aptitude test and interview at the Nigerian Communication Commission.

“We have lost more than a lecturer. We have lost a father, guardian and mentor. Prof Bajoga was widely regarded as the father of the electrical engineering profession in Nigeria.

“His legacy in engineering education and academic leadership will continue to inspire generations to come.”

He died on February 5 in the UK. May Allah forgive his shortcomings, grant him Jannatul Firdaus and give his family the strength and comfort to bear this irreplaceable loss. Ameen.

Prof Bajoga returned to the Ahmadu Bello University, where he rose through the ranks and was appointed a professor in 1984. Following the merger of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University with the ABU, he was appointed the provost of the college, which he nursed back into the status of an autonomous university.

He served as a two-term vice chancellor, covering the period: 1984-1994, during which he also served as the chairman of the Committee of Vice Chancellors.

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