PATE: The Media Authentic Authority

PATE: The Media Authentic Authority 

MEET PROF. UMAR ALHAJI PATE: THE ONLY KAIGAMMA OF ADAMAWA AND THE DIGITAL VICE CHANCELLOR, FEDERAL UNIVERSITY, KASHERE, GOMBE STATE.

By Ahmad Umar (Kamba)

Professor Umar Alhaji Pate summarily called Prof. Umar Pate (PUP) is one of the first generation Professors of Mass Communication in Nigeria.

He has hand, leg and entire body in all the reforms of Mass Communication as a discipline of learning since its introduction in Nigeria Tertiary Institutions of learning.

Prof. Pate is a successful scholar who has achieved uncommon feats in the academic field. Highly resourceful, dynamic and principled. He has made enormous contributions to the development of Media Studies in Nigeria.

He served as HOD and Dean in different capacities and at  different Universities especially University of Maiduguri and Bayero University, Kano.

He also served as a consultant to different National and International Organizations,both Local and International NGOs such as United Nations, World Bank, UNICEF, AU, UNDP.

He has taught and supervised thousands of students spread across Nigeria, including the publisher of KEBBITRUST Online newspaper.

He published numerous books and hundreds of articles in local and International journals.

On several occasions he served as resource person to all the largest Media houses in Nigeria such as NTA, AIT, CHANNELS, TVC were national issues were extensively discussed.

He attended numerous public lectures, workshops, seminars and symposiums within and outside Nigeria.

He is the recipient of about one hundred different Awards and Honours.

Prof. Pate is also a member of numerous professional Associations within and outside Nigeria.

Currently as Vice Chancellor, Federal University, Kashere, Gombe State within a short time he transformed the University into one of the best in the country. Infact, many people became aware of the existence of this University via Prof. Pate's initiative and creativity.

A prince turned Scholar, is like a golden fish who has no hiding place, as such he was recognized by the Adamawa Emirate Council and conferred on him the traditional title of KAIGAMMA OF ADAMAWA; Prof. Pate inherited this title from his fore-fathers: "My father was also appointed to hold that position before he passed away" Said Prof. Pate when I interviewed him in Abuja, 2012. 

The title of KAIGAMMA is  one of the vital titles in Adamawa Emirate Council. It is one of the 11 Kingmakers and one of the 3 first appointments made by Modibbo Adama; The Founder of Fombina Emirate (now Adamawa Emirate). KAIGAMMA was like Commander -In- Chief of the Armed Forces of the Emirate.

To cut the story short, Prof. Pate ( The Kaigamma of Adamawa) is now one the legitimately traditionally, officially and legally recognized KINGMAKER in Adamawa Emirate Council.

He obtained Ph.D, M.Sc, B.Sc ETC all in Mass Communication discipline.

He likes traveling, research, publications and reading. He is happily maried and blessed with children.

When talking of Mass Communication or Media in Nigeria, there is no single word to sum the personality of Prof. Umar A. Pate, especially when it comes to Academic field; some describe him as a Humanitarian Communication expert, while some describe him as a Political Communication expert, for want of words I describe him as AUTHENTIC AUTHORITY IN MEDIA, this is because he knows anything and  everything in MEDIA, JOURNALISM and MASS COMMUNICATION.

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Flash Back:

BUK-2009; HOW FEAR OF PROF.PATE FORCE ME INTO 3 DAYS FASTING:

Sometime in 2009 Prof.Pate gave us a group assignment in one of the courses he taught us (Political Communication), some guys in the class smartly coopted the best students into their group, on the day of Assignment presentation, they appeared so proud before the class for presentation. Having finished their presentation Prof. Pate harshly condemned their paper described it as empty as plain sheet. This frightened the whole class and no other group made a presentation on  that day, on the ground that the seeming best group were condemned,.. it was amidst of that tension a Project supervisory list was out and my name fell under the supervision of Prof. Pate. My fear was if group of 10 best students cannot convince Prof. Pate with 10 pages assignment, how can I single handedly satisfy him with a Project of about 100 pages; hence my decision to embark on 3 days fasting praying to have easy sails. At the end of the day, the misconception I have on Prof. Pate automatically dispelled, I found Prof. Pate to be a most simple, approachable and most students friendly lecturer I  had ever seen. I, along other four students under his supervision, were the first to finish our project in time. On the day he scored us, he took us in his car to one of the best restaurants in Kano State. He fed us with chickens and cow tails and then signed our Project and gave us good grades.

His methodology encourage teaching and learning process in School. I developed my writing skills within few weeks under his supervision. Alhamdulillah today such skill is contributing to my economy.

Prof; 'Miyyeti sanne, Allah hukke Aljannah'.

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Ahmad Umar (Kamba) is a former student of Prof. Umar Pate writing from Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State.

07038182929

ahmadugamji@gmail.com