By Toyin Falola
Ideas about concepts and phenomena are commonly generated by very observant people who routinely project replicable information on studied items, topics, or issues. Much as these people are referred to as precocious and foresighted, their postulations often spring from something outside of the reach of ordinary people who are not usually conscious of the happenings and trappings of their immediate environment. It is the character of intellectuals to devote a considerable amount of time to observing a phenomenon keenly and closely before coming to a definitive conclusion about it. As such, theories generated by scholars, the rules postulated by the intellectuals, and the profound ideas propounded by knowledge generators are basically not self-imposed on humanity. Instead, they come from a culture of keen observation, which enables them to gather even the tiniest of information that has been useful to them in conceptualizing these phenomena and explaining them to humankind. As such, when I call Professor Amidu Sanni an epitome of discipline and determination, I am looking at the man with the same lens I look at the anthropological problem of extant and developing cultures. I am, in that case, upholding the basic tenets of intellectual inquiry, such as what I use in carrying out the inquisition that led me to write various historical accounts of humanity’s experience. In essence, this is to tell you that this Professor is an open book. It is difficult to exhaust its content.
Amidu Sanni was born into a devout Islamic family at a time when a level of suspicion was nursed against every educational institution that predominantly upholds Western values. Therefore, children born into an Islamic family were most likely to be exposed to Islamic educational practices at their elementary level and beyond to teach the basic principles of the religion and internalize its conventional morals that would enable them to function effectively within their society and beyond. Muslims have never been opposed to education, but the deep-seated assumption that the exposure of their children to Western schools would wrongly program them influenced the decisions of many parents at the time when Sanni entered the world in not placing their wards within the geography of Western education centres. Meanwhile, the available Western schools of the period did little to correct this idea. In essence, the suspicion at the time was hinged on practical experiences that people had. I should not forget to mention that if a taste already marks the foundation of children for one specific form of education, whether Islamic, Christian or Western, the possibility of consolidating it with faith is not uncommon. This means that an individual’s path may as well be already determined from this point onward.
And so, we have an exemplary figure in Sanni who deployed his mind to exert an unprecedented influence in both legacies to which he was introduced. Apparently, after enjoying Islamic history, knowledge, ideas, and values under the tutelage of his loving father, he already had his mind scribed with ideas that would make him excel in life, but that was not enough. Unlike many of us who came to Western education with not-so-filled heads, Sanni came to the educational system with his mind already exposed to fundamental ideas of the Islamic value system. Such a condition promises two possible outcomes: it may cause an individual to distance themselves from the new value system or increase their intellectual potential when they harmonize the two. Sanni came in the latter category. Unlike many others, Sanni determined to use this condition to his advantage by being amazing in his educational involvements. The reason for his determination could be alluded to by his intention to showcase that these two epistemic sources can be harmonized for the delight of humanity and the advancement of human civilization. And so, Sanni blazed the trail when he was first introduced to elementary Western education after he had already internalized Islamic knowledge as a child. From the stage to the next phase of his educational adventure, he was always coming out as the best product. That would have motivated his father to throw his energy into supporting his advancement in the line he had chosen.
But for the man himself, making up his mind to become successful comes with an unending list of sacrifices which he must endure. For one, becoming the best candidate at each level of academic indulgence is a condition that requires commitment and determination, which is not commonly found with people without attention to discipline. He set a very high standard for himself right from the beginning so that when he came out of his educational pursuits, he would have achieved two important feats: making his family happy and simultaneously placing himself on the right trajectory to his desired future. By the time he graduated from secondary school in 1975, not many individuals could say confidently that he already had a clear map of how he wanted to lead his life. Although many people would leave that to Providence, life has shown us enough knowledge to know that they will shape the destiny of an individual. In essence, Sanni clearly knew what was next and what he planned to achieve in the next stage of his life. This is partly what accounted for his brilliant success at the University of Ibadan, where he came out as a first-class graduate who had been trained at the premier university. You should not take my word for it; conduct some research yourself, and you will realize that the institution has been at the forefront of producing quality products whose marks in different areas of life are immensely felt everywhere on the globe.
No individual in human history would have accomplished what Professor Amidu Sanni achieved without solid determination and zeal. To graduate with a PhD as a scholar at the University of London School of Oriental Studies with a specialization in Middle Eastern Studies indicates the turf of champions who remain committed to their goals. May I inform you that his educational engagements are not catalyzed by desires for good grades alone but are crystallized by the determination to internalize useful ideas that would help transform him and his immediate environment? As such, it comes as no surprise that Sanni has been one of the most sought-after academics in Africa and the world at large, whose intellectual preeminence produces profound results when combined with his administrative fervour. This man’s unyielding determination clearly mapped out a thrilling lifestyle for him, which he embraced with open arms. That explains his fast-paced transformation as an academic, even when he found himself in the pioneering academic train of Lagos State University (LASU), which he joined in 1984. The young academic understood that he needed to continuously develop himself and refine his intellectual potential so that he could actualize his objective, and not once had he derailed from this trajectory. From that time up till date, he has generally skyrocketed, and his success is a domestic knowledge in the African educational atmosphere. Sanni has continued to work assiduously to change the narratives, and it is no coincidence that he is achieving this lofty ambition in our eyes.
I affirm that without the discipline he had, the attainment of a PhD, which eventually paved the way for his greater academic endeavours, would have been impossible on the occasion that he was not disciplined enough. I also believe that, as much as the ingredients of success and achievement are consistency and vision, individuals will not attain them without a good measure of determination. This is underscored by the knowledge that it is a determination that helps a man battle internal challenges successfully, as they are always there with their ability to distract humans from their goals. While determination helps a man to fix their focus when in the pursuit of great ambition, it is a discipline that makes them stay in line to actualize their potential. When Sanni was confronted with challenges which would have discouraged him from extending his career, it was his determination that came to the rescue. At the same time, it was his discipline that made him stay in line during the entire process of his journey. The success associated with him today is complementary to the effort and toil that he has invested during his development. Professor Sanni has attained gracious heights in both intellectual and professional areas today because he refuses to be discouraged by the travails of life that initially appeared impossible. He has contributed immensely to academic engagements both at home and abroad, and it is no coincidence that he has facilitated intercontinental value exchange for the enhancement of global best practices, which brings him a good name and secures an important image for the country.
PS: This is part 1 of 3 on Professor Amidu Sanni, who was appointed as a University Distinguished Professor at Lagos State University. He will be officially honoured at the 27th Convocation ceremony on Thursday, June 6, 2024. I will attend the event in person, even if it is a long distance.
