Adamawa state Polytechnic: Prof Ibrahim Umar and Lessons from Exemplary Leadership
The melting point has not been in the habit of praise-singing for apparent reasons of being misrepresented or given political colouration to governance issues. But the truth remains that whoever does exemplary well should be highlighted for the sole purpose of encouraging other leaders to follow the same and build a progressive society.
What attracted me to Adamawa state Polytechnic was the passionate commitment of Prof Ibrahim led management to the growth and development of the Polytechnic and communities. Many who got the opportunity to serve either as elected or appointed persons in government failed to leave a mark or good legacy, while some have thrived on giving a good account of their stewardship.
Prof Ibrahim Umar led management of the Adamawa State Polytechnic, one of the leading state Polytechnic of Nigeria, is one of the visible educational sub-entities of Nigeria, always on the media map regardless of the recent destruction caused by some recalcitrant students of the institution that throws cautions to the wind to destroy properties worth millions of naira of the Polytechnic.
Its present Rector, Prof. Ibrahim Umar, came on board in 2018 and currently serving his first term in office. Like some few other administrators, Ibrahim was very prepared for the task of governance that he was to face. Hope was not lost on him since the coming on board as the Rector of the Polytechnic. As a leader, being conscious of what is expected of him, he keeps focused on the goals he has set for himself.
As an appointed leader in an upcoming institution like the state Polytechnic, he was sensitive to the yearnings and demands of the Polytechnic community. Prof. Ibrahim Umar has warmed his way into the hearts of the Polytechnic community because of his compassion and the moral sense of integrity he put into leadership. The mental and physical energy exerted in the art of leadership, oiled with sincerity and honesty, transparency, and human courage, has made him freely run the Polytechnic despite zero allocation. His bridging of the theory and practice of compassion, moral suasion and administrative simplicity has earned him accolades within and outside his domain and the state.
He is highly respected across board because of his diligent pursuit of realistic human principles. He cherished his integrity so much that his words are always matched with action. Apart from his good interpersonal relations with people, Umar has performed creditably well with an impressive outing to the satisfaction of every institution’s typical community, even those who have sworn to hate him.
The number of heavy-duty projects completed and commissioned with unique and marvellous legacy infrastructural sites has beautified SPY, Yola.
The sincere desire to deliver quality projects to the Polytechnic is in his blood. Everyone who has followed the trajectory of his administration objectively will agree that he hit the ground running from the first day he assumed office in 2018, fixing the Polytechnic, classrooms, administrative blocks, student hostels and establishments, opening up clamped down spaces and courageously mending fences across the various unions of the Polytechnic across divides and lifting the institution to its present higher level.
Therefore, it was little wonder that in just two years of his first term, TETFUND officials visited Adamawa state Polytechnic and was amazed by the volume of work and projects already delivered and functional, a development that earned him the prefix of ‘Mr Projects’.
The Adamawa State Ministry for Higher Education officials corroborated and revalidated TETFUND honest observation and endorsement a few months later when they visited Adamawa State Polytechnic see some projects. Projects has become synonymous with the Prof, Ibrahim Umar led the management of the Polytechnic in the last three years and even against the backdrop of the financial crunch that hits the Polytechnic before the advent of his administration, one crucial fact which even his critics will admit and even concede to, is the quality construction of infrastructural projects like classrooms, hostels, new departmental buildings, faculty buildings and rehabilitation of old buildings. It takes an unbridled commitment to accomplish.
Quality projects require careful planning, expert handling and many months of hard work to ensure that projects are delivered to specification to serve the people well. He has achieved with class, panache, tremendous success, and goodwill and appreciation from the Polytechnic community who are already beneficiaries.
The striking features of these feats were that most of the infrastructural projects were handled by renowned indigenous construction firms, thereby promoting and enhancing local content development. Prof Ibrahim Umar led management introduced new courses with degree program affiliated, TETFUND projects littered the three campuses of the Polytechnic, and student enrolment improved tremendously; finally, several courses of the institution witness accreditation under his watch, and others are awaiting NBTE re-accreditation.