Things You May Not Know About Ahmadu Bello University

If you are a student of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria or you are aspiring to be, you might want to know the history of ABU Zaria. Here below is an account of things you may not know about your beloved school.

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Did You Know ABU Is A Creation Of The Ashby Commission Report of 1959?

Ahmadu Bello University is a creation of the Ashby Commission report of 1959 which recommended the addition of some new universities in each of the then Nigeria’s three regions as well as the capital, Lagos. The Ashby commission report recommendations gave a new impetus and direction that ultimately led to the creation of the university of Northern Nigeria in Zaria.

The University took over the facilities of the Nigerian College of Arts, Science and Technology at Samaru outside Zaria and was named after Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto and Premier of Northern Nigeria.

Dr Ishaya Shuaibu Audu Was ABU’s First Nigerian Vice Chancellor

In 1966, Dr Ishaya Audu (a pediatrician and associate professor of the university of Lagos) succeeded Dr Alexander as ABU’s first Nigerian Vice Chancellor. Dr Audu was a Northerner, born into a native hausa family in Wusasa, near Zaria in 1928.

Under Dr. Audu’s Leadership, ABU was seriously affected by the Coups and the anti-igbos riots of 1966. Inspite of these, ABU grew and develop at an even faster pace. The school proved a great success and enrollments expanded even more rapidly. By the tenth year ABU total enrollments including non and pre-degree programs were put at over 7,000.

In later years of his life, he went into active politics. Audu was a member of the Nigerian Peoples Party under President Shehu Shagari regime and was appointed as Minister of external affairs in 1979. He died on August 29, 2005 while in the United States for medical treatment.

A.B.U Has The Largest Campus In Nigeria

Ahmadu Bello University has been adjudged the largest university in Nigeria, in Sub-saharan Africa and second largest in Africa coming behind Cairo University, Egypt. This information is howvever, due to land usage by the university. Ahmadu Bello University has only 7,000 hectares of land, while the University of Ilorin has 75,000 hectares.

But ABU tops this list on the merits of land usage and not the area of land owned. This is one of the most interesting things about the school, and the management is not relenting as they are pushing to increase the land usage by the development of the new multi-billion Naira project called Ahmadu Bello phase 2, which had already started and will enormously increase the size of the Samaru campus.

Did You Know ABU Has Only 14 VCs Till Now?

Ahmadu Bello University has a Chancellor as the ceremonial head of the University, while the Vice-Chancellor is the Chief executive and Academic officer of the University. The 14th and current Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ibrahim Garba, took office on 1st May 2015. Below is the list of all ABU Vice- Chancellors (1961-till date):

Professor Norman Alexander 1961-1966
Professor Ishaya Audu 1966-1975
Professor Iya Abubakar 1975-1978
Professor Oladipo Akikugbe 1978-1979
Professor Ango Abdullahi 1979-1986
Professor Adamu N Muhammad 1986-1991
Professor Daniel Soror 1991-1995
Major General Mamman Kontagora 1995-1998
Professor Abdullahi Mahadi 1999-2004
Professor Shehu Usman Abdullahi 2004-2009
Professor Jarlath Udoudo Umoh 2009-2009
Professor Aliyu Muhammed 2009-2010
Professor Abdullahi Mustapha 2010-2015
Professor Ibrahim Garba 2015-to date

ABU Produced Notable And Prominent Nigerian Leaders

The Ahmadu Bello University is notable for producing numerous prominent people, and Nigerian leaders including former President and Vice Presidents, former and serving State Governors and Ministers. Amongst the alumni are: