I followed the Kaduna Polytechnic saga with its former rector with dismay. The truth is that Professor Idris Muhammad Bugaje does not deserve any attack, bullying and or blackmail from members of Kaduna Polytechnic including students, staff and any other person; Bugaje is a saint on purpose.
The saga between Bugaje and Kaduna Polytechnic stakeholders is about the character of some Nigerians that only praise you when you are in charge because they know they can get some benefits from you but instantly turn you down when you cease to be their benefactor and turn to another godfather.
Professor Bugaje was a cannon that set a prosperous path for Kaduna Polytechnic and he achieved tremendous success for the institution. Bugaje’s name is written with gold in Kaduna Polytechnic and will forever be remembered for his impeccable records.
Bugaje established a Policy and Transparency Division which checked corruption, examination malpractices, sex for grade, extortion by lecturers of their students and addressed the dress code nightmare in Kaduna Polytechnic.
Kaduna Polytechnic experienced accelerated development with the building of many edifice. The giant departments of Railway Engineering and Chemical Engineering are historic. The new Petrochemical Engineering and the Mass Communication Departments are answers to what makes Kaduna Polytechnic the giant in Africa. The Bugaje administration upgraded the Kaduna Polytechnic Clinic to a world class medical facility.
Before his appointment as the rector of Kaduna Polytechnic, 85% of Kaduna Polytechnic courses lost their accreditation but in one year of his rectorship he revived the epileptic courses. To improve students welfare, he sourced three 60-seater buses from TETFund and sourced a 70-seater luxury bus from Adamu Gwarzo Foundation.
Among the achievements of Professor Bugaje is the constructing interlock passages by the road sides to avoid traffic risk in the institution. He secured road contracts to fix the dilapidated roads of Kaduna Polytechnic and the Malam Adamu Adamu Road which expanded Kaduna Polytechnic main campus and opened a new world in the institution. The road brought about new development in the then isolated and smokers’ den. Indeed, the Malam Adamu Adamu Road is a blessing to Kaduna Polytechnic for having a new gate at Badiko axis.
Meanwhile, Spider Radio of Mass Communication Department, Kaduna Polytechnic is keeping to its objective of training students in broadcasting and journalism and it is perfecting students’ talent and sharpening their knowledge. Also to give an upper hand to Kadpoly Consult, Bugaje upgraded its jurisdiction and production to yield big profits for the IGR of the Institution. Bugaje was passionate about staff training and development and I believed Kaduna Polytechnic will miss him dearly in that area. And I ask, why should Kaduna Polytechnic community so soon forget all these blessings of their past rector?
As an alumnus and former staff o fthe institution, I recall before the coming of Bugaje the institution was unattractive because of incessant strikes which eroded its IGR; why then do some Kaduna Polytechnic staff resort to taunting Professor Bugaje?
Bugaje, the then rector of Kaduna Polytechnic and now the Executive Secretary of National Board for Technical Education, NBTE, set a standard that will difficult to surpass for a long time. He should therefore be commended not condemned.
Umar A. Ahmad[email protected]
