Northwest University Kano has appointed Professor Aisha Garba Habib as its Acting Vice Chancellor following the conclusion of Professor Mukhtar Atiku Kurawa’s five-year tenure, the institution announced on Wednesday.
The transition, described as peaceful and historic, was confirmed in a statement signed by Abubakar Ibrahim, Head of the Public Relations Unit, for the Registrar of the University.
“In line with the University’s succession procedure, Professor Aisha Garba Habib, the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic), assumed leadership in an acting capacity,” the statement said, marking the first time a woman would steer the institution’s affairs.
The handover followed a meeting between Professor Kurawa and the University’s Principal Officers, where he formally concluded his administrative duties and signed official handover documents.
According to the statement, the atmosphere on campus was “filled with emotions and celebration” as staff, students, and alumni paid tribute to Kurawa’s “visionary leadership, integrity, and transformational achievements.”
Part of his final activities included commissioning a new structure donated by the late philanthropist Alhaji Aminu Alhassan Dantata, named the Hajiya Rabi Aminu Dantata Female Students Common Room. The building, the statement added, “stands as a monumental gift to the University community and a testament to the Dantata family’s commitment to educational development.”
Professor Kurawa also inspected the site of the newly approved YUMSUK Microfinance Bank Limited, a CBN-licensed Tier II Non-interest (Islamic) Microfinance Bank established during his administration.
As he bid farewell, members of the University community reportedly accompanied him in a “grand and emotional procession” from his office to his residence, reflecting what the statement described as “the profound impact of his leadership and the admiration he earned throughout his tenure.”
“The exit of Professor Kurawa marks the end of a remarkable era in the history of the institution,” Ibrahim wrote, adding that his “legacy of integrity, innovation, and commitment to educational advancement will continue to inspire generations of staff and students.”
