ISIAKA ZUBAIR ALIAGAN: Ilorin’s first male professor of Mass Communications
When the governing council of Kwara State University, Malete, approved the promotion of six staff to full Chair on Monday, May 6, 2024, it was not unexpected that the name of Professor Isiaka Aliagan featured.
Professor Aliagan is a specialist in Journalism and Media Studies.
In a statement by the Director, University Relations, Dr. Saeedat Aliyu, the other new professors are Professor Adebayo Abayomi Olowoake with specialisation in Soil Fertility; Professor Lawrence Femi Ademiluyi, who specialises in Entrepreneurship, Office Technology and Management; Professor Adeoye Afolabi specialist in Corporate & Public Finance.
The remaining are Professor Sikiru Akinyeye Ahmed specialist in Physical and Computational Chemistry and Professor Aliru Olajide Mustapha specialist in Analytical, Environmental and Industrial Chemistry.
Who is Professor Isiaka Aliagan?
Professor Isiaka Zubair Aliagan, seasoned journalist, renowned media technocrat, outstanding academic, prolific historian and well-known author, was born in the city of Douala, Cameroon, on May 4, 1966 where his parents were then sojourning.
His father was Alhaji Zubair Danialu Aliagan, the 7th Magaji Aliagan, who hailed from the popular Magaji Aliagan family in the Agbaji Quarters of Ilorin, while his mother, Alhaja Osenatu Zubair Danialu hailed from Imam Idi-Opopo compound of Baruba area of Ilorin.
Early education
In the course of his childhood in the French-Speaking country, this outstanding moulder of public opinion left his dutiful parents for Ikare-Akoko, Ondo State, where he completed his studies of the Holy Quran under his uncle, Alhaji Yakubu Danialu Aliagan.
As he was pursuing his Quranic studies, Aliagan was enrolled as a pupil of the Ansarudeen School II, Ikare-Akoko, Ondo State, which he attended between 1973 and 1979.
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For his post-primary educational pursuit, he was trained at Erin-Ile Secondary School, Erin-Ile, from 1980 to 1982. He was also educated at the Okelele Secondary School, Ilorin, between 1982 and 1984, from where he earned his West African School Certificate in flying colours. Aliagan proceeded to the School of Basic Studies of the then Kwara State College of Technology, Ilorin where he did his IJMB A’ Level, which he completed with excellent result.
Higher education
For his efforts and pursuit of excellence in the academic and consequent professional life, Aliagan holds a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Mass Communication from the Bayero University, Kano, which he received in 1989.
He also received his Master of Science degree in the same discipline from the University of Lagos in 1992.
In the year 2002, Aliagan took time off his busy schedules to pursue a doctoral degree in History (Press and Politics) at the University of Ilorin, which he earned in 2009.
In order for him to deserve and receive another doctorate degree in his chosen field of Print Journalism, this Wordsmith left the shores of Nigeria for the Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia, which he consequently obtained in 2019.
Journalism and public relations practice
Armed with a worthy academic qualification from one of the foremost citadels of Mass Communication training coupled with his gift of writing, this illustrious son of Ilorin Emirate commenced his brilliant journalistic career as a Reporter with the authoritative The Guardian newspaper, the acclaimed “flagship of the Nigerian media”, in 1989, as a youth corps member.
The Guardian offered to retain him even before the completion of his NYSC. His appointment was therefore formalized in 1990 after his passing out from the NYSC. Aside from serving as the Editor of Nigeria’s pioneer aviation magazine, Aviation Quarterly and thereafter, African Aviation Quarterly, Aliagan was appointed as the Editor of The Herald newspaper, published by the Kwara State Printing and Publishing Corporation, Ilorin, from 1997 to 1999.
As a media relations expert, Aliagan served as the Head of the Directorate of Information of the University of Ilorin, in June 1999, during one of the most challenging periods in the annals of the institution.
He was the main voice of the University between 1999 and 2002 during the phenomenal tenure of Prof. Shuaibu Oba AbdulRaheem, OFR. He was the abundantly gifted media guru who was entrusted with the task of defending, protecting and polishing the image of the University at a time the national and local leaderships of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) was at an unrelenting war against the management of the University over some labour related issues, which was largely fought with words on the pages of newspapers and electronic media.
The yeoman’s job Aliagan offered the University, despite the support of the most influential section of the Nigerian media, which was helped with the affiliation of some other critical stakeholders, for the positions of ASUU leadership, confirmed his superlative efficiency as a media professional and patriotism as a responsible son of the University’s host community.
The relentless contributions and tireless efforts of Aliagan largely accounted for the shinning and continuous reputation of the University as the most peaceful and sought-after institution of higher learning in Nigeria.
He held the office of the University of Ilorin’s Chief Communication Strategist through the administration of Prof. Shamusudeen Amali, OON and the early part of the tenure of Prof. Ishaq Olanrewaju Oloyede, OFR, in 2008, when he was redeployed to the Institute of Education as Secretary by the University administration. Altogether, Aliagan superintended the information organ of the University of Ilorin for a period of about 10 years.
Sojourn to the presidency
In 2010, while serving at the University of Ilorin Institute of Education, Dr. Aliagan was appointed as Special Assistant to President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and seconded to the Office of the First Lady as her Media aide from August 2010 to July 2011 after which he was disengaged, following the 2011 general election, and recalled on personal merit as Principal Secretary on Research and Documentation to the First Lady, Dame Patience Faka Jonathan, from 2012 to 2015 when the administration completed its tenure on May 29.
Kwara State University, Malete
After his 11 years of services at the University of Ilorin, and a stint at the presidency in Abuja, Aliagan joined the services of the Kwara State University, Malete, as a Lecturer in the institution’s Department of Mass Communication in 2011 and later doubling as Director of University Relations.
As not unexpected, Aliagan also assisted the institution in the facilitation of good reputation for the University, which is now one of the fastest growing state universities in Nigeria. Many of his foundation projects have remained focal points for the KWASU Office of University Relations to date.
Sequel to a very accomplished contribution in the spheres of practical journalism in the mainstream media and media relations in institutions of higher learning, Aliagan secured elevation in the academic cadre of the Kwara State University, Malete, with his appointment as the Head of the institution’s Department of Mass Communication on January 17, 2018 and Dean of the Faculty of Information and Communication Technology on May 5, 2021.
In June 2018, and with less than six months of preparation, the department under him secured full accreditation for its programmes by the National Universities Commission (NUC), scoring well over 80% in the assessment.
Aside his regular professional services stated above, Aliagan has offered a number of other contributions towards the development of media training and practice in Ilorin Emirate. He was a Member of the Committee, which drew the curriculum of Mass Communication for the Kwara State College of Arabic and Islamic Legal Studies, Ilorin, in the year 2000. He served on a similar Committee towards the establishment of the Department of Mass Communication, University of Ilorin, in 2004. He also helped in the setting up of the Department of Mass Communication of the Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin in 2009.
Isiaka Aliagan was also, at various times, an Adjunct Lecturer of Mass Communication at the Kwara State College of Arabic and Islamic Legal Studies, Ilorin; Kwara State University, Malete; Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin; the International Institute of Journalism, Kwara Campus, and the Imo State University, Okigwe, Kwara Outreach Centre, Ilorin, in the course of which he assisted in the training of hundreds of media professionals.
He had been a resource person at several fora, seminars, workshops, and conferences organized by Nigeria Union of Journalist (NUJ), Kwara State; Islamic Welfare Foundation (IWF), National Council of Muslim Youth Organisation (NACOMYO), Islamic Missionary Association of Nigeria (IMAN), National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Kwara Chapter, The Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), various student associations, among others.
Author, playwright, poet and publisher
As a consummate writer, Aliagan has several newspaper articles and some books, which enriched the nation’s literary and educational circle. Some of the books he authored, co-authored or edited are Cadence, 1997; Emissary of Joy (poetry), 1999; The Scars of the Moon (short story collection), 2000; Oba Mama (play), 2003; Stories from the Quran (coauthored), 2003; Olubu (play), 2010; Ogu Umunwanye (Women’s War), 2014; An Old Man and his Son; A Patient Fisherman (children fiction) 2017 and Rusting Time (play) awaiting publication, among several others.
He also has seven works in 14 publications and 101 library holdings in WorldCat member libraries worldwide, including Europe, America and Asia. His books, apart from being subject of dissertation and stage performances in universities and tertiary institutions in Nigeria, are being marketed by international booksellers, including Amazon and African Books Collective.
Contribution to Ilorin history
As a patriot, Aliagan has a flair for all things related to Ilorin history, culture and Islamic religion. He initiated and published the first sectional history of an Ilorin family, titled “Breakers of Ilorin City Wall: A Socio-Economic History of the Aliagans and their Neighbours.” He also participated in the writing of “Badari: A sociopolitical history of the Badari Ward of Ilorin.” He was also a foundation member of Ilorin History and Culture Bureau, and took part in the initiative to attract the National Museums of Islamic Arts to Ilorin, through interface with the National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Abuja.
With his contributions here and there, Aliagan, who is married and blessed with children, has also been serving as a mentor to many creative writers, model and inspiration to young men and women, across Nigeria and faiths, some of whom had cause to live with him during their studentship and struggles to make an edge in our largely competitive world.
Aliagan has traveled to several countries across the world. Some of the countries he had traveled to include Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Kenya, United States of America, France, Burundi, Cameroon, Singapore, Malaysia and South Africa.
CULLED FROM NIGERIAN SKETCH
