Dr Hafiz Sulaiman Wali, a renowned educationist and founder of the National Teachers Institute (NTI), Kaduna, died on September 2, 2017. The late Wali died at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano at the age of 81 after a brief illness, leaving behind a wife, four children and some grandchildren.
Hafiz Wali, who was a teacher all his life, was a staunch proponent of education through distance learning, hence his role in the establishment of the NTI. He started his career as a teacher in Maiduguri at Yerwa Secondary School. Later, he was transferred to Idah Craft School in today’s Kogi State. Later he moved to Mashi Craft School in Katsina State. He also taught at Wudil Technical College, and was later promoted to the rank of Inspector in Kaduna.
The late educationist worked on secondment on the Board of the Commonwealth of Learning and was later employed as a staff of the organisation. He worked also in Canada for over two years before returning to Nigeria. After his retirement, he ventured into the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) world. He was a consultant systems analyst who had an ability to manage responsibilities with amazing skills.
Due to his ability, wisdom and insight, he was persuaded to remain as head of the NTI beyond the ripe age of sixty in 1992 by the then Education Minister Jibril Aminu so as to continue with his good work and actualisation of a vibrant distance learning education programme for Nigeria.
His contemporaries at Barewa College, Zaria were former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, Late Gen. Hassan Usman Katsina, Late Sarkin Lere, Alhaji Umaru Lere, Dr. Rilwan Lukman, Alhaji Umaru Dikko, former Governor of North-West, Alhaji Usman Faruk, Alhaji Abdullahi Yusuf Yero among others.
As a young teacher at Mashi Craft School in Katsina, Wali’s ability and resourcefulness earned him a letter of commendation from the Northern Nigeria Government under the Premier, Sir Ahmadu Bello, Sardauna of Sokoto, when he taught his students how to build extra classes and hostels as part of their practical lessons. And impressed by his performance, the United States gave him scholarship through the Ford Foundation to study master’s degree in Systems Engineering.
Hafiz Wali was from the noble Wali family. The title of Wali, which is the equivalent of an Attorney-General, was reserved for non-princes who are knowledgeable to guide the Emir of Kano on Islamic law.
Little wonder that the late Hafiz Wali, who was vast in Islamic knowledge became the head of the National Moon Sighting Committee (NMSC), an organ of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), under the leadership of His Eminence, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, the Sultan of Sokoto.
The competence and accuracy of the committee, which rolls out timings on the commencement and termination of Ramadan fast in Nigeria through astronomical calculation, led to an improvement on the traditional moon-sighting practice among Muslims worldwide.
Hafiz Wali was a highly dignified person with humility, clarity, style and attention to detail, a lover of truth and truthfulness through his words and actions. He touched many people’s lives and a lot of people praised his virtues and testified about his commitment to the epitome of professionalism.
His vision was for more Nigerians to be engaged in engineering related fields. In an interview he granted the Daily Trust, he elaborated on this thus: “When I was a principal, I told my students to strive and acquire handcraft, as they would be sought for always. Look at how engineering students and technicians are being sought after always. From power to construction to computer and lots more, engineers are needed. For instance, without computer now there wouldn’t be any development.”
Hafiz Wali’s life was well-lived. His family, friends and associates will miss his companionship, generosity, humour and, indeed, positive influence. His was a lifetime worth eulogizing.
We mourn this great personality as he will be missed beyond measure.
