Professor Umaru Shehu Biography
Umaru Shehu CON, CFR, was a Nigerian physician and academic administrator who lived from 8 December 1930 until 2 October 2023. He had prominent roles in a number of universities, such as the University of Maiduguri, Ahmadu Bello University, and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He served as the Institute of Human Virology, Nigeria’s (IHVN) board of directors’ chairman.
Professor Umaru Shehu Early life and education
On December 8, 1930, in Maiduguri, in what was then the Borno province (now the Borno state) of the North-Eastern State in Northern Nigeria, Umaru Shehu was born.
Shehu studied at Maiduguri from 1935 to 1940 for elementary school and from 1941 to 1943 for middle school. He attended Kaduna College in Zaria from 1944 to 1947 before moving on to University College Ibadan from 1948 to 1953. He also attended the University of Liverpool for two different terms, from 1966 to 1967 and from 1953 to 1956.* Shehu graduated from the University of London with a medical degree.
Professor Umaru Shehu Career
Early career
Shehu started working as a Pre-registration House Surgeon at the Southport Infirmary in the United Kingdom in 1957, following the completion of his medical school. He rejoined the Government of Northern Nigeria later that year to work as a Pre-registration House Physician. He progressively rose through the ranks in the medical field, serving as Chief Medical Officer in the Preventive Services Division from 1967 to 1968, Principal Medical Officer from 1965 to 1966, Senior Medical Officer from 1963 to 1965, Assistant Chief Medical Officer from 1966 to 1967, and Medical Officer from 1957 to 1963.
University career
Ahmadu Bello University
Shehu was offered a job as the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Chief Medical Officer in the North-Eastern State after serving in the Preventive Services Division. He turned down the invitation, nevertheless, and instead to enroll at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU). From 1968 to 1970, he worked as a Reader and Acting Head of the Department of Community Medicine, becoming the first Head of the Department in history. He also held the positions of Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Director of the Institute of Health from 1969 to 1970 during this time.
He was promoted to Professor of Community Medicine in 1970 and served as the Department of Community Medicine’s Head from 1970 to 1978. Shehu also held the positions of Deputy Vice Chancellor from 1975 to 1976 in addition to serving as the Institute of Health’s Director from 1970 to 1977. Lastly, from 1977 to 1978, he served as Pro Vice Chancellor.
University of Maiduguri
Professor Shehu has held important roles and made noteworthy contributions to the University of Maiduguri during his time there. He has been an Honorary Consultant Physician since 1991; he kept this title till his death. In 2000, he was made a Professor Emeritus in honor of his achievements and contributions. In addition, Shehu presided over the University’s College of Medical Sciences as provost from 1991 to 1993. In addition, from 1993 to 1994, Professor Shehu assumed the position of Sole Administrator at the University of Maiduguri, serving in a pivotal interim leadership capacity during that time.
At other universities
He became the Vice Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in 1978, and from that time until 1980, he made important contributions to the administrative and academic growth of the school. He oversaw and provided strategic direction for the hospital’s activities while holding the position of Chairman of the Board of Management at the University College Hospital Ibadan from 1991 to 1994. From 1993 to 1996, Shehu presided over the Governing Council and served as Pro-Chancellor of Bayero University in Kano. He then worked at the University of Lagos as the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council from 1996 to 1999. In these capacities, he significantly contributed to the strategic direction and management of the corresponding universities.
Career with International and National Health Organisations
From 1973 to 1975, Professor Shehu presided over African medical schools as their president. He also assumed the position of University of Ghana Medical School External Examiner in Public Health. In addition, he has presided over the boards of STOPAIDS and the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA). Professor Shehu has also supported a number of healthcare-related organizations, such as the Nigerian Institute of Stress, Nationwide Network for Health, Nigerian Medical Forum of Great Britain and Ireland, and the Guild of Medical Directors.
Shehu was also on the National Foundation on Vesicovaginal Fistula (VVF) Trustee Board. In addition, he served on the Nigerian Tuberculosis and Leprosy Association’s Board of Trustees.
Professor Shehu has contributed to medical journals in terms of articles. He has worked as a consulting editor for the Nigerian Medical Practitioner and a member of the editorial board for the West African Medical Journal. He has also served as the Nigerian Postgraduate Medical Journal’s editorial adviser. Interestingly, he was co-chief editor of the British Medical Journal’s West Africa edition. Up to his death, he presided over the Institute of Human Virology, Nigeria (IHVN) Board of Directors.
Work with WHO
In a variety of roles, Professor Shehu collaborated extensively with the World Health Organization (WHO). He first became involved in the Working Group on Health Services and Manpower Development Mechanism in Geneva in 1970 while serving as a short-term consultant. He kept working with WHO, taking on roles as a Short Term Consultant from 1971 to 1973 and Temporary Adviser from October 1970 to October 1971. Shehu served as a Technical Discussions Consultant for the 24th WHO Regional Committee for Africa in 1974. Later, from 1980 to 1985, he served in important capacities as the National WHO Program Coordinator/Representative in Nigeria, where he helped to carry out WHO initiatives there.
He led and provided direction for the sub-region’s health development initiatives while serving as the Director of the WHO Sub-Regional Health Development Office III from 1985 to 1989.
Professor Shehu expanded his knowledge of promoting health and healthcare services in Ethiopia when he took up the role of WHO Representative to Ethiopia in 1990.
Professor Umaru Shehu Death
On October 2, 2023, Umaru Shehu passed away at the age of 92.
Professor Umaru Shehu Awards and honours
Shehu was the recipient of honorary doctorates in science from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and Ahmadu Bello University. He was named a Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) by the Nigerian government in 1979, and he was named a Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) in 2000.[/2] In addition, he received the Centenary Prize from President Goodluck Jonathan in 2014, a significant honor celebrating Nigeria’s 100 years as a nation.
Who Is Professor Umaru Shehu
Former vice chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Professor Umaru Shehu is a Nigerian physician. He was the president of the Nigerian Academy of Science before becoming an Emeritus Professor of Community Health at the University of Maiduguri. Professor Umaru graduated from the University of London with a Bachelor of Medicine degree, or MBBS. In addition, he holds the position of head editor at the British Medical Journal and was awarded a fellowship by the Institute of Cancer Research.
History Of Professor Umaru Shehu
In Maiduguri, Nigeria, on December 8, 1930, Professor Umaru Shehu was born. He went to Maiduguri Elementary School (1935–1940), Maiduguri Middle School (1941–1943), Kaduna College (1944–1947), University College Ibadan (1948–1953), and the University of Liverpool (1953–1956) and 1966–1967. MBBS (London), IRCF (London), MRCS (England), DPH (Liverpool), FMCPH, MFCM, FFCM (UK), FFCM (Nigeria), FAS, FWACP, and DFMC (Nigeria) are all credentials held by Professor Shehu.
In 1957, Professor Shehu began working at Southport Infirmary in the United Kingdom as a Pre-registration House Surgeon. After returning to the Government of Northern Nigeria in that same year, he worked as a pre-registration house physician before being promoted to Medical Officer in 1957–1963, Senior Medical Officer in 1963–1965, Principal Medical Officer in 1965–1966, Assistant Chief Medical Officer in 1966–1967, and Chief Medical Officer (Preventive Services Division) in 1967–1968.
After declining the offer to move to Ahmadu Bello University and take a position as Reader and Acting Head of Department of Community Medicine 1968–1970, Deputy Dean, Faculty of Medicine 1968–1970, Acting Director, Institute of Health 1969–1970, Professor of Community Medicine 1970, Head of Department of Community Medicine 1970–1978, Director, Institute of Health 1970–1977, Deputy Vice Chancellor 1975–1976, and Pro Vice Chancellor (Academic) 1977–1978, Professor Shehu was then redeployed to North-Eastern State as Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Chief Medical Officer.From 1976 to 1977, Professor Shehu served as a visiting professor at a number of universities, including the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s School of Medicine.
He served as vice chancellor of the University of Nigeria in Nsukka from 1978 to 1980. Along with these roles, he held positions with the World Health Organization in Geneva from September 1970 to October 1970 as a Temporary Adviser, then again from 1971 to 1973 as a Short Term Consultant (Working Group on Health Services and Manpower Development Mechanism); in Nigeria from 1980 to 1985 as the National WHO Program Coordinator/Representative; in 1985–1989 as the Director of the WHO Sub-Regional Health Development Office 111; and in 1990 as the WHO Representative to Ethiopia.Professor Shehu was named Honorary Consultant Physician at the University of Maiduguri in 1991 and elevated to Professor Emeritus in 2000.
In addition, he served as the University of Maiduguri’s only administrator from 1993 to 1994 and as provost of the College of Medical Sciences from 1991 to 1993. He served as the Chairman of the Board of Management at the University College Hospital in Ibadan from 1991 to 1994. He served as Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council at Bayero University, Kano, from 1993 to 1996. He also held same positions at the University of Lagos, from 1996 to 1999.He has served in a number of national and international committees, councils, panels, and commissions as a member and officer.
throughout addition to serving as the University of Ghana Medical School’s external examiner for public health, he presided over medical schools throughout Africa from 1973 to 1975. Current positions held by him include Chairman of the Board of Governors for STOPAIDS, Chairman of the Governing Board of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Patron of the Nigerian Institute of Stress, Patron of the Nigerian Medical Forum of Great Britain and Ireland, Patron of the Guild of Medical Directors, Trustee of the National Foundation on VVF, Member of the Board of Trustees of the Nigerian Tuberculosis and Leprosy Association, Member of the Editorial Board of the West African Medical Journal, Consulting Editor for the Nigerian Medical Practitioner, Editorial Adviser for the Nigerian Postgraduate Medical Journal, and Joint Editor-in-Chief of the British Medical Journal (West Africa) Edition.
Professor Shehu is a Foundation Fellow of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria, the West African College of Physicians, the Nigerian Academy of Science, and the Faculty of Community Medicine (Nigeria), in addition to being an active member of several professional associations, including the Nigerian Medical Association, The Society of Health (Nigeria), the Science Association of Nigeria, the Association of Community Physicians of Nigeria, and the Nigerian Academy of Science.
A Dictionary of African Biography, Men of Achievement, Who is Who in Africa, Who is Who in Nigeria, Africa Year Book 1977—Who is Who in Africa, and Who is Who in the World all reference Professor Umaru Shehu.
He is an honorary doctor of science graduate of the University of Nigeria in Nsukka and Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria. He was named a Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) by the Nigerian government in 1979, and he was named a Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) in 2000.
He is wed and has kids.
Who is the first emeritus professor in Nigeria?
Umaru Shehu, the first emeritus professor in Nigeria, passed away at the age of 92.
