By Yusuf Yaro Adamu
On a typical day, Professor Aisha Sani Maikudi arrives at work between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m., promptly attending to a range of tasks—from signing files and memos, holding meetings, carrying out one inspection or another, and attending events. As the Acting Vice-Chancellor of the University of Abuja, Maikudi is often the host at various events on campus, delivering speeches, presenting papers, and welcoming participants, depending on the nature of the occasion.
Having taken over the affairs of the administration on 1st July 2024 from Professor Abdul-Rasheed Na’Allah, Maikudi is now over two months in office. Though not a stranger to the university administration since she was the first female Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Law, HOD in the Faculty of Law, pioneer director of the University of Abuja International Centre, and Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic), where she managed key administrative and academic responsibilities such as curriculum development, examinations, admissions, examination malpractice, and other senate matters, Maikudi now faces greater demands, requiring both strategic diplomacy and significant time commitment in this elevated role as acting vice-chancellor. And she has no doubt demonstrated she is equal to the task.
For instance, on Monday, September 23, 2024, the 41-year-old professor of law inaugurated the Board of Centre for Innovation Hub and Creative Technologies of the University; received the newly elected executives of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) Cooperatives, University of Abuja Chapter; and inspected a pool of vehicles in the university’s service, among other tasks.
One of her striking achievements in office so far is her adroit handling of the crisis on campus occasioned by the strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) of the University of Abuja Chapter, which surfaced toward the end of the tenure of her predecessor, Professor Abdul-Rasheed Na’Allah.
The 82-day strike by lecturers demanding the re-advertisement of the position of the vice-chancellor, conduct of the deanship election, review of promotion, and recruitment of staff, were resolved under her leadership. This resolution was easily made possible by the auspicious reconstitution of the Governing Council of the University of Abuja (and others) by President Ahmed Bola Tinubu, which plunged headlong into the controversial issues while working closely with the Maikudi-led management.
The acting vice-chancellor has also initiated routine changes and appointments in the university to strengthen her administration and align with the evolving needs of the institution.
The academic calendar, which was disrupted by the strike, has also been reviewed to enable students to catch up on their studies and complete their academic programmes within the adjusted time frame.
Maikudi’s leadership style — marked by a high sense of humility, hard work, gracefulness, and positive foresight — has earned her the respect of the university community, including the staff, students, and members of all unions. “She sits well among the staff and students,” commented a Senate member who spoke to me in confidence because he wouldn’t want to be quoted.
Although creating lasting milestones in acting capacity—wwhich is usually short — may be challenging, Maikudi’s current pace suggests she is determined and likely to prepare a firm ground for whoever will occupy the office in the coming months.
Already, the advertisement for the substantive Vice-Chancellor position was released on 26th August 2024, officially opening the race for the university’s next chief executive.
While the number of applicants is not yet known, it is certain that both internal and external candidates have been applying for the coveted office. As for Maikudi, while she is qualified to vie for the position, in view of the criteria contained in the advertisement, the acting Director of Information and University Relations, Dr. Habib Yakoob, states that at the moment, she remains focused on her current role as Acting Vice Chancellor.
“We love her,” says Judith Adam, a 300-level student of the Faculty of Law. “Even though she’s acting as vice chancellor, she’s very visible and amiable. As the second female and youngest individual to occupy this position, my love for her is blossoming.”
Maikudi will need to maintain this tempo to keep the university moving forward.
One of the major tasks that she will be facing soon is handling the thorny admissions exercise at the university. Last week, the institution released a notice for the PostUTME for the 2024/2025 admission exercise. Being the only federal university in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and one of the fastest-growing institutions in the country, which admits candidates across the entire states of the federation and Abuja, the university naturally draws considerable attention, making her role even more challenging.
Despite the effort of the previous administration to conduct a fair and balanced admission exercise, for instance, the institution seemed to have been more closely monitored by the Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board (JAMB) over its admission process, which it once described as “illegal.”
There are indications, however, that Maikudi will be taking a more cautious approach to the admission process. How she navigates this routine exercise and many more to come will hold significant value for her leadership in this transitional period at the University of Abuja.
By Yusuf Yaro Adamu
Yusufyaro60@gmail.com
Fmr SUG Director of Social and Culture, University of Abuja.
